By Sara G. Miller, Staff Writer | originally printed on July 26, 2017 at www.livescience.com
"What's in your drinking water? Whether you're wondering if your water is safe or just what that weird smell is, a new tool is now available that could help.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) released its new Tap Water Database today (July 26), a searchable database that allows users in the U.S. to enter either their ZIP code or their local utility's name to learn what's in their tap water. The EWG is an independent advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., that's focused on public health and environmental issues.
The database contains results from testing by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on drinking water from 2010 to 2015, which includes tests on water from nearly 50,000 water utilities in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. In addition, the EWG incorporated results from water tests done by state agencies.
In total, the tests found nearly 270 contaminants in drinking water across the country. Eight of the contaminants, including arsenic and lead, were reported in all 50 states.
Levels of contaminants in drinking water are regulated under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act or under state regulations, and indeed, the EWG found that the "vast majority" of water utilities meet these regulations."
Drinking Water Database: Put in Your ZIP Code and Find Out What's in Your Water
January 29, 2018