Water flowing in a local stream and the water flowing through your faucet may look the same, but it is what you can’t see that makes the difference. Stream water can carry microscopic minerals, bacteria, and even tiny organisms. For this reason, it is purified by your local municipality to be safe for drinking, showering, teeth brushing –and all the other things water is used for on a daily basis.
Is My Water Safe to Drink?
Municipal water was vastly improved by the Clean Water Act of 1972, which not only limited contaminants that can be dumped into streams and rivers, but also regulated the water that flows from your faucet. The Clean Water Act addressed water safety by setting new standards for drinking water in the U.S. 
But does that mean your water is always safe? Unfortunately, the answer is no. The quality of your drinking water can change daily. Although municipalities work hard to provide safe water for consumers, contaminants can infiltrate aquifers and springs, and aging infrastructure can introduce contamination into the water lines even after the water has been sanitized at the treatment plant.
The New York Times reports that there are hundreds of thousands of water main breaks each year in the U.S. That’s a lot of “boil water advisories”! Boil notices are issued by water utilities or health agencies as a precaution to protect consumers from drinking water that may have been contaminated with disease-causing organisms. The notice may be a result of your municipal treatment plant experiencing a loss of pressure in the distribution system, loss of disinfection, a water main break or other unexpected water quality problems.
Invest for Peace of Mind
Although boil notices are temporary, we need to be educated and informed about where our water comes from and how we can ensure the best protection for our families.
Municipal water treatment facilities perform the necessary operations to meet water quality standards, but UV purification systems take water purification to a higher level.
- UV purification destroys 99.99% of microorganisms without changing the water’s taste, odor, or chemistry.
- Water is exposed to a UV light that kills micro-organisms, even those (such as Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia lamblia) that cannot be killed by chlorine in a municipal water plant.
- Because there no chemicals added to the water during the UV process, it is an environmentally-friendly way to purify.
Invest for Cost Savings
Ultraviolet technology is proven to be reliable and cost effective. After the initial purchase, the cost of operation is quite low and thus produces hundreds of gallons of purified water for pennies per day. A typical system operates on very little energy—about the same power requirements as a 40-watt light bulb.
UV water purification systems install easily into your existing water lines so that clean, safe, purified water is available at your kitchen sink or distributed to every tap in your home. And the best part is that it’s automatic, providing continuous disinfection without special attention or monitoring.
So go ahead and give yourself peace of mind– that the water your family consumes is safe and clean. It’s all taken care of with a UV water purification system from WaterTech.
To learn more, check out our UVMAX Brochure or consult with a local WaterTech dealer to better understand how you can improve your family’s drinking water.
4 Responses
I do think that it is a good idea to make sure the water from the tap is safe to drink. I don’t think that there will ever be a water main that breaks on my street, but you are right that it is possible and is something I have been thinking of since hearing about the water crisis in Flint. But, just to be sure I understand, if my tap water gets contaminated just using UV lights will make it safe to drink?
Yes, ultraviolet technology has the ability to remove 99.99% of harmful waterborne microorganisms. But UV won’t take care of all contaminants that you may experience from broken pipe. You will need other types of filters based on what the contaminants are, maybe as simple as a sediment filter. Learn more about UV capabilities at https://www.espwaterproducts.com/uv-water-purification/
I figured UV light couldn’t do everything. Thanks for the link.
Filtering your tap water can do you no harm. It’s better to be safe than risking the health of your family in drinking tap water which you don’t know if it’s clean or not. Great post Isaac!