The Sunshine State may consider switching it’s state motto to: Florida, a great place to visit, but don’t drink the water, after a new report has come out claiming Florida ranks second in the country for most violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Only Texas fared worse.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, a non-profit environmental organization, one in four Americans get their drinking water from untested and or contaminated system.
In Florida 7,540,465 people are getting their water from a source that has violated the Safe Drinking Water Act — no wonder our kids are faring so poorly on tests!
“America is facing a nationwide drinking water crisis that goes well beyond lead contamination,” according to Erik Olsen, the Health Program Director at the council.
According to WFTS, many Florida counties are using chlorine and ammonia to get rid of bacteria, which is thought to be safe.
However, the report states that even though there are benefits to adding chemical disinfectants to the water, like is done in Palm Beach County, there are risks.
According to the report, exposure to the disinfectants: “Can lead to cancer and potentially to reproductive impacts such as miscarriages and birth defects.”
The report lists a number of recommendations, including investing in our national water infrastructure — something that could create between 90,000 and 102,000 jobs in Florida.
That sounds like a win-win proposition.
