Finding the Source of Radioactive Iodine in Philadelphia Water
Contaminated water doesn’t happen in just isolated areas of the country. It doesn’t happen in only rural areas, nor does it occur in just urban settings. But it happens. The Philadelphia Water Department is currently looking into finding the source of the contamination – radioactive iodine found by federal authorities in the drinking water supply coming from the Schuylkill River. The news comes from an article from CBS, and while one representative from the PWD says there is no reason for residents to panic, he states that hospitals and pharmaceutical companies to the north are the potential sources of the contaminant.
The water department urges people to continue to drink and utilize the water as they normally would without any changes, as it is still safe to drink. They state that the water samples were actually collected last summer, months before the events in Japan, so there isn’t a connection to the nuclear events there. “We’ve also enhanced our treatment by adding carbon to the water treatment process to help provide additional removal of the iodine-131,” Crockett of the PWD says. While common sources of iodine-131 are related to nuclear reactors or weapons, Crockett says it’s also “used by hospitals to treat patients with thyroid illnesses.”
So what about citizens who do want a change? What about citizens who don’t want to worry about any contaminants in their water and would prefer to have a continuously great-tasting and safe water supply? They first should have their water tested for any unwanted or harmful contaminants from a reliable water treatment company. Water filters can and will reduce harmful contaminants and still provide a continuous supply of safe drinking water at any demand. Products range from water filters to reverse osmosis systems and remove any doubt about the safety and effectiveness of public water supply. Affordable water systems are only a call away, and while the experts say to continue drinking your tap water, no consumer needs to hear the words “radioactivity” with their drinking water. To read more from this article, click here.
