dumb trends

The Raw-Water Trend Sounds Like a Bad Idea (Because of Cholera)

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Raw water, or unsterilized spring water, is apparently a hip new trend in San Francisco, according to the New York Times. But food-safety experts, who would like to guard against the outbreak of cholera in the Mission District, are understandably concerned.

One company, Live Water, is selling this untreated liquid for $36 per 2.5-gallon bottle, and it is reportedly flying off the shelves of cooperative grocery stores in San Francisco.

“It has a vaguely mild sweetness, a nice smooth mouth feel, nothing that overwhelms the flavor profile,” Kevin Freeman, who works at one of the stores that sells the water, told the Times.

Yet, this is not just a California thing: You can now also get untreated water on-demand thanks to a start-up in Maine, or collect your own in Arizona.

Raw-water devotees are embracing the trend to avoid exposure to chemicals like fluoride and chlorine, in order to maximize their health.

In response, food-safety experts are flagging all the disturbing substances in the natural water supply including, but not limited to, animal feces and the parasite giardia, also known as “beaver fever.”

“It’s fine till some 10-year-old girl dies a horrible death from cholera in Montecito, California,” food-safety expert Bill Marler told Business Insider. “You can’t stop consenting adults from being stupid … But, we should at least try.”

Raw Water Trend Sounds Like a Bad Idea (Because of Cholera)