To the uninitiated, the phraseraw watermight seem redundant.
Whatiswaterif not the most plain and elemental substance?
But let us be clear: You dont want to ride this wave.
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Vaccines, COVID protocols, pasteurization, and yes, water treatment are among its targets.
Read on to learn why theres plenty of riskand zero benefitto forgoing tap for untreated sources.
Drinking raw water (that hasnt been tested and treated) can be super risky.
Microbes generally infiltrate natural water by way ofbrace yourselfanimal poop and pee.
And if theres a chicken, beef, or dairy farm upstream?
You up your chances of germy water, Dr. Nestle notes.
Just a few of the common water-borne buggers you might encounter: bacteria likeE.
Theres also all the potentialnonlivingcontaminants to contend with.
But nothings stopping nearby pollutants or microbes from trickling in once the water surfaces, he adds.
Youd have to test itwhich is precisely whats required of public water systems in this country.
Theres also no evidence that raw water has any benefits over tap water.
So its possible that springs in certain areas might contain slightly higher mineral content than tap water in others.
But levels of these must be keptbelowset safety thresholds.
(Theyre included on that list of substances that the EPA requires states to monitor in public water.)
The only other additive you might bypass by opting for raw water isfluoridewhich you actuallywantto consume.
Tap water isnt always perfectbut its undoubtedly safer than raw water.
Nobody remembers cholera, and nobody remembers typhoid because we dont have them anymore, Dr. Nestle says.
And we dont have them anymore because weve got chlorinated water.
Theres also the continued issue of lead pipes, as demonstrated by the horrors of the Flint water crisis.
That doesnt mean youre guaranteed to get sickeverytime you drink it, Dr. Nestle explains.
And remember, theres not even a potential reward for taking the gamble.
As Dr. Sullivan puts it: Its aquatic Russian roulette.
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