A new craze has hit California–raw water. I wish I could say that I was inventing this, but a long article in the New York Times confirms that I am not. Apparently some people have decided that the only water fit to drink comes from mountain streams, lakes, rooftops, and other places and is unfiltered, untreated and therefore “raw.”
I grew up in Oregon and knew better than to drink from “clear” mountain streams. As pictured above, wildlife drink from these same water sources and are not particular about where they leave their “waste products.” The most common backpacking acquired illness–giardia–comes from such animals. A nasty bug, and no one who has ever endured it would be naive enough to tout the advantage of untreated water.
I think the supreme irony is that 900 million people on earth have to drink “raw” water because they have no access to safe water. They get to “experience” the health benefits of “raw” water, including cholera and dysentery.
Saved By Words 
People always take what they have for granted. They will cherish the dirt that that is out of their reach and trample the pearl they’ve become accustomed to. We humans are funny aren’t we?
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It also shows how little “mother wit”(knowledge passed down)many people in the U.S. have today. You are also right about taking things like clean water for granted. In the 1800’s my great grandfather had three siblings die from cholera, so I have always valued clean water.
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I don’t think raw water is still safe for us to drink. There are so many factors that may contaminate it.
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I agree with you, Elizabeth. I am very fussy about water. If I travel into Africa I only buy imported brands of bottled water. You can get incredible ill from bad water.
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I can’t believe the nutty ideas people get about their health.
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I must admit that I need to be better. I do take having access to clean drinking water for granted. The lack of water in countries outside of the USA and also in our own country, Flint, Michigan. Sad!
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