Is it Safe to Drink my Tap Water?
Having clean, safe water for drinking, showering and even cooking your food is key to ensuring a healthy lifestyle. Most people today unknowingly drink chlorine-treated water that still contains harmful bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants. Every person needs to have enough water each day for the body to function effectively, but how is that possible when only a small percentage of it is healthy to drink?
In recent years, we’ve seen cities like Flint, Michigan deal with high levels of lead in their drinking water. Situations like this have caused many to ask, “Is my tap water safe to drink?”
Tap Water Safety Guidelines
According to a study done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), this nonprofit identified over 260 contaminants that regularly turn up in public water supplies, yet more than half of those contaminants were unregulated chemicals. The Safe Water Drinking Act mandates the regulation of 91 contaminants, meaning the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not currently have safety standards for many contaminants.
Common hazardous drinking water contaminants that can be found in your water are lead, chlorine and nitrates. These contaminants are difficult to remove from drinking water and you need the right equipment to do it. Also, the EPA has yet to regulate many other known contaminants that have been shown to be harmful to humans and animals.
Health Risks of Tap Water
With public health officials not having set safety standards in place for tap water, this leaves consumers susceptible to a wide range of health risks.
The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) cautions consumers, specifically “pregnant women, young children, the elderly, people with chronic illnesses and those with weakened immune systems [that they] can be especially vulnerable to the risks posed by contaminated water”. If this applies to you then it is best to obtain a copy of your city’s annual water quality report and review it with your physician to ensure you are not putting yourself at risk.
Investigate your Water Supply
Public drinking water utilities are required to test their water regularly for toxic contaminants and to disclose the results to the public. You can find these results by calling your local utility or visiting their website. You can also use the EPA’s Local Drinking Water Information website to search for reports by state regulators.
Point-of-use water filtration systems such as reverse osmosis or ultraviolet light can successfully remove a variety of contaminants. A UV water purification system can remove water-borne viruses, Giardia, Salmonella, Coliform, cholera and more. A reverse osmosis system can remove arsenic, lead, nitrates and many other contaminants. There are different types of water treatment systems that remove a variety of contaminants from water. It is best to find out what’s in your water, then identify products that will address those issues. To assist you in identifying contaminants in your water and best ways to address them, you can contact a WaterTech dealer near you.
WaterTech water filtration and purification systems are sold exclusively through authorized and trained water treatment specialists throughout the U.S. Locate an authorized dealership near you.
