In Portland, Oregon this week, local officials announced that the bacteria e.coli had been found in the reservoir that supplies drinking water to the city. People around the country are now questioning their own drinking supply and wondering how to tell if it's really safe to drink.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), local water suppliers are required to publicize whenever they find contaminants in the local drinking water.
To check on local drinking water conditions, the EPA provides an online map linking to Consumer Confidence Reports where local residents across the U.S. can check on the quality of their water.
If contamination does occur, the local water supplier will tell residents what should be done. Usually, boiling the contaminated water for at least one minute is sufficient to destroy harmful bacteria or other organisms. Other options for decontaminating drinking water can be found on the EPA website.
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