Video evidence reveals stark contrasts between tap water quality in the US and the UK, presenting some unsettling visuals.
While the notion of medieval towns relying on beer due to dirty water might be a myth, the water we consume today is significantly different from even those medieval towns that had piped water systems.
An immense amount of infrastructure and technology is required for us to simply turn on a faucet and access clean drinking water, which is crucial in combating disease.
However, a video shared on TikTok demonstrates that ‘safe for drinking’ is not synonymous with ‘completely devoid of life’.
When samples of tap water from the US and the UK were examined under a microscope, a surprising number of microscopic organisms were found inhabiting the water.
To clarify, attempting to avoid consuming any micro-organisms would likely result in severe dehydration.
Nevertheless, there are certain microorganisms that should not be present in a water supply.
https://www.tiktok.com/@username/video/7379642390958624033
Impaired water quality can lead to the proliferation of diseases such as cholera, polio, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid, and diarrhea, among others.
Regularly taking water samples to identify microorganisms is crucial for ensuring water safety, and it’s also quite intriguing to observe.
In this video, it must be noted that I have no expertise in microbiology, so my interpretation of these organisms is purely observational.
The video begins with a sample from the USA.
The US sample contains fewer bugs, but the ones present appear more complex.
Some have appendages and seem substantial enough to prey on their smaller counterparts in the water.
Alarmingly, a couple even resemble worms.
In contrast, the UK sample shows many more microorganisms, though they appear smaller.
Once again, I’m not a microbiologist, so I cannot determine whether these creatures are harmful or benign and therefore not worth the effort to eliminate.
Both the US and UK provide clean drinking water universally.
However, the UK water board has recently faced several scandals involving the discharge of raw sewage into rivers and the sea.
In June and July 2024, residents of Brixham in the South West were advised to boil their tap water for 54 days following a parasite outbreak.
Unpleasant circumstances indeed.