Every day, pregnant women are exposed to toxic substances that can be harmful to their babies. Potential effects include physical defects, learning disabilities, and other disorders. This pamphlet suggests some easy things you can do to protect your baby’s health. Read more »

Industrial chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers, lead from water supply pipes, water disinfection by-products, and pathogens from human and animal waste can all end up in drinking water, with adverse health outcomes ranging from acute diarrheal disease to long-term effects including neurological, developmental, and reproductive effects and even cancer. The interaction of unique physiologic, pharmacokinetic, and exposure factors for pregnant women, fetuses, infants, and children make these populations especially susceptible to certain waterborne contaminants. Read more »

The U. S. chemicals management system is broken. It fails to protect human health from hazardous chemicals adequately because it lacks mandatory safety requirements before a chemical can gain access to market. Read more »

How you can enjoy the benefits of seafood, while making smart choices to lower the risks of pollution. Read more »

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas formed by uranium and radium in rocks and soil. Most radon seeps into the air of buildings through sump holes, floor drains, cinderblocks, dirt floors, and cracks in foundations and concrete floors. However, radon can also enter homes via the drinking water supply. Groundwater dissolves radon from uranium-containing rock, resulting in generally higher concentrations of radon in well water compared with drinking water derived from surface waters, such as rivers and lakes. Read more »

Pesticides pose a health threat not only because of their toxicity, but also because of their widespread use in the U.S. There are now about 21,000 registered pesticide products, with almost 900 active ingredients. In a typical year, about 1.2 billion pounds of conventional pesticides and other chemicals are used in the U.S. for pest control in agriculture, residences, industrial, and commercial settings. As a result of their extensive use over the last half-century, pesticides are ubiquitous in our environment, and human exposure is virtually inevitable. Drinking water can be a significant source of chronic pesticide exposure, especially in agricultural regions where large quantities of pesticides are used. Read more »

The term nitrate refers to a large family of nitrogen-containing organic and inorganic compounds. Each year, 12 million tons of nitrogen are applied as commercial fertilizers, and some 150,000 tons of nitrate compounds are released into the environment by industrial facilities. Smaller quantities are used in heat transfer salts, glass and ceramics, fireworks, explosives and blasting agents. Read more »

Lead is a toxic heavy metal used in batteries, ammunition, pipes and solder, and x-ray shielding devices. People are exposed to lead through air, drinking water, food, and ingesting dust or dirt that contains lead. For most Americans, lead exposure has been significantly reduced in recent decades through bans on leaded gasoline and lead-based paint. However, lead remains a serious public health threat for developing fetuses, infants, and children, who are particularly sensitive to its toxic effects. Read more »

Escherichia coli is a normal commensal organism for humans and many animals. While there are many harmless E. coli strains, E. coli O157:H7 can cause food- and waterborne illness. One route of human exposure to E. coli is through the consumption of contaminated drinking water. The bacteria are shed in animal and human fecal matter, and drinking water sources may become contaminated during rain or snowmelts that wash E. coli-contaminated wastes into surface and ground water. If the source water is not properly treated, drinking water may remain contaminated with E. coli. Read more »

Aging is associated with physiological, functional, and behavioral changes that can result in increased vulnerability to biological and chemical contaminants in drinking water. As a group, the elderly are at increased risk of infection and disease from microbial contamination due to many factors, such as reduced immunity, frailty from malnutrition, or existing chronic illness. In addition, decreased liver and kidney function associated with aging affects how the body processes chemicals, and irregularities of the thirst mechanism alter fluid balance. Exposure patterns for the institutionalized elderly may also differ in important ways from patterns in other populations. As a group, the elderly can suffer more severe consequences from infections such as Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7, and are at greater risk of dying from waterborne infections. Read more »