The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may have tightened their grip on water purification standards, but these standards also allow a minimum amount of pathogens. These pathogens can be inorganic and organic compounds that may be harmful to health. "May" is the key word here. This government agency promises us safe and clean drinking water but still allows some level of pathogens in the water.

In 2005, a non-profit organization called Environmental Working Group tested municipal water in 42 states here in the United States. The results? They detected 260 contaminants in these public water supplies. Out of these 260, 140 of them were unregulated chemicals, meaning these were chemicals that no public health official had a safety standard for. Since these chemicals were not included in any safety standard, they didn't have any methods for removing them either. The EPA may have stricter guidelines for water purification, but what explains these large amounts of chemicals and toxins found in the water?

Experts in the field, however, have conducted their own tests and have come to the conclusion that tap water is safe to drink because it would be ingested in such small amounts as not to have an effect on your body. Think about this. If you start to believe that tap water is safe to drink and drink the recommended daily amount of 6-8 8 oz. glasses per day, how much of these chemicals are you putting into your body? Add in all of the residue you eat on your fresh fruits and vegetables and what you use for your own cooking.

These experts claim that as long as you're not pregnant and that you are an adult with no special health conditions, then it is alright to drink most cities' tap water. Hmm.. Are children particularly prone to getting illness and disease from drinking this water? What if these chemicals, although ingested in miniscule amounts, are what help fuel sickness later on in our lives? What if they are doing damage to our bodies, and we just don't realize it? If they are unsafe and can cause potential damage to an unborn baby in a woman's stomach, then why is it safe for adults to drink it?

Despite the chemical discoveries, including chlorine which is supposed to help keep our pool water clean, and the concerns with drinking tap water, some still question if it is enough to get sick from drinking tap water. As if the knowledge of unknown chemicals and germs entering our water supply is not enough, they want more proof.