Which glass of water is dangerous to drink?

Do you see any difference between the water in these two glasses? You can’t, right? But there is a big difference between these two. The one on the right is completely safe to drink, while the left one is contaminated with arsenic and fluoride.

You can’t see, smell or taste arsenic and fluoride in the water you drink, but over time consuming either can cause great harm, such as problems with your teeth but also more severe health problems like cancer. In the case of fluoride, young children are at the greatest risk, as they uptake fluoride quicker than adults.

Caminos de Agua tests wells to check on contaminants. 56 out of 97 wells that we’ve tested in rural communities in San Miguel contain dangerous levels of fluoride, arsenic or both (that’s more than 57%.) Seventeen of 36 samples in urban San Miguel which we have tested also contain dangerous levels. Do you know if YOUR water is safe to drink? Check our water quality map to learn more about the safety of your water. You can also contact us to check your water quality.

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Blessing 10 new cisterns in San Antonio de Lourdes: a reflection by Chantal Kronenburg

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New water education materials in the works