Safe Water Doesn’t Happen By Accident (NAPSA)—Watercovers nearly 75 percent of the earth’s surface. The challenge—say experts—has always been to make it safe enough to be used for drinking, cooking, washing and other household tasks. In the U.S., improving water quality has come a long way since the introduction of chlorination in Albany, N.Y. and Jersey City, N.dJ. in 1908. Within a few years, chlorine was being used in water systems nationwide, and experts say it virtually eliminated waterborne diseases such as typhoid, cholera, and smallpox. Drinking-water quality is regulated by the federal government’s Environmental Protection Agency—also known as the EPA—under its Safe Drinking Water Act. The EPA sets national standards for water quality, protecting con- sumers from both man-made and naturally occurring contaminants. Today, American Water, the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company, provides drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16.2 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada. It is considered by many to be at the forefront of monitoring and controlling microbial, chemical and radiological contaminants. The company puts drinking water through hundreds of daily tests to determine possible contaminants and then works to prevent or treat them. At its central laboratory in Belleville, Ill., and at its local utility labs, American Water conducts more than 1 million sophisticated water quality tests each year. The companyalso continuously monitors the quality Drink your tap water with confi- dence knowing that it went through hundredsof daily tests to ensureits quality meets all federal and state water quality standards. and security of its water supplies, treatment facilities and distribution pipe networks. The end result of these efforts is that community water systems owned and operated by American Water consistently provide water that meets or surpasses EPA standards. American Water also goes beyond just meeting the regulations. For example, American Water is the largest participant in the Partnership for Safe Water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s voluntary program to meet more stringent goals for reducing microbes. American Water systems account for 66 of the 185 systems that have received the program’s Phase III Award and 58 of the 140 systems that have maintained this level for five years. So the next timeyoufill up your glass with tap water, rest assured, it’s top-quality water. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.amwater.com.
