Spain upgrade safe drinking tap water

• A tap on the shoulder to USA – as Spain upgrade safe drinking tap water pipe-networks

Drinking tap water in Spain is safe. However in America the safety of drinking tap water has surfaced – due to the contamination with manmade chemicals.

In August 2019 it was reported at least 99.5% of all public tap water in Spain is safe to drink, according to international water quality standards.

Issues, such as taste, odor chlorine by-products, microplastics and local pipe contaminants remain. In Barcelona, Valencia, Alicante, Malaga and Cadiz, despite assurances, many people reportedly still don’t drink tap water.

Bottled water consumption in Spain was between 6-8 billion plastic bottles in 2019.

Spanish households buy on average €320 on bottled water a year. A water filter can save you in the region of €260.

No scientific evidence has been made, that bottled water is healthier or safer to drink, than tap water.

Spain joined the EU in 1986, and during 1986-2008 received 21 billion euro in EU funding for water infrastructure.

Spain have some of the most advanced public water filtration and waste water management solutions worldwide.

Water companies are obliged to provide regular water quality reports and alert customers if there is any non-compliance.

There is minimal risk of getting sick from bacteria in water from the tap, public drinking fountains, and at restaurants.

Spanish water providers use chlorine to sterilise tap water. It is not dangerous. If you live near the coast, you may have more minerals in your tap water.

The main problems increasing in water are microplastics – found in more than 80% of all tap water in Europe.

The microplastics come from plastics and plastic fibres that break down into the water sources.

High levels of contamination are reportedly in Miami, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.

The chemicals, resistant to breaking down in the environment, are known as perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

Some have been linked to cancers, liver damage, low birth weight and other health problems.

The findings by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) report the group’s previous estimate in 2018, based on unpublished US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data, that 110 million Americans may be contaminated with PFAS, could be far too low.

“It’s nearly impossible to avoid contaminated drinking water from these chemicals,” said David Andrews, a senior scientist at EWG and co-author of the report.

In 2018 a draft report from an office of the US Department of Health and Human Services said the risk level for exposure to the chemicals should be up to 10 times lower than the 70 PPT threshold the EPA recommends.

Ongoing upgrade waterworks are continuing to be undertaken in the Costa Blanca areas.

In Los Montesinos, new water pipes are currently being laid. Maintenance works on February 10 were ongoing in the town.

And in Orihuela water upgrading work, under the helm of Infrastructure Councillor Angel Noguera, has seen aged pipes replaced.