As part of Drinking Water Week 2011, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and water providers across North America are encouraging  consumers everywhere to “get to know your water.”

“In today’s Internet age, there’s more information out there than ever before about water quality,” said AWWA executive director David LaFrance. “But the single best source of information is your own water provider, which is required to test every day to assure that drinking water meets all state and federal standards.”

Communities throughout North America are “celebrating the essential” during Drinking Water Week, the first week of May each year. Consumers can learn about the source, treatment and quality of drinking water through various events in their hometowns.

In the United States, community water systems must send water-quality reports to customers by July 1 of each year, providing results of testing on some 90 contaminants and pointing out any violations of Safe Drinking Water Act standards. The reports also carry information on the source and treatment of a community’s tap water.

While customers of community water systems have their water tested every day and professionally treated for drinking, owners of private wells should take special steps to assure the safety of their water. The U.S. EPA advises private well users to be aware of potential pollution threats and to have their water tested periodically by a certified laboratory.

For more than 35 years, the AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week an opportunity for water professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the vital role water plays in daily life.