According to the Associated Press (AP), the drinking water in thousands of schools contains lead and other toxins, prompting the non-profit Water Quality Association (WQA) to urge school administrators to consider water treatment systems to protect students.
The AP reported in 2009 that “contaminants have surfaced at public and private schools in all 50 states - in small towns and inner cities alike.” Roughly one of every five schools with its own water supply violated the Safe Drinking Water Act in the past decade, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analyzed by the AP.
The information followed in the wake of earlier AP reports showing that up to one in six Americans might be ingesting some level of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water.
"Filtering systems provide the highest technology available to treat drinking water," said Peter J. Censky, executive director of WQA. Less than two percent of all water consumed is ingested by humans, making “point-of-use” systems the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly available. Filtering systems act as a final contaminant barrier and can further purify water for drinking, Censky emphasized.
Many companies offer filtering systems for larger facilities, such as commercial enterprises and schools.
WQA provides Gold Seal certification for products that remove a variety of contaminants. These products are tested according to independently developed standards of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Schools can find locally certified dealers by visiting the WQA’s Find A Professional feature. Dealers are certified though rigorous study and testing. More information about contaminants is also available at WQA’s Water Information Library, which includes a search function.
