Access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right. The UN recognized this need in 2010 and declared it a distinct right in 2016. That’s how vital access to safe drinking water is. In fact, the USA has established the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to ensure that everyone in the USA gets safe drinking water. But what if you don’t? In that case, you can legally file a complaint and fight against it.
How Do I Know if My Water Is Safe to Drink?
You can check the local water quality report for your town, state, or country. You can also check the water quality report for your region of the country. If you live in a city, you may be able to find a local report online or by contacting your city government office.
In some areas, many homes are served by private wells that do not require annual testing as most municipalities require. While this means that it is up to you to maintain safe drinking water at home, it also means that there is no official local record of whether or not there has been any contamination present in your well over time.
This could pose problems if you need access to safe drinking water during an emergency, such as flooding due to heavy rains after wildfires have destroyed vegetation near waterways leading straight into populated areas where people rely on these natural resources for their survival needs!
If I Have a Problem With My Drinking Water, What Are Some Ways to File a Complaint?
The first thing you can do is contact your local water supplier and file a complaint. Often, the problem is that there are no filtration systems to remove lead. If you suspect this and have contacted your local health department, consider following up with your water supplier to ensure they are aware of the issue and working on it.
Another thing is to contact your local health department or state health department. If you think there might be lead in your drinking water, contact your public health agency as soon as possible to request an inspection. The Centers for Disease Control recommends calling before 9 a.m. since inspectors will likely not visit until later in the day if you call after this time.
You can also file a lawsuit against the water supplier if the problems persist. You can collectively file a lawsuit if many people face the same issue. One such example of collective water contamination complaints is the Camp Lejeune Lawsuit.
It is proven through clinical studies that the water supplied to Camp Lejeune between August 1953 and December 1987 was contaminated. Veterans, their families, and workers exposed to this water faced several health complications. This paved the way for the Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawsuit. Many people filed lawsuits to gain compensation for the damage. If you or your loved one faced damages due to the water and can prove it, you too can file a Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water Lawsuit.
How Can I Get Involved in Other Ways to Protect Drinking Water?
You can also get involved in other ways to protect drinking water:
- Vote for candidates who support clean water. The Clean Water Act relies on the funding and support of local, state, and federal governments. If you want clean water, vote for people with proven records supporting these issues.
- Write letters to your local newspaper about critical environmental issues like clean water. Citizens must voice themselves when protecting the environment and fixing problems like contaminated drinking water.
- Join a clean water advocacy group or start one if there isn’t one in your area already! These groups work with other organizations worldwide so everyone can access safe drinking water no matter where they live or in their country!
What Is the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)?
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is a federal law that protects the public drinking water supply.
The SDWA was passed in 1974 and is enforced by the EPA. It includes monitoring, reporting, and responding to a contaminated water source. The SDWA also requires that all community water systems conduct annual tests of their drinking water sources for harmful contaminants such as lead and arsenic.
In 1996, Congress updated several parts of the SDWA, including new requirements for lead testing and reporting, public education about contamination issues, and reporting on microbial contamination issues like Cryptosporidium and Giardia lamblia (which can cause diarrhea).
These additions were made because local governments were consistently failing at providing adequate warning signs or notifications when there were problems with their drinking water supplies which resulted in many illnesses or deaths from consumption of tainted tap water!
Who Does the SDWA Cover?
The SDWA covers all people and drinking water systems in the United States, including:
- Public water systems – this includes your local government-operated utility or municipality, as well as school districts and other government-owned facilities; it also includes private wells if they serve at least 25 people.
- Private onsite sewage disposal systems (septic tanks) are used with residences and businesses that use a public sewer system. However, this does not include industrial wastewater treatment facilities (covered by the Clean Water Act). Those who live on tribal lands may also be affected by state regulations that govern drinking water quality. For example, here’s what Washington state says about its rules: “Publicly owned treatment works serving federally recognized tribes must comply with Washington state law that implements [the SDWA].”
Are There Any Exemptions for Certain Communities or States?
Some communities and states have exemptions from the SDWA, like those in Alaska. However, the law applies to almost everyone else.
If you live in an area exempt from the SDWA, finding where your local water comes from and what kind of treatment has been used on it may be challenging. If this happens to you, contact your state or local health department and ask them if they have information about where your water comes from and how it’s treated.
What the Future Holds?
If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve never had to worry about the quality of your drinking water. But for many Americans, this is more than just a luxury—it’s a matter of life and death.
For example, recent studies show that exposure to lead can be deadly at levels even lower than previously thought. According to the CDC, no level of lead exposure is safe for children; even small amounts can cause learning disabilities and behavioral issues later in life. Furthermore, studies have shown that over two million people in the USA lack access to safe drinking water.
The SDWA provides the highest safeguards of clean and safe drinking water history, but more work needs to be done. We need our community members like you on board to support this effort!
Final Thoughts
As you can see, access to safe drinking water is crucial for leading a healthy life. However, not everyone has the luxury of safe drinking water. The government is playing its part, but we as individuals also need to make all the possible efforts to improve the situation.
