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MrEd

MrEd

Conductor
Joined
Dec 11, 2007
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Location
Charlotte, NC
Amtrak has agreed to test the drinking water systems annually in all of its water-carrying railcars, avoiding EPA enforcement action.

EPA characterizes the agreement as a “consent order” that settles potential litigation under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Signed by Amtrak officials Thursday, The consent order brings the rail passenger service up to a standard EPA imposed on airlines after EPA agents conducting random tests in 2004 found coliform bacteria in the drinking water of 15 percent of aircraft at 19 U.S. airports.

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Methinks they are referring to the permanently installed water coolers, and perhaps the tap water in the restrooms...people do brush their teeth, you know....
 
Yes, it is the AmWater from the AmFaucets that they will be testing. That is why I never use it, if I can.

Why do you think AmCoffee has that "special" taste to it?
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I'm almost sure they do not use bottled water in the coffee pot!
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I treat the piped-in water on Amtrak like tap water in some foreign countries. I avoid it to the extent possible. I even use the bottled water for cleaning my toothbrush. I shutter to think of the consequences of getting an intestinal bug part way through an Amtrak long distance trip. That does not conjure up a pretty picture.
 
I would hope the coffee makers heat the water to nearly boiling and kill off anything that may be in there. Have never run out of bottled water, just use the tap for washing hands and showering.
 
dart330 said:
I would hope the coffee makers heat the water to nearly boiling and kill off anything that may be in there. Have never run out of bottled water, just use the tap for washing hands and showering.
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That should be true for the percolators, but is almost certainly untrue for those Douwe Egberts machines from renowned coffee experts Sara Lee.

You know, the frozen junk food company...

vintage-sara-lee-ad-1960-aisle35-flickr.jpg


Life is too short for crappy coffee!

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I drink AmWater and use it for brushing. No second thoughts. Having traveled in parts of the world where untreated water can kill you,

the stuff on American trains is pretty tame. Yes, you never "know" but the same could be said for the water at a typical restaurant. How many

illnesses have been traced to Amtrak water, anyhow?
 
fairviewroad said:
I drink AmWater and use it for brushing. No second thoughts. Having traveled in parts of the world where untreated water can kill you, the stuff on American trains is pretty tame. Yes, you never "know" but the same could be said for the water at a typical restaurant. How many illnesses have been traced to Amtrak water, anyhow?
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Traced how?

I've often wondered how you would know if a given restaurant had bad food or water or not. Same with Amtrak, how would you even know before you fell victim to it? Having worked in restaurants I don't put much stock in "random" health inspections. They only came once or maybe twice a year and the management always seemed to know when it was about to happen. The inspection process didn't seem all that likely to catch how things actually worked when the inspectors were gone. How many of us actually report it when we get sick after eating or drinking potentially contaminated food or drink? Seems that unless numerous people fell very ill or died in a short period of time it may not get much attention or even be tracked at all. Oddly enough I've never once been sick in a country where the water supply was questionable, probably because I was especially careful and alert as to what I drank. That being said, I've gotten seriously ill more times than I can count right here in America where most if not all of our food and water is supposedly safe, quite possibly because I didn't think twice about it.
 
Texas Sunset said:
fairviewroad said:
I drink AmWater and use it for brushing. No second thoughts. Having traveled in parts of the world where untreated water can kill you, the stuff on American trains is pretty tame. Yes, you never "know" but the same could be said for the water at a typical restaurant. How many illnesses have been traced to Amtrak water, anyhow?
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Traced how?

I've often wondered how you would know if a given restaurant had bad food or water or not. Same with Amtrak, how would you even know before you fell victim to it? Having worked in restaurants I don't put much stock in "random" health inspections. They only came once or maybe twice a year and the management always seemed to know when it was about to happen. The inspection process didn't seem all that likely to catch how things actually worked when the inspectors were gone. How many of us actually report it when we get sick after eating or drinking potentially contaminated food or drink? Seems that unless numerous people fell very ill or died in a short period of time it may not get much attention or even be tracked at all. Oddly enough I've never once been sick in a country where the water supply was questionable, probably because I was especially careful and alert as to what I drank. That being said, I've gotten seriously ill more times than I can count right here in America where most if not all of our food and water is supposedly safe, quite possibly because I didn't think twice about it.
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You're right, there's little chance of "tracing" it unless a lot of people fall ill. Every week there's news of some ecoli/botulism/whathaveyou outbreak that's traced to eggs/sprouts/undercooked beef/hazlenuts/etc. If Amtrak water had the same potential then I assume we'd have heard of some similar kind of outbreak for Amtrak passengers. Yeah, the occasional person may have a bad reaction but that's just theoretical without any proof. But yeah, if it tastes "bad" then certainly, use an alternative.
 
