Water is the "quintessential" target - vulnerability of our water systems to deliberate acts has not received sufficient attention (MSNBC article, Oct. 2003)

A single terrorist could quite easily cripple an entire city with concentrated toxins right where the water enters the pipeline (MSNBC article, Oct. 2003)

The nation's water infrastructure is impossible to fully secure from intentional attack (MSNBC article, Oct. 2003)

AWWA estimates about 75,000 water main breaks per year and rising (per the US EPA)

26% (about 220,000 miles) of water distribution pipe is unlined, in poor condition and susceptible to excessive microbial growth or chemical formation and migration (per the US EPA)

Approximately $151 billion will be needed over the next 20 years to repair, replace and upgrade the nation's 55,000 community drinking water systems (per the US EPA)

24% of waterborne disease outbreaks reported in U.S. community water systems were caused by contamination of the water distribution system (per the US EPA)

Close to 1 million Americans get sick annually from something in their water per the Center for Disease Control (MSNBC article, Oct. 2003)

Testing of more than 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of bottled water found about 33% contained levels of contamination

1. Synthetic Organic Chemicals
2. Bacteria
3. Arsenic (Per Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? - NRDC 4-yr study)

FDA regulations for bottled water are less rigorous than those for tap water

1. Required to be tested less frequently
2. Allow for some contamination by E. coli or fecal coliform
3. No requirements for disinfection
4. No requirements for testing for parasites (e.g. cryptosporidium or giardia)(Per Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? - NRDC 4-yr study)

About 25% (maybe as high as 40%) of bottled water is actually bottled tap water (Per Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? - NRDC 4-yr study)

Tap water in 42 states is contaminated with more than 140 unregulated chemicals (per the EWG)

Of 140+ unregulated chemicals in tap water

1. 52 are linked to cancer
2. 41 are linked to reproductive toxicity
3. 36 are linked to development toxicity
4. 16 are linked to immune system damage (per the EWG)

Over 195 million people in 23,000 communities are potentially exposed to more than 140 unregulated chemicals in their tap water (per the EWG)

EPA has set safety standards for fewer than 20% of the many hundreds of chemicals identified in tap water (per the EWG)

Conventional treatment regimens (filtering and disinfection) generally remove less than 20% of some contaminants (per the EWG)

Of 18,827 wells tested across the U.S. (at least some wells in every state):

1. 24% contained Atrazine
2. 9% contained Simazine
3. 9% contained Metolachlor
4. 7% contained MTBE
5. 5% contained Trichloromethane
6. 98% contained Radon
7. 50% contained Uranium (Per 2006 National Ground Water Assoc. Study)