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National Ground Water Awareness Week

One of the world’s most precious resources is clean drinking water. Protecting water sources from contamination is a major concern of countries throughout the world. Many developing countries do not have an adequate clean water supply and cannot assure access to safe drinking water for their populations. As a result, every year, millions of people die and millions more become ill with infections caused by parasites, bacteria, viruses, and exposures to other contaminants in their drinking water.

Drinking water supplies in the United States are among the safest in the world. However, even in the U.S., people still get sick from their drinking water. More than 30% of Americans depend on public drinking water systems that use ground water. In 2001 and 2002, 31 disease outbreaks that were linked to drinking water were reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These outbreaks were associated with more than 1000 cases of illness and 7 deaths. Sixteen (52%) of these outbreaks, and two deaths, could be attributed to improperly treated or untreated ground-water that was used for drinking purposes.

CDC has initiated prevention activities to help protect public health and prevent diseases associated with exposures to drinking water contaminants. Activities include:

  • Investigating waterborne disease outbreaks, their causes, and their environmental antecedents or conditions that set the stage for the outbreak to happen
  • Investigating the health effects of exposure to contaminants in ground water
  • Investigating the impact of household water filtration systems on public health
  • Conducting surveillance of waterborne disease outbreaks
  • Providing recommendations on how to prevent waterborne diseases

More information about water-borne disease outbreak surveillance and investigations can be found at the following web links:

  • Surveillance for Waterborne-Disease Outbreaks in the United States [PDF, 632 Kb]
    Since 1971, CDC, EPA, and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) have maintained a collaborative surveillance system that tracks the occurrences and causes of waterborne-disease outbreaks. This surveillance summary includes data regarding outbreaks associated with drinking water and recreational water.
  • South Bass Island Assessment [PDF, 1.2 Mb]
    August 2005 report of the Ottawa County, Ohio Department of Health.
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Ground Water-Related Facts

About 15% of Americans depend on private wells for their drinking water.

Unlike people who get their tap water from public water sources protected by the Safe Drinking Water Act, people who get their tap water from private wells are responsible for maintaining their own wells. Every year, drinking water wells should have a maintenance checkup and a water quality test.

For more information on wells and healthy drinking water, go to the following Web pages:

Most people in the U.S. get their water from a public water system such as a public water utility company.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has laws that regulate the levels of contaminants allowed in drinking water. The National Primary Drinking Water Regulations can be found at EPA’s Web site at www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html [external link]. Water utility companies are required to provide a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), sometimes called a Water Quality Report, to its customers each year. The CCR report provides information on the substances found in the water and shows whether the levels of these substances are above the levels recommended by EPA.

In parts of the world where clean water is difficult to find, some people are using inexpensive systems to make their water safe to drink.

The Safe Water System (SWS) is an international partnership between CDC and public and private organizations. The goals of the SWS include

  • Reducing the occurrence of diarrheal disease in people most at risk, including children under 5 years of age and persons with HIV/AIDS.
  • Teaching people how to produce their own water disinfectant and how to store their water to keep it clean.
  • Teaching people how to change their behaviors, including hand-washing, to improve hygiene.
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Related Resources

  • National Ground Water Association [external link]
    This site provides information about ground water, well safety and maintenance, and activities for National Ground Water Awareness Week ...more
  • Safe Water System
    Learn how and why this system was developed, how and where it is being used to make drinking water safer in developing countries and how to start a new Safe Water System project ...more
  • World Water Day 2006 [external link]
    World Water Day is March 22, 2006. The theme for this year is “Water and Culture” ...more
  • Water for Life Decade [external link]
    International Decade for Action; Water for Life 2005–2015 is a proclamation that highlights water-related issues to help achieve internationally agreed upon water-related goals ...more
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