The historical weakness and under-funding of state drinking water agencies, and the lack of managerial and technical expertise throughout the nation's more than 200,000 public water systems are also serious threats to safe drinking water. The Internet is a great place to start. The federal government has mandated that water suppliers make basic information about the source and quality of the local water supply available to their customers. This information is also available by calling a local municipality. The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1996 requires all community water systems to prepare and distribute a Consumer Confidence Report to their customers showing how well their water complied with federal standards.
Physicians often recommend drinking eight glasses of water a day.
There are many beneficial minerals found in household tap water. People just need to make sure their water is contaminant-free. The best way that consumers can protect themselves is to use a high-quality, certified water filter in their homes. Consumers should also educate themselves about the source of their local supply, the known threats to that supply and the results of state and federal tests. This information is readily available at the public library or on the Internet.