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Safe Drinking Water Basics

Water contamination can originate from a variety of sources, some of which are depicted, in Figure 1.  Providing drinking water that is always safe requires the consistent application of multiple barriers that address all of the contaminant risks.  This necessitates controlling contamination - not only of the source water, but also throughout the processes to treat, store, and distribute all drinking water. 

The multiple barriers for ensuring water safety include the following:

• Source water protection;
• Control of contaminants;
• Effective treatment of raw water;
• Storage and distribution systems that prevent recontamination;
• Raw and finished water quality monitoring; and
• Proper management of all aspects of the water system;

Providing consistently safe drinking water requires more than simply obtaining passing results for routine compliance samples.  It requires constant diligence and attention to all processes and components that comprise the water system.  From source water through treatment, storage, and delivery, many conditions exist that threaten drinking water safety.  However, with proper training, planning, prevention, and management, these conditions can be reduced or eliminated, and all water systems can achieve the goal of providing consistently safe drinking water.

Multiple Risks and Multiple Barriers for Safe Drinking Water

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