H20 For To Drink

People say not to drink from natural water sources.  Cuz they can have bacteria, toxins, poo, etc etc.  Ok.  But what did people DO for drinking water before all the water cleaning processes that we have in our city water today?  I'm pretty sure they just drank the water available, yes?  And how many people really died from it?  A significant number do ya think?  Like more than die from..I dunno, like, cigarettes, or heart attacks?  I'm guessing not that many.  I'm thinking water is probably more dangerous today than in the past because of us.  Because of our waste and pesticides and chemicals and everything.  But regardless, people around where I live still drink from wells, and from natural springs.  Not me, mind you, cuz I think there is some degree of risk in drinking ground water, even though it is safer than streams and what-not, and also because I think the water tastes super nasty.  (Slated to be the sequel to Super Bad, by the way, Super Nasty lol)  I like city tap water.  No bottled water for me, cuz it tastes like plastic and half of it comes from municipal water sources just the same as tap water anyway.  But anyhoo I never heard of anybody around here dying from drinking well water or from water from Seven Springs or anything.  Would Lewis & Clark have drunk out of the Ohio River?  Would it have actually been safe then?  Would it still have looked dark and muddy/gross like it does now?  I know lots of other countries are still drinking mostly untreated water, and they seem to be ok.  Are we perhaps weakening our immune systems by making our water so pristine?  You know they say that kids who aren't exposed to dirt and germs and stuff are more likely to get sick and have allergies and all that just because their immune systems haven't had a chance to fight and get stronger.  I bet it's the same principle, having water really clean all the time.  Not that I really want to go start drinking out of Indian Run creek or anything.