by Rita Mcconnell

Created on: March 12, 2011

Clean, clear and refreshing water is something most Americans take for granted. 

However, as has been shown repeatedly through the years in various studies and surveys, American water, more specifically the source waters from which drinking water is drawn, is not as pristine as some believe it should be.

In the United States, people obtain drinking water either from a water utility or from a personal drinking water well. Depending on your source of drinking water, there are steps that can be taken to ensure that your drinking water supply is as clean as it can reasonably be.

Many Americans living in cities and suburbs have access to public water, or water collected by a water utility, treated to standards set by the Safe Drinking Water Act and distributed throughout the community via a system of water mains and lines.  Regulations require regular monitoring and notification of non-compliance with set standards.  Problems must be disclosed to customers by law. Any corrective actions taken to alleviate issues must be reported to customers as well. 

Such regulated systems, which are updated with new contaminants and standards on an ongoing, albeit not always regular, basis, offer utility customers a certain peace of mind as to the quality and cleanliness of their drinking water. For instance, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently in the process of adding 30 chemicals and viruses to the monitoring list.

However, those whose minds still need set at ease have additional recourse. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, anyone can review monitoring reports and other paperwork, and if its felt a violation of the law is uncovered, can take action against an alleged violator in federal court.

For those who rely on private wells, determining the safety of drinking water is quite different.  Personal wells, primarily those that serve private residences, remain common in the United States, and are NOT covered under the Safe Drinking Water Act. (The only private wells protected by the Safe Drinking Water Act are those that regularly service more than 25 people, such as those tied to rural restaurants and other businesses.)

Personal water wells are often as unique as their owners.  Some have been in use for decades; some have gone dry before their time.  Some are well located; others are not in optimal locations related to other land use.  Recent research from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania focused on private well ownership

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