Fortunately, keeping your water safe from these contaminants is easy.
Take the following precautions to protect your drinking water:
- Never submerge hoses in buckets, pools, tubs, or sinks.
- Always keep the end of the hose clear of possible contaminants.
- Do
not use spray attachments without a backflow prevention device. The
chemicals used on your lawn are toxic and can be fatal if ingested.
- Do
buy and install inexpensive backflow devices for all threaded faucets
around your home. They are available at hardware stores and home
improvement centers.
Example
A man sprays commercial weed killer containing an arsenic compound on
his lawn using a hose attachment. After he finishes, he disconnects the
applicator. It is a hot day so he takes a refreshing drink of water from
the hose. A short time later he dies from arsenic poisoning.
What Happened?
At some time while the man was spraying weed killer, the water pressure
dropped, which resulted in the poison being sucked back into the hose.
Later, when he drank from the hose, the poison inside was released with
the water. He unknowingly poisoned himself.