Water Drinking Public Health Important Improvements U.S Tap

People use water every day to "meet their needs" (do what is required). Access to public water sources that are safe and reliable is "crucial" (necessary; very important) for the health and "prosperity" (success) of a society.

"Tap water" (water that comes out of the faucet) not only provides Americans with water for daily activities like drinking, "bathing" (taking a bath or shower), and cooking, but also is used to deliver "fluoride" (a substance that contributes to the health of teeth).

During the past "century" (100 years), many improvements in the health, prosperity, and "longevity" (how long someone/something lives) of the U.S. population can be "attributed to" (explained by) improvements in water quality. Water "treatment" (using a process or chemicals to improve the quality) and "disinfection" (removing harmful substances and cleaning) have made U.S. tap water one of the safest and healthiest drinking water supplies in the world

Adding fluoride to our tap water has also helped reduce the amount of "tooth decay" (rotting of teeth) experienced by the public. Both the disinfection and fluoridation of public water systems are among the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.

Although the United States has one of the safest drinking water supplies in the world, new "challenges" (possible problems) require the country to continue to work to protect the water supply. A "primary" (main; important) concern is the fact that the drinking water "infrastructure" (structures and facilities), which includes the "pipes" (long, hallow tubes used for moving liquid from one place to another) that bring water to our homes, is "aging" (getting older) and needs to be "upgraded" (improved) or replaced.