Do You Know What's in Your Drinking Water

Is My Water Safe to Drink?

Public water providers in the United States strive to safeguard our drinking water. Nevertheless, despite our perception of the purity of drinking water, it harbors contaminants that should not be present. In fact, millions of people in the U.S. are drinking tap water that fails to meet federal safety and health standards. Water filtration drastically reduces unwanted contaminants from your tap water.

What Common Contaminants Are Found in Drinking Water?

Do you know what contaminants are in your drinking water? Some drinking water contaminants are harmless, while others, if consumed at certain levels, can be harmful. A "contaminant" is defined as anything other than water molecules, which includes elements and compounds that are both manmade and naturally occurring.

A host of chemical and biological contaminants may exist in your drinking water, including:

pesticides

viruses

chlorine and other disinfection byproducts

lead

nitrates

bacteria, parasites, and protozoan

What are Physical Contaminants in Water?

In addition to the list above, organic material is common in our water supply --such as sediment and sulfates. These may not be harmful, but they do affect the taste and smell of water, making it less desirable to drink. A Reverse Osmosis water drinking water system can improve the taste, odor and appearance of your water, and also remove or reduce dozens of other contaminants including PFOS, lead, fluoride, Arsenic V, nitrate, perchlorate, pesticides, and more.

Hydro Guard Reverse Osmosis System 50 GPD HDGT-45 HDGT-45

PureValue 5EZ50 Reverse Osmosis System 5-Stage 50 GPD

This undersink 5-stage reverse osmosis filtration system uses two carbon blocks versus one for increased reduction of organics, odors and other chemicals. After filtering through the first 4 stages, water passes through the GAC post filter for a final polish that enhances taste. Learn more>

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How to Check for Toxins in Water

If you are on a private well, you can send off for a water analysis from a certified water testing laboratory. You can also have your water tested by a local water treatment specialists.

One free resource is the EPA's Consumer Confidence Report or EWG's tap water pollutant database. This report is available each year from all public water suppliers. Each supplier is required to provide a consumer confidence report to customers.

Drinking Water Contaminants Regulated by the EPA

There are more than 60,000 chemicals and contaminants found in our water supply in the United States. But of the 60,000 contaminants, only 90 contaminants are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA sets allowable legal limits for those 90 contaminants. They also stipulate methods municipal water suppliers must follow to properly treat those contaminants in water.

Every five years the EPA reviews the list of unregulated drinking water contaminants to decide if any commonly-found contaminants should be added to the list of regulated drinking water contaminants.

Because thousands of contaminants are NOT regulated in our drinking water, an increasing number of Americans are concerned about the overall quality of their water supply.

In fact, a Water Quality Association (WQA) study of consumers' opinions and perceptions about their water quality looked at Americans’ attitudes and concerns about their water. The study determined that "Most Americans are somewhat knowledgeable about what contaminants might be found in their water supply," and many households are looking for ways to improve their drinking water.

FAQs

Is Household Drinking Water Safe if on City Water?

Four out of five (80%) of U.S. households get their water from a public water supplier. While municipal suppliers do their best to test, monitor and treat the water, contaminants can still infiltrate aquifers and springs the feed water to the public water supply. In addition, existing infrastructure (pipes that carry water to your home) can also introduce contaminants such as lead to a household's water. This contaminant enters the water supply after water has been treated at the municipal water plant! That's why it is important to filter drinking water in your home.

Is Your Drinking Water Safe if on Private Well Water?

More than 19 million U.S. households are on private wells. If you get your water from a household well, you are responsible to monitor and routinely test the water. Studies show that at any given time, at least 40 percent of private wells are contaminated with E coli bacteria and other illness-causing microbes. Learn more about the UV water filtration for private well water.

Viqua VIQUA IHS22-D4 Integrated 12 GPM UV System with Sediment and Carbon with Lead Reduction Filters IHS22-D4-

Viqua VH410-F20 UV Water Treatment System

The Viqua VH410-F20 is the ideal UV water filter system for treating well water, harvested rainwater and other UV water disinfection applications. The powerful 18-GPM system is preassembled with a 5-micron sediment filter to signifcantly reduce dirt, rust and sediment. The helpful lamp countdown timer reminds you when your UV lamp is due for replacement.

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Should You Worry About the Water Coming into Your Home?

Outdated Water Infrastructure

The EPA says that over $335 Billion is needed over the next decade for drinking water infrastructure in the U.S.

60,000 Chemicals in Use

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, out of the 60,000 chemicals used in the U.S, only 91 of them are regulated by the Safe Water Drinking Act.

99.99% Bacteria Killed by UV Light

UV water disinfection is a safe, chemical-free way to treat water. UV light can kill or inactivate 99.99% of harmful bacteria and viruses.

240,000 Water Main Breaks

An estimated 240,000 water main breaks happen in the U.S. each year, causing the loss of clean water to homes and "boil water advisories" issued.

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