Contaminated water has been an issue throughout the United States of America.  In fact, more than a fifth of all Americans have been in contact with contaminated drinking water in the last decade.  Water is a very important resource on Earth, especially considering that we use it for activities such as cooking, cleaning, and gardening.  However, usable water is actually a scarce resource as less than 1% of the planet’s water is drinkable.  

A majority of the water supply in the US is used for drinking, making food, and producing energy.  One person can use up to 82 gallons per day in the US  As a country the US utilizes 322 billion gallons on a daily basis. 

Several factors affect the water we drink, like climate change, technology, and money.  On the flip side, water also has an effect on various aspects of our life, including environmental conservation.  Decreasing the amount of water you spend at home can help save the lives of several endangered species, such as the coho salmon and arroyo toad.  

Climate change and global warming are also factors that are affecting our water.  Changing temperatures have led to water loss, which is estimated to reach about 41% by 2060 if the situation is left as is.  Other consequences of climate change include faster-growing bacteria due to higher temperatures and freshwater resources being compromised with salt deposits due to rising sea levels.  

At least 21 million Americans have been exposed to drinking water that violates the health standards in the US  This is due to water’s ability to collect different kinds of contaminants, such as heavy metals and pesticides, which can result in the spread of various diseases, including typhoid and polio.  Water-borne diseases create over 7 million illnesses and lead to more than 6,000 deaths each year that has resulted in the loss of billions of dollars for the country. Insufficient water sanitation has actually led to about $260 billion being lost in the US every year.  

Protecting the water we drink can positively impact our money.  Supplying clean, sanitized water can produce more than $18 billion in revenue.  Millions of gallons of water are being used for new products as the world consumption of water has increased six times compared to 100 years prior, mainly because of technology.  

Nonetheless, there is still hope as we can use the technology we create to protect our water.  Protecting our water has never been as important. Are you doing what you can to save our water?

Learn more about clean water in the infographic below: