An aqueduct and sewer authority worker takes a sample of water from a water tank at a plant that supplies potable water to the town of San German, Puerto Rico.
Toxicity On Tap: Puerto Rico Water System Verging on Collapse
A new report reveals that Puerto Rico has the worst rate of drinking water violations in the entire United States and its constellation of U.S.-dominated colonial holdings or “territories.”
The report, released by the Natural Resources Defense Council and titled “Threats on Tap,” revealed that 99.5% of Puerto Rico’s population, or more than 2.4 million people, were served by water systems found to have violated the Safe Water Drinking Act, the federal U.S. law that protects public drinking water supplies. Among the violations, many of which are long standing, are failures to test water safety or report issues to public or health authorities. The violations also included a failure to minimize the level of contaminants in drinking water or recommend treatments required to remove toxic materials.
Over 3.4 million of the U.S.-controlled territory’s residents have been subjected to water supplied by systems that exercised poor adherence to federal regulations, leading to a dire situation for the Puerto Rican people.
Among the toxic contaminants in Puerto Rican water are volatile organic compounds, disinfection byproducts and bacteria. Many of the bacteria and carcinogenic chemicals are linked to birth defects.
The water also miserably fails to meet lead and copper regulation standards, with aged pipes contaminating water with the metals. Lead poisoning stunts the cognitive development of infants and children, and no level of exposure is considered safe.
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Mooncustafer 