M5.2 Blog about the public health importance of safe drinking-water

This module was very timely for me as I had just watched a Netflix "Explained" episode on drinking water. We take things for granted when they are so easily accessible, like water. We can easily turn on the water in our home and we would have immediate access. We rarely think about how this clean water got to us and how much of it is left on the planet. Californians were reminded of how precious water was during the drought we recently came out of. Unfortunately, many Californians have probably gone back to their 'wasteful' ways now that we have emerged from the drought.

The Clean Water Act of 1972 was pivotal in the way we view water. Prior to the act, rivers and other natural sources of water were carelessly polluted. There were no regulations in what individuals and large companies would dump into the water. The Act pushed for regulations and prevention of pollutants getting into our natural water sources. Without the act, the Chicago river would be hazardous to the residents health and the wildlife would be non existent. The Act helped clean up the river and protect our sources of clean water. The example of the Chicago river showed to everyone how a mass cleanup is possible and would greatly pay of in the long run. Without the act or attention brought to our water sources, we could be finding ourselves in a dire situation with clean water sooner rather than later.