Cho Cho Charlie said:
ehbowen said:
Methinks they are referring to the permanently installed water coolers, and perhaps the tap water in the restrooms...people do brush their teeth, you know....
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When someone offers me free bottle water, I figure there is a good reason and drink/use only it.
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No free bottled water for coach passengers...and I do sometimes travel coach....
 
I'd be more worried about the random crud in the water than any biological hazard. Those cars take so many different kinds of water during their trips, the mineral build up is surely horrible.
 
Since the water spigot is near the bathroom, its made me wary of drinking the water. But I have seen plenty of people drink it.
 
While the water can sometimes have a slight taste, I always feel comfortable drinking it. I trust that Amtrak keeps their tanks clean and haven't hear of anything to make me think otherwise. Also I try to avoid bottled water due to the waste factor. On a related note, at the school I teach at we have the option to pay in and use the water cooler in the lounge. I just save my money and use the drinking fountains because if it's good enough for the kids, it's good enough for me. I guess that mentality transfers to the train too.
 
I've never given 2nd thoughts drinking water from Amtrak. too many people are too worried about their water! I'm with MSP train hopper, why waste plastic for water that you can drink from the drinking foutian? I've been doing it for 40 years, and still alive!
 
PRR 60 said:
I treat the piped-in water on Amtrak like tap water in some foreign countries. I avoid it to the extent possible. I even use the bottled water for cleaning my toothbrush. I shutter to think of the consequences of getting an intestinal bug part way through an Amtrak long distance trip. That does not conjure up a pretty picture.
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What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
 
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MSP_Train_Hopper said:
While the water can sometimes have a slight taste, I always feel comfortable drinking it. I trust that Amtrak keeps their tanks clean and haven't hear of anything to make me think otherwise. Also I try to avoid bottled water due to the waste factor. On a related note, at the school I teach at we have the option to pay in and use the water cooler in the lounge. I just save my money and use the drinking fountains because if it's good enough for the kids, it's good enough for me. I guess that mentality transfers to the train too.
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I am exactly the same way. I always forget the little aftertaste that comes with drinking the AmWater in the little paper cups, and so I'll have a cup. Then I realize every time why I wish I hadn't. All in all, I feel comfortable drinking it. While it may not taste great, I trust that Amtrak would keep it safe to a bare minimum. In other words, it's not worth paying for bottled water, IMO, if you just want a little sip.
 
I have a PureH2O Water Filter Sports Bottle. As such, as long as the water has been pre-treated by a municipality (which I assume Amtrak water has), all I have to do is put the water into the bottle, and as I drink from the bottle, the filter will block out contaminants such as chlorine before the water enters my mouth.
 
Filter chlorine? Do reasearch. Chlorine is not easily filtered- the only effective method is really distillation.

Secondly, there may be some truth to what doesn't kill a teenager makes them healthier. It may make the populatiOn in general healthier, by killing the weak. It does not make you healthier. I am weaker and more damaged after every major illness. Really bad illnesses, especially resperatory, often do damage from which you will likely never completely recover.

Now about food/water borne germs. Stop with this nonsense. Also, stop using cash. I wish money laundering was encouraged rather then illegal. Nothing, but nothing, is dirtier then money. I got sick all the time until I started sanitizing my hands whenever I tendered customers filthy, disgusting, often gross, money.

There are dangers everywhere. I have, on several occasions, bought bottled water that grew mold. Amwater tastes weird. So? If you dont use it for other reasons besides taste, you need a shrink. We call it paranoia.
 
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