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Comment by derleth | Hacker News Reader

"Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air."

If you're talking about water just lying around, maybe so, but US water standards are if anything ridiculously stringent compared to much of the rest of the world [1]. Read that page carefully, and observe that while the US standards may appear at times to permit things somewhat higher than other standards, the US (along with Europe) strongly enforce them, so it's not that comparable.

As for the air, it is generally clean in the US. Sort this chart by "above or below world average": [2] Also note the line about the US being very well sampled, so if there's an error it's not there.

It isn't 1965 anymore.

[1]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drinking_water_quality_standard...

[2]: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/datablog/2011/sep/26/g...

Interesting to see that according to your source, European standards are 3 to 5 times more strict than the US. Depending on your definition of "rest of the world", maybe you meant water in the US is higher quality than India? Probably true.

It's perfectly safe to drink the water out of virtually any tap in America. If you do much traveling, you'll find this is very untrue of the rest of the world (not just India).

Even in Europe water quality varies between "great" and "I wouldn't drink that" on a country-by-country basis, and sometimes on a city-by-city basis. Remember that "Europe" isn't a country and there aren't any such things as "European standards". Even to the extent that there is an European Union which sets standards for a portion of the subcontinent, enforcement and adherence varies widely. In Germany the tap water will be above American standards everywhere. In Italy, for instance, ask a local before drinking.

"In Italy, for instance, ask a local before drinking."

Maybe in some very out of the way spots - but I've been to Italy a lot for work and pleasure and I've never heard that advice before. Some times tap water tastes vary because of local geology or water source, but that applies everywhere.

> It's perfectly safe to drink the water out of virtually any tap in America. [...]

> Remember that Europe isn't a country

Is America a country?

Yes, it's the country also known as the States or more formally the United States of America: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/America#Proper_noun

Indeed we are!

"It's perfectly safe to drink the water out of virtually any tap in America."

Safe may be, but on many occasions with a strong chlorine smell, something that stops me each time from drinking from such taps, even if they're perfectly safe.

"Read that page carefully, and observe that while the US standards may appear at times to permit things somewhat higher than other standards, the US (along with Europe) strongly enforce them"

In other words, Europe is the only other jurisdiction that even has actual standards, as opposed to "guidelines".

Well, it depends on where you're from. Your link shows that US water standards are lax compared to European standards. But more than water, I'd be concerned about the amount of hormones and antibiotics in meat.

And then subsequently introduced into our water supply..

In case anyone missed it, this is a reference to the oft-brilliant Tom Lehrer :

"Pollution" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mvYec6AnCU

And if you must put on sunglasses you found on the street, do not stare at the skull headed people, point at the signs saying 'breed', or shut down the big weird radio transmitter thingy.

I suspect you know what to do when you run out of bubblegum then?

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