By BirminghamWatch
Public drinking water is safe, and one thing Alabama residents don’t need to worry about, as the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the state, the director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management said today.
“With so many things Alabamians have to worry about – their jobs, social distancing, the welfare of loved ones, gathering food and other necessities — the safety of their drinking water shouldn’t be one of them,” ADEM Director Lance LeFleur said.
“The water they get from their tap, whether it’s from a large municipal system or a small, rural utility, is 100 percent safe due to the proven safety requirements they are required to follow and that ADEM enforces. People don’t need to fear the coronavirus as far as their water is concerned.”
He said disinfectants that water systems add as standard operating procedures kill viruses, including COVID-19. Standard operations of municipal wastewater systems kill any viruses before the treated water is discharged into Alabama’s rivers and streams, LeFleur said.
He said ADEM is using its permitting and inspections processes to ensure its standards for drinking water are enforced.