From Our President: Trust at the Tap

Nothing is more vital to our health than the safety of the food and water we put into our bodies. That’s why Consumer Reports generated this guide to some of the riskiest foods in the American diet and how you and your family can make safer choices.

It’s also why CR has been working so hard to ensure the safety of the water we drink. In 2021, we published an investigation into the nation’s drinking water in partnership with the Guardian US news organization and consumer volunteers across the country, who collected samples of their local tap water. The results: Of the 120 samples tested, 118 contained detectable amounts of lead, or levels of arsenic or PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) that exceeded those considered safe by CR and other experts.

This year, we focused our efforts by testing the water in Mississippi. Working with the journalism collaborative Mississippi Spotlight, we collected 149 tap and well water samples across the state. These results were also deeply concerning: Nearly all had detectable levels of PFAS and lead, and every sample contained arsenic.

While CR rates filters that you can use to improve the quality of the water you drink, this burden shouldn’t fall on individual consumers. So we’re calling on Mississippi officials to provide all households in the state with effective filters and urging the Environmental Protection Agency to finalize limits on PFAS for drinking water nationwide.

At CR we will remain vigilant and continue to take steps to ensure trust at the tap in all communities.