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How many people in the USA have ever been where they didn't have access to clean, filtered, potable water out of a tap? Closest I've ever been was on a campin

How many people in the USA have ever been where they didn't have access to clean, filtered, potable water out of a tap? Closest I've ever been was on a camping trip; and there was an "improved" spring that would've served there, at need.

mjbeswick 3y ago
There are many places in the US where the groundwater is contaminated by industrial pollutants, even if it is within the safety limits that have been set. I assume many people think bottled water is safer.
MBCook 3y ago
I think there were a few citizens of Flint Michigan. And it’s not like issues haven’t happened before other places. Lots of issues around getting safe water after hurricanes and floods and other natural disasters. And every once in a while everywhere I’ve ever lived gets a boil order just from a maintenance issue when they’re working on a broken water main or something.
- Workaccount2 3y ago
  In country of 300 million, its meaningless to hold up an anecdotes that affected a combined 0.1% of those people.
  - frumper 3y ago
    The EPA estimates lead pipes serviced 9.2 million homes with water in 2021. That's closer to 10% of the country. https://www.edf.org/health/lead-pipes-threat-kids-across-america#:~:text=EPA%20estimates%20that%209%20million,damage%20and%20coronary%20heart%20disease https://www.edf.org/health/lead-pipes-threat-kids-across-ame....
    - Workaccount2 3y ago
      Lead pipes develop a mineral lining that prevents lead from getting in the water. It's when that lining cracks, dissolves, or breaks that it can lead to lead in the water. So while 10% have lead pipes, it does not mean 10% have lead in their water. It means 10% face a small risk of potentially getting lead in their water. So it is still worth addressing.
      - frumper 3y ago
        100% true, it doesn't mean 10% have lead in their pipes. The question is much better phrased, are your lead pipes safe or not, and for how long? So if you're in that 10%, that seems like a pretty reasonable precaution to seek out alternative sources of drinking water.
vdqtp3 3y ago
You've NEVER been away from clean, filtered, potable water from a tap? You should really get out more. To answer your question more seriously, many times. Camping is the easy answer, there's rarely a tap or spring in the southwest US.
jzb 3y ago
Folks in Flint, Michigan might have some stories for you. [1] There are a number of other areas with water supply problems as well. [2] I'd expect this is going to get worse if droughts continue in the western United States. [1] https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-y... [2] https://abcnews.go.com/US/map-ongoing-water-crises-happening-us-now/story?id=89454219 https://abcnews.go.com/US/map-ongoing-water-crises-happening...

mjbeswick 3y ago

There are many places in the US where the groundwater is contaminated by industrial pollutants, even if it is within the safety limits that have been set. I assume many people think bottled water is safer.

MBCook 3y ago

I think there were a few citizens of Flint Michigan. And it’s not like issues haven’t happened before other places. Lots of issues around getting safe water after hurricanes and floods and other natural disasters. And every once in a while everywhere I’ve ever lived gets a boil order just from a maintenance issue when they’re working on a broken water main or something.

Workaccount2 3y ago
In country of 300 million, its meaningless to hold up an anecdotes that affected a combined 0.1% of those people.
- frumper 3y ago
  The EPA estimates lead pipes serviced 9.2 million homes with water in 2021. That's closer to 10% of the country. https://www.edf.org/health/lead-pipes-threat-kids-across-america#:~:text=EPA%20estimates%20that%209%20million,damage%20and%20coronary%20heart%20disease https://www.edf.org/health/lead-pipes-threat-kids-across-ame....
  - Workaccount2 3y ago
    Lead pipes develop a mineral lining that prevents lead from getting in the water. It's when that lining cracks, dissolves, or breaks that it can lead to lead in the water. So while 10% have lead pipes, it does not mean 10% have lead in their water. It means 10% face a small risk of potentially getting lead in their water. So it is still worth addressing.
    - frumper 3y ago
      100% true, it doesn't mean 10% have lead in their pipes. The question is much better phrased, are your lead pipes safe or not, and for how long? So if you're in that 10%, that seems like a pretty reasonable precaution to seek out alternative sources of drinking water.

vdqtp3 3y ago

You've NEVER been away from clean, filtered, potable water from a tap? You should really get out more. To answer your question more seriously, many times. Camping is the easy answer, there's rarely a tap or spring in the southwest US.

jzb 3y ago

Folks in Flint, Michigan might have some stories for you. [1] There are a number of other areas with water supply problems as well. [2] I'd expect this is going to get worse if droughts continue in the western United States. [1] https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-y... [2] https://abcnews.go.com/US/map-ongoing-water-crises-happening-us-now/story?id=89454219 https://abcnews.go.com/US/map-ongoing-water-crises-happening...