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Clean drinking water is a basic necessity. However, even properly treated tap water will not always be completely free of contamination. This is because water utilities rarely have the technology (or funds) to provide pure water through filtration or powerful distillation.
Instead, the goal is to remove as much contamination as possible to reduce health risks. Accidents and aging infrastructure also play a role. Fortunately, you can find a wealth of information and resources for treating water at home. So, let’s dive into how to identify your water supply, some common contaminants and what you can do to have cleaner drinking water at home.
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The importance of water quality reports
It’s important to review your local water quality report so you can decide if you want to take additional filtration steps at home to improve your drinking water.
Before I dive into the most common drinking water contaminants, I want to be clear that this list does not necessarily mean that there are unsafe levels of a particular contaminant in your area’s drinking water. The easiest way to determine what is in your water is an annual review Water quality report From your local water utility. Don’t forget to refer to the EPA’s helpful guide on… How to read it (PDF).
One thing you’ll notice in these reports is that the regulations set an ideal goal, the maximum contaminant level, but recognize that water treatment technology can’t always achieve this, so they provide a realistic standard, the maximum contaminant level.
Likewise, you can find home testing kits from Safe home and Easy Test For about $30 or less. Both products can test for lead, bacteria, and excess chlorine. (Most people lack the resources for professional water testing services.) If you use well water, it’s a good idea to have it tested at least once a year.
6 common drinking water contaminants
Pulling back the curtain on what’s in your drinking water may encourage you to invest in a water filter. (Even if it’s mostly for houseplants, like the Typhoon III reverse osmosis system.)
I asked Kyle Postmus, senior director of Global Water at… National Salvation Front (formerly the National Sanitation Corporation), about pollutants that can bypass the water treatment process. “While municipal water treatment systems are very effective at removing many contaminants, some contaminants can still pass through the treatment process.” Postmus also points out that location, age of infrastructure and source water quality all affect the presence of a contaminant.
He points out that testing and certification work done by organizations like NSF helps ensure the effectiveness of the water treatment process. “NSF certifies water treatment products according to strict standards to ensure they perform as intended, providing consumers with independent assurance of effectiveness.”
1. Lead
Old lead pipes are the most common cause of toxic metals leaching into drinking water.
Lead often escapes after the remediation process because some cities still use old lead pipes, which can increase contamination. For example, Utah lead stocks He notes that some of the cities I live in have documented the presence of lead pipes in their water systems. The ideal solution for removing lead is to replace old water pipes, but the EPA also suggests several ways to reduce it Lead contamination:
- Purchase a water filter certified to remove lead, like our top pick, Zero water filter.
- Clean the faucet aerator regularly to remove sediment.
- Drink only cold water – hot tap water It can hold more bullets of cold water.
- Flush the pipes before drinking water if they have been stagnant for a long time. The easiest way to do this is to take a shower, wash the dishes, or do the laundry.
2. Microorganisms
Storms and floods can cause dangerous microorganisms to enter drinking water supplies.
Postmus says some resistant microorganisms may survive standard treatment. However, there is a more common source of Bacterial contamination It is an occasional overflow of sewage, sometimes occurring after a severe storm. In most cases, you can remove this type of contamination by Boiling, filtering or disinfecting Your water.
In the case of Legionella, one of the most important steps is to set the water heater to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacteria from growing in the water heater. This also reduces the possibility of bacteria growing in places where hot and cold water mix, such as faucets. (It’s worth noting that the CDC says so There is no one way It can control Legionella, so you’ll likely need additional cleaning and disinfection steps if it becomes a problem in your home.)
3. Emerging pollutants
Many emerging contaminants originate from the products you use at home and are not yet regulated by water treatment standards.
Emerging pollutants It is a category of pollution that Postmus says includes medicines, personal care products and some industrial chemicals. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are prominent recent examples of emerging pollutants.
These types of contaminants may not yet be regulated, but the Safe Drinking Water Act requires the EPA to evaluate them Contaminated candidates Every few years. Look for NSF’s water filter certification program for emerging contaminants – NSF/ANSI 401 – if you want to remove them from your drinking water. Water filter brands such as A drop of water and Aquasana It’s a good starting point.
4. Volatile organic compounds
You can find VOCs in a lot of products such as gasoline, adhesives, solvents, and cleaning chemicals.
Volatile organic compounds (Volatile organic compounds) are a type of chemical that dissolves easily in water — hence the word volatile — and are usually the source of the odors (and flavors) we associate with chemicals. The primary source of VOCs, such as trihalomethanes, is the water treatment process itself, many of which are secondary byproducts of the disinfection process. Fortunately, a properly functioning water treatment facility uses rigorous testing to ensure VOCs stay out of the tap. Chemical spills are also common sources of VOCs in drinking water, because they can contaminate groundwater.
Activated carbon filters, e.g Rorra countertop filter system The ones used by CNET Managing Editor David Watsky are excellent tools for removing VOCs from water.
5. Chlorine and chloramines
Properly treated water is safe for humans, but those with pets may want to consider a filter that removes trace amounts of chlorine or chloramines.
These disinfectants (which don’t really fall under the VOC umbrella) are usually not harmful to people living in properly treated water but are not good for pets that live in the water, such as fish, turtles, and frogs. If you have these types of pets, it is a good idea to treat the water to remove chloramines.
Reverse osmosis filtration is a mainstay for aquarium enthusiasts but you can also find chloramine removal products at your pet store. For chlorine, leave it for a few days and it will eventually dissipate from the water.
Water purification at home
It’s easy to improve water quality at home with the right type of water filters.
Postmus recommends consumers look for a water filter that is NSF certified to address specific contaminants. “NSF-certified water filters are rigorously third-party tested to ensure they perform as per the manufacturer’s claims, are safe to use, and will not leak. To make it easier, consumers can check NSF product list page Which lists all NSF certified water filters.”
One reason to review the certification page is to verify the manufacturer’s claims, ensuring that the filter will perform as intended. “This is a crucial step when it comes to something as important to your health as water.”
Most of the top CNET tested Water filter jugs and Filtered water bottles NSF/ANSI certified; However, you can also find refrigerator filters and whole home filtration systems that meet the same standards.