When water is safe, there is nothing better to drink. It’s essential for good health. But drinking water contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, heavy metals or other harmful