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Airline Water - Is it Safe?

FAQ from the EPA

  1. What is EPA announcing regarding airline water quality?
  2. What are the results of EPA's sampling of aircraft in 2004?
  3. What is EPA doing about this problem?
  4. Which airlines signed agreements with EPA?
  5. What will the orders require the airlines to do?
  6. What are coliforms?
  7. What is E. coli?
  8. Is the water on planes unsafe?
  9. What should the traveling public do?
  10. Where does the water on passenger airplanes come from?
  11. What about international flights?
  12. Who regulates water on passenger airplanes in the United States?
  13. What is the airlines' role in ensuring safe water on aircraft?
  14. How is water currently regulated on passenger airplanes?

1. What is EPA announcing regarding airline water quality?

EPA is announcing that it has signed agreements (administrative orders upon consent) with 11 major domestic airlines and 13 smaller charter and low-cost airlines to ensure the safety of the drinking water used by their passengers and crew . This announcement is an update to one that was made on Jan. 19, 2005, when EPA announced the results of the additional water quality inspections by EPA enforcement officials on 169 randomly selected domestic and international passenger aircraft at 12 airports throughout the U.S.