I've lived in the Mountain West all my life and have never heard this warning, particularly put in such a dire way. The mountains around here are filled with abandoned mineshafts. All our drinking water comes cascading out of these same mountains and is stored in reservoirs. Except for chlorine, it gets very little treatment. I'm not saying there can't be such contamination, but it would surprise me if it applied to any more than a few sparse locations.

Ecoli and Giardia are another matter..... <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> I would not drink untreated water except in the designated "primitive" areas.

Regards, Vince