Name: Study: Potential health concerns with drinking water on some airlines
Uploaded: 2026-01-07T14:41:57.954Z
Duration: 1 min 32 s
Description: A new study found potential health concerns with the drinking water on some airlines where you might order coffee or tea. The review was of airplane drinking water stored in onboard tanks, not bottled products. Of the 10 major airlines, Delta scored best, while JetBlue and American were the bottom two carriers.

A new study found potential health concerns with the drinking water on some airlines where you might order coffee or tea. The review was of airplane drinking water stored in onboard tanks, not bottled products. Of the 10 major airlines, Delta scored best, while JetBlue and American were the bottom two carriers.

A recent study by a nonprofit health research group in New York has evaluated the tap water quality on major U.S. airlines using three years of government-collected samples. The study found that while Delta Airlines received the highest safety score, JetBlue and American Airlines scored significantly lower. 

Both JetBlue and American Airlines responded by highlighting their water safety procedures and compliance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. The report recommends passengers avoid drinking tap water, coffee, and tea on flights if they are concerned about water quality, though all airlines stated they meet or exceed EPA requirements.

Study: Potential health concerns with drinking water on some airlines

A new study finds potential health concerns with the tap water on the airlines. Results published by a nonprofit health research researcher in New York rank the water quality aboard major airline planes. So Chris Van Cleve joins us now with a closer look at all the data. Chris, really glad to see you. I was on a flight over the weekend. I had three cups of tea. I'm wondering how worried should I be about what you're about to say? Well, good morning, Gail. You're going to be OK. But basically what this group did was they looked at the tap water on the planes. That's what's stored in the tanks on board, not bottles of water here. But they looked at three years worth of samples collected by the government looking at contamination levels and other factors to come up with a water safety score. Think of it as a bit of a report card. Now, the airline that did the best of the 10 major airlines, that was Delta. They scored a five out of five, earning an A grade. The bottom two carriers, JetBlue and American, earned less than two points. That would be about a D grade. In a statement, JetBlue said it performs routine sampling and cleaning procedures to make sure its water is safe and reliable. American said a recent Environmental Protection Agency audit found, quote, no significant findings with our program. We should note that all of the airlines we talked to said they meet or exceed the EPA standards. And several questioned the methodology of this report. Still, if you're concerned, the report recommends avoiding drinking the tap water and avoiding the coffee and tea served. Nate? Always with the information we need.

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