The safety of our drinking water is once again in the spotlight due to a Senate investigation into the presence of PFAS. Concerned about the health effects of PFAS in their drinking water, elders in the Aboriginal community of Wreck Bay, New South Wales, are purchasing bottled water from their aged care packages. Earth doesn’t have any “new” water.
Some isolated and rural places get their drinking water from subpar groundwater and surface water. The levels of salt, microbiological pollutants, and trace elements like lead, manganese, and arsenic in rural and regional water can surpass recommended limits. The effects of low regional water quality are numerous. One of these is that it may contribute to higher rates of dental decay among First Nations people. This happens when it’s easier and less expensive to get cold, sugary drinks than it is to get clean water.
The majority of drinking water sources are not linked to industrial pollutants. Therefore, costly treatment procedures are typically not applied to water sources. According to recent NHMRC water quality assessments, these costly and energy-intensive treatments won’t be required. The dose is what creates the poison, even though contaminants are present everywhere.
