SC-Guide/Safe Drinking Water [Paperback]

Scott Alan Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 7, 1996

In recent years, the contamination of municipal water supplies by bacteria like E. coli or parasites like cryptosporidium have been traced to malfunctioning water treatment plants and unprotected reservoirs. Despite these facts, federal support is waning and local governments are now refusing to accept responsibility to upgrade facilities and enforce water-quality laws.

At a time when environmental standards are under attack in Congress, this alarming but empowering sourcebook offers a way for average citizens to join the fight to safeguard our nation's drinking water.

Learn how to find out if your water is safe, how to evaluate purification systems, and the merits of bottled water. Featuring ratings of 200 municipal water systems, The Sierra Club Guide to Safe Drinking Water is essential reading for all who care about the water they drink.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Books on healthy, organic eating proliferate, but the topic of water isn't as popular. You can always buy bottled, but Lewis takes on the issue in all its complexity. He describes the myriad contaminants and lists city violations. He tells how to purify your water and the possible illnesses incurred if you don't. It's not a pretty story, but someone needs to tell it, and Lewis does the job well.

From Booklist

For an incisive overview of water-quality concerns, it would be tough to beat this slim volume. Lewis not only enumerates the problems common to U.S. drinking water but also considers remedies ranging from home treatment to global strategies to preserve the total water supply in a healthy condition. Although its various appendixes and tables are impressive, the most attractive feature of the book is chapter 4, "The City List," a summary of all Safe Drinking Water Act violations reported by the 202 largest U.S. public water systems during 1992^-94; water drinkers throughout the land (including U.S. territories) will want to see how their water rates. Mike Tribby

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Product Details

• Paperback: 113 pages
• Publisher: Random House, Inc. (May 7, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087156355X
• ISBN-13: 978-0871563552
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,838,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clearest guide ever on how to ensure your water is safe!, July 26, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: SC-Guide/Safe Drinking Water (Paperback)

Clearly and interestingly traces the causes and sources of drinking water contamination. Allows even the layest of readers to quickly grasp the scope of the problem. Plenty of details on how to test your water and how to corret problems that have been detected. Unfortunately the drinking water supply across the US is not as clean as it should be to adequately protect the health of those who rely on it. Anyone who cares about there health should read, and use, this outstanding book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sierra Club Guide to Safe Drinking Water reviewed, September 3, 2002

By 

Curious (Corvallis, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: SC-Guide/Safe Drinking Water (Paperback)

One would expect a more thorough treatment from a reputable group like the Sierra Club. This book is more of an outline of what SHOULD be covered; the detail on many important topics is either sketchy or completely lacking. This is a shame given the lack of good reference sources on what is a very basic health and public safety issue. I would recommend that interested readers check out Colin Ingram's book instead.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good political info, not enough personal advice, March 24, 2002

By 

"chrisindenver" (Aurora, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: SC-Guide/Safe Drinking Water (Paperback)

This book does a great job of covering the political aspects of drinking water. It includes a list of major cities and their violations of drinking water regulations, a list of people/agencies to contact about drinking water, and a list of EPA drinking water standards. However, it falls a little short when giving information and advice on drinking water hazards and alternatives in the home. "The Drinking Water Book" by Colin Ingram gives a lot more information in a better format.