The Wednesday Wetness

UPI has a scare story, Unregulated, harmful contaminants found in vast amount of U.S. drinking water

Nearly a third of Americans have been exposed to unregulated contaminants in their drinking water that might affect their health.

What's more, Hispanic and Black people are more likely to have unsafe levels of contaminants in their drinking water, and to live near pollution sources like industrial facilities, researchers said in a new study published Wednesday in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

"Our findings show that the percentage of Hispanic and Black residents in a community is a consistent predictor of poorer water quality," lead researcher Aaron Maruzzo, a scientist at Silent Spring Institute in Boston, said in a news release from the group.

Public water facilities are currently required to test for nearly 100 contaminants in drinking water, researchers said.

"Yet, we know there are thousands of other harmful chemicals that are not regulated that make their way into groundwater and surface waters, and some of these chemicals can ultimately end up in drinking water supplies," senior researcher Laurel Schaider, a senior scientist at Silent Spring Institute, said in a news release.

So, there are thousands of things in the water that could be harmful, (almost everything can be harmfull in high enough doses, even water and oxygen), but in such small quantities that the EPA, which would like to regulate everything, can't find the energy (or data required) to do something about. Be afraid! Be very afraid!

The Wombat has Rule 5 Sunday: Demure, Relaxed, & In Her Laneready and waiting at The Other McCain.