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How Safe is Your Drinking
Water?
The quality of your drinking water varies tremendously on where you live. Water
companies are required to issue annual reports on the contaminant
levels of drinking
water. This report usually comes with your water bill or can be found at the local
library.
It is important to read through the entire report. According to the NRDC, water
companies may bury unfavorable findings inside reports. Unless you read through
the report carefully, you may miss important information.
The Environmental Protection Agency specifies a maximum allowable contaminant level,
or “MCL”, for each contaminant. It is good to check the numbers carefully. Contaminants
that come close to the MCL limit during the time it was tested may in fact exceed
this limit at other times.
Test for lead if you have kids in the house. The annual reports from water companies
may not be an accurate measure of the amount of lead in your actual drinking water
because lead contamination often comes from inside the house, not the water supply.
Although there are many treatment options for your water, there is no single system
that removes all contaminants. Some treatment options available are pitchers, devices
that attach to faucets, under-the-sink units or whole-house systems that treat all
water for drinking, dishwashing, bathing, showering and laundry.
When choosing a treatment system that is right for you, look for models that have
been certified by an independent lab such as Underwriters Laboratories or NSF International.
The manufacturer’s specifications on the treatment product will specify what contaminants
it removes.
Common contaminants and why they are a danger to your health
Germs – includes cysts, fecal bacteria and viruses. This poses particular risks
for infants and anyone with a weakened immune system.
Lead – Interferes with a child’s brain development. For adults, lead can
raise blood pressure and cause kidney problems.
Carcinogens – includes arsenic, asbestos, radium, benzene, trichloroethylene, radon,
pesticide atrazine, perchlorate, a chemical that causes thyroid tumors and also
delays the development of fetuses and infants.
Nitrate – From fertilizers, animal and human waste, nitrate effects the blood’s
ability to carry oxygen. Nitrate is linked to miscarriages and birth defects.
Mercury – This heavy metal can cause kidney and neurological damage.
Home Filtration Systems
Ultraviolet (UV) Systems exposes microbes to intense UV light. This system
does not work to remove actual contaminants, so they are frequently installed with
additional filters.
Distillation systems works by boiling water to reduce contaminants and stored in
a storage tank.
Filter Pitchers and faucet mounted filters (carbon filters) help to improve the
taste and odor of drinking water. They also eliminate chlorine, calcium, sediment
and some metals. However, these filters do not eliminate bacteria or viruses.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems are under-the-sink devices and uses semi-permeable
membrane to reduce contaminants. It works by forcing water through the membrane
and leaving the impurities behind. However, RO systems also do not remove bacteria
and viruses from the water.
Whole-House (Point of Entry) Systems is hooked up to your home’s water main. This
filters your water for drinking, bathing, laundry, cooking and dishes.
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