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. |