The water we drink: water quality and its effects on health

Abstract

Water, which most of us take for granted, sustains life but can also make us sick or even kill us. This straightforward and serious book gives to this neglected resource its appropriate priority. The Water We Drink speaks authoritatively to what will be the twenty-first century's top resource. --William Reilly, former administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Did you know that ...about one-quarter of the bottled water sold in the United States originates from ordinary municipal water sources or wells? ...clean, non disease-producing drinking water is a relatively new phenomenon? It has been around for only one hundred years...in the past fifty years, average sperm counts have been dropping, and that part of the reason for this can be traced back to contaminants in drinking water? We all drink water and water-based fluids, yet most of us take water for granted. We assume that when we turn on the tap to fill our glass, bathtub, or washing machine, clean water will flow. But is it really safe? And if not, what can we do about it? The Water We Drink provides readers with practical information on the health issues relating to water quality and suggests ways we can improved the quality and safety of our drinking water. The Water We Drink begins with a review of the history of water, disease, and sanitation. The authors then examine health issues relating to drinking water, including infectious diseases, cancer risks, and the effects of mineral and heavy metal content. They look at the benefits and risks of bottled waters and of water purification systems currently available to consumers. A helpful glossary of terms, as well as a bibliography of additional agencies, books, and Web sites to consult for more information on drinking water and health, is also provided. Dr. Joshua I. Barzilay is in the division of endocrinology of the Southeast Permanente Medical Group and a faculty member at the Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Winkler G. Weinberg is chief of infectious diseases for the Southeast Permanente Medical Group and the author of No Germs Allowed!: How To Avoid Infectious Diseases at Home and on the Road (Rutgers University Press). Dr. J. William Eley is an associate professor at the Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University.