Let’s celebrate water

For more than 30 years, the American Water Works Association and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week as an opportunity for water professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives. Drinking Water Week 2011 is scheduled May 1 through 7.

Water is our most valuable natural resource, and only tap water delivers public health protection and fire protection and support for our economy and quality of life. Any measure of a successful society, including low mortality rates, economic growth and diversity, productivity and public safety are in some way related to access to safe water.
 
The human body is about 70 percent water. Water makes up almost 80 percent of your brain and 83 percent of your blood. You can live several weeks without food but only four to seven days without water. BSU’s tap water, like all drinking water produced in the nation, is continuously tested and monitored. Each March, we distribute our Water Quality Report to member-customers to remind them where our water comes from, what it contains and the risks that our water treatment is designed to prevent. We are proud that our water consistently exceeds both state and federal standards. To review the report, visit our website,www.BSU.us.

Let me take this opportunity to remind you: Tap water outdoes bottled water in several ways. It saves you money, it’s as safe as or safer than bottled water, you know its source, it creates no plastic waste, and it tastes great.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency sets and enforces standards for drinking water. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sets standards for bottled water based on EPA standards, but they apply only to bottled water transported between states. As a result, those who choose to drink bottled water don’t often know where the water originates. In fact, as much as 40 percent of bottled water is bottled tap water.
 
During May, you may notice a slight but temporary change in the taste of BSU’s tap water. Each May, our water-treatment process is changed as a routine, preventative-maintenance measure. This change prevents the possible start of algae growth in our water distribution lines. The chlorine smell or taste is temporary and harmless.

The water is as safe to drink as ever and will cause no problems with laundry or other household uses, but additional filtering may be needed for kidney dialysis and aquariums. Those who use kidney dialysis machines at home should contact their equipment suppliers so the proper filtering equipment may be installed. Tropical fish or aquatic-animal owners should learn how to pretreat tap water before adding to tanks.
 
If you have questions, please call us weekdays from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 239-992-0711.