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Information currently available about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and drinking water impacts:
- Currently, there is no evidence that the COVID-19 virus survives the disinfection process for drinking water. The public can continue to use and drink water from their tap as usual.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the "presence of the COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking water supplies and based on current evidence the risk to water supplies is low."1
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that Americans continue to use and drink tap water as usual.
Additionally, according to the CDC, COVID-19 is mainly thought to spread between people who are in close contact with one another. Read more from the CDC about transmission of COVID-19. Further, EPA’s drinking water regulations require treatment at public water systems to remove or kill pathogens, including viruses.
Other reading for you on this subject:
https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/frequent-questions-about-coronavirus-covid-19
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Guidance.aspx#
1 World Health Organization. 2020. Technical Brief. Water, sanitation, hygiene and waste management for the COVID-19 virus.
Website: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/water-sanitation-hygiene-and-waste-management-for-covid-19. Reference number: WHO/2019-NcOV/IPC_WASH/2020.1
