And, just to be safe, homeowners and farmers should securely store fertilizers and pesticides a safe distance from wells to avoid contamination. In recent years, consumption of bottled water has grown tremendously, as consumers enjoy the convenience of small containers and the image of a more healthful alternative to municipal drinking water. That's why most Americans can take the quality of their drinking water for granted. Besides the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Clean Water Act and several other federal and state environmental laws provide for surface and ground water protection, and serve to regulate the activities of authorities. State health officials, other regulatory agencies and local water authorities oversee water quality purification and testing activities of municipal water companies.
People can get sick, even die from contaminated water.
However this tends to happen most in developing countries. Fortunately, local water supplies in the United States experience few problems. Our purified drinking water supply system is among the best managed and protected in the world. Occasions for serious U.S. health concerns usually occur only during major floods or other natural disasters, or as a result of very rare, unforseen bacterial contamination. Americans live longer and healthier lives today than at any time in our history, and a safe drinking water supply is a key factor in this longevity.