Cord Byrd: “there is an old adage that, ``You never miss the water until the well runs dry.'' I come to the Senate floor today to…”

“there is an old adage that, ``You never miss the water until the well runs dry.'' I come to the Senate floor today to speak about an issue that is essential to the health and well-being of every American--safe drinking water. All life as we know it depends on the necessary element of water. Most Americans take safe drinking water for granted. Most Americans just assume that when they turn on the faucet, clean water will automatically flow out of the faucet. They assume that there will always be easy access to an unlimited supply of clean, safe drinking water. Only recently, the residents of the District of Columbia discovered that safe drinking water is no longer one of life's certainties. They found themselves and their families to be quite unexpectedly vulnerable--vulnerable to a possible contaminated water supply. Washington officials announced that certain residents should boil water, and that the city would increase chlorine levels for several days to cleanse possible contaminates in aging water pipes. Although this condition was said to be only temporary, and it is reported that the water is now safe, an outcry of rage arose.”