Death runs in the pipe. A toxic cocktail of chemical pollutants in drinking water is linked to more than 100.000 cases of cancer, according to a peer-reviewed study by the Environmental Working Group.
It is the first study to conduct a cumulative assessment of cancer risks from 22 types of carcinogens found in drinking water across the United States.
In the study, published today in the scientific journal heliyon, researchers use a new method that calculates the combined impact of carcinogens on 48.363 water systems in the US. The study obviously does not include the 13.5 million Americans who obtain their supplies from private wells.
“Drinking water contains various contaminants in minimal and variable doses, but government agencies currently analyze their hazards individually, concluding that everything is fine.” He says it Sydney Evans, leading analyst. “In the real world people are exposed to the full sum of these agents. This is why it is important to evaluate their impact on health by looking at their combined effects.".
As in heaven so on earth
This cumulative approach is already adopted to evaluate the health impact of air pollutants, but has never been applied to drinking water. The cancer risk assessment was done over a range of approximately 70 years of life.
The enemies number one
The lion's share of pollutants in the water we drink are arsenic, disinfectants and radioactive elements such as uranium and radium. Deadly and silent presences that are most concentrated in water systems that serve small populations in communities near aquifers. Often the need for infrastructure and improvements is more than urgent. Who doesn't remember the so-called “carcinogenic water crisis by Flint“? In that case, the lead percolated directly into the town's ancient water supply. In larger plants the "distribution" of risk is greater, the controls are more stringent and the plants (sometimes) are more efficient.
Mind you, the vast majority of drinking water falls perfectly within legal standards. The problem is that recent research shows how pollutants are found within the water. Even at perfectly legal concentrations, combined they still threaten our health.
Olga Naidenko, vice president of research at the Environmental Working Group
A specific “antivirus” for each tap
We must give absolute priority to the protection of sources ofwater, because otherwise it will kill us. The installation of a filter is highly recommended, naturally a filter that is not generic but focused on the specific contaminants that change from area to area.
In the coming years we will probably see the emergence of one or more professions related to specific water care: a preliminary analysis of your water will be necessary, with a test that identifies the list of 'enemies' to be blocked, and subsequently the creation of personalized filters based on the needs of the moment will be necessary.
