How atomic is your drinking water?

We've become accustomed to seeing people light their tap water on fire thanks to hydrofracking, but what if your drinking water also contained something far more sinister like radioactive waste? The nuclear waste that is leaked into drinking water can cause cancer and genetic defects, says a new report by U.S. PIRG and Environment America. 

The report says that 49 million Americans could be at risk because their drinking water is situated too close to an active nuclear power plant. All it would take is a Fukishima-like catastrophe for the drinking water of millions to become contaminated. Actually, even common leaks from nuclear reactors pose a threat.

“With nuclear power, there’s too much at risk and the dangers are too close to home.  Americans shouldn’t have to worry about getting cancer from drinking a glass of water,” said Jennifer Kim, Advocate for the US Public Interest Research Group Education Fund. 

“There are far cleaner, cheaper, and less-risky ways to get our energy,” concluded Courtney Abrams of Environment America.  “The United States should move to a future without nuclear power by retiring existing plants, abandoning plans for new plants, and expanding energy efficiency and the production clean, renewable energy such as wind and solar power."