As the Summer season approaches its peak, and the news concerning safe water in our schools, homes as well as our beaches are becoming more relevant than ever. Here in Chicago, quite a few of our schools have had the drinking fountains shut off until they can bring down the lead levels; Our lakefront, at times also has had high levels of bacteria forcing them to close until they reach safety requirements for swimming; Our older homes often fall victim to hazardous minerals due to older pipes…
This dilemma is just not only in my neck of the woods—Flint Michigan has been front-page news for some time, as well as several developing countries seeking safe drinking water. Just the other day I had turned on the television and caught “Trouble in the Water” an HBO documentary that really got me thinking, “How safe is our water?”
In addition, an article by Virginia Sole-Smith in the latest Martha Stewart Magazine addresses this issue in Healthy Living. She suggests, becoming your own inspector of the home alongside sharing a neighborhood-activist level of involvement with members of the community to prevent, conserve and become proactive. The excerpt is below.
Take the Test:
“If you want to be more assured, there are loads of easy at home kits that will analyze the amount of minerals (including lead) and bacteria in your water… They are readily available through your local hardware store… You can also request one from the nonprofit alliance for Healthy Babies Bright Future (hbbf.org) its fee based on what you can afford to pay.”
During this Sumer we all know how water plays an important role in the season and in our lives. Take the time to ensure the safety of your water. I have requested the test and hope you’ll do the same. It’s better to know and take action.
