Most homes in cities have water supplied by the municipal authorities courtesy of the available infrastructure and pipeline networks. Most of the time, the water is great and can be used for everything from washing to drinking.
In cities where the water supply is great, you’ll often hear people say they don’t see any need for bottled water. But, even with all these advantages, city water has also got its own unique issues. This is what we want to address in this article.
Monthly Bills
People can and do fall on hard times. When this happens, even your water can get shut off. When this happens, it can become pretty difficult to pay your monthly bills –including water. And when you don’t have water to do anything in the home, the situation can become pretty grim. If you’ve seen Jim Carrey’s Fun with Dick and Jane, then you have an idea of what we’re talking about.
Possibility of Contaminants
The Flint water crisis points to the fact that public water can be dangerous for consumption. But it doesn’t just stop with Flint.
There have been other incidents in the past; one in Sebring, Ohio, one in East Orange and another in Newark, New Jersey, and the most recent coming from Jackson, Mississippi where 13 out of the randomly tested 58 homes showed toxic levels of lead in the water coming out of their taps. In fact, there are probably more cities with these issues than we know about right now.
The point is municipal water supply tend to come from rivers, lakes, and other water bodies that may have elevated amounts of toxins in them, making them unsafe and unfit for human use and consumption. There are many causes of this:
What Causes Water Pollution in Cities?
There’s this particular episode on Mike and Molly where Mike was arguing with Molly about the fact that refilling their water dispenser was expensive and an unnecessary expense. He turned on the tap, and the water supplied by the city was blue in color.
While that may have been an attempt at engendering humor, that, or similar situations happen more frequently than they should. Whether the water smells or is discolored, identifying the cause is imperative. Some of the causes of city water pollution include:
· Infrastructure problems
· Switching from a known water source to a new one without frequent compliance checks
· Municipal cost saving measures to reduce government expenditure –Flint’s was caused by government officials who decided not to add anti-corrosion chemicals to the water
· Mining activities
· Industrial toxic waste dumps
· The city’s usage of lead pipes
· Accidental oil leakage
· Leaching of fertilizers and pesticides into water bodies and aquifers
Possibility of Water Scarcity
The recent drought in California saw the government issuing directives to its citizens, mandating them to ration their water use. Citizens who didn’t adhere were often fined.
In arid and desert cities and areas, citizens have to depend on nature to provide adequate water source, otherwise, there’s always a real risk of drought. In response to this, the US government launched a series of initiatives aimed at combating drought and building a future with sustainable water supply. But even that’s not enough to stop drought issues in the interim.
Possible Health Problems
The consumption of water from these sources can result in severe, long-term health issues. For growing children, lead poisoning has been linked to developmental problems and brain damage.
As you can see, city water isn’t without its attendant risks. For the most part, it’s usually clean and toxin free. However, you should be on the lookout for any signs of toxicity or pollution.
Once the water coming out of your tap starts smelling or becomes discolored, you should report to your local water or health department and then speak to an Orlando water treatment and purification expert to explore possible water treatment and purification options.
