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Interactive Guide to Protecting America's Drinking Water

FCIC: Interactive Guide to Protecting America's Drinking Water

Consider the Source
An Interactive Guide to Protecting America's Drinking Water

Cover of the publication 'Consider the Source: An Interactive Guide to Protecting America's Drinking Water

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water
April 2004

Need To Protect America's Precious Resource - Drinking Water

We rely on both an abundant and safe water supply for the health of our families and communities.

The amount of the world's available drinkable water is limited to less than one percent. There is no "new" water.

Each American household uses more than 94,000 gallons of fresh water a year.
We drink an average of one billion glasses of tap water per day.
Nearly 14 percent of the water we pay for is never even used - it leaks down the drain.

Our drinking water starts its journey to the tap from a source: a stream, river, lake, spring, or well. Everything that happens along the way can affect the quality.

Each of us lives in a watershed. A watershed is the total land area and water bodies that drain into a single river or lake system, and/or is the source of groundwater recharge to that river or lake system.

A pet waste sign, a river with a pier, a farm, and a little boy drinking out of a water bottle.

What Are Some Threats To Drinking Water Quality?

Runoff from driveways, streets, and yards is the single biggest threat to the health of our waterways.
Releases from 12 million boats and 10,000 boat marinas threaten our waterways.
67 million pounds of pesticides are applied to lawns every year.
230 million tons of municipal sold waste are produced every year.
New construction consumes 2 million acres of open space each year.
On average, each of us disposes 4.6 pounds of trash or garbage every day.

Protect Water For Life

This CD-ROM shows how our drinking resources are under siege from nature and our activities at home, work, and play. Protecting America's drinking water is in our hands. All of us must learn the facts about drinking water in our communities.

Two boys drinking water outside. A park with a picnic area A river with trees surrounding it. A water plant. A pregnant woman drinking a glass of water and her child touching her stomach.

for more information: www.epa.gov/safewater
or call: Safe Drinking Water Hotline 1-800-426-4791

A small picture of the water cycle.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
4606M
Washington DC 20460



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