Chicago is actually a rarity in terms of its source of water; located next to the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater system in the world, I have grown up with the luxury of being able to drink fresh water straight from the tap. For the most part, the majority of the United States can drink from the tap as well, but many people have stopped, notably after a water crisis in Flint, Michigan, which is also located near the Great Lakes.
The Flint Water Crisis began in 2014 when thousands of residents contracted lead poisoning due to poor water treatment, which will have lifelong effects on their health. The lead contamination came from the lead pipes that transported the water. While the pipes are being replaced, they are not expected to be completed until 2020. The crisis sparked a panic throughout the United States about their local water’s potability, and as a result, many people use filters for their drinking water now.
Having lived in Turkey and Thailand, where the only water you can drink is bottled, I will say I am very fortunate and used to be very ignorant as a result of living next to the Great Lakes my whole life. Something I immediately noticed while living in both Turkey and Thailand was the total lack of water fountains. Growing up in Chicago, we had water fountains everywhere; in schools, in parks, even in downtown areas. Yet they were virtually nonexistent in these countries.
Because I was so used to drinking from the tap at home, the first time I lived in Turkey when I studied abroad I filled my water bottle up in the sink and drank the whole thing.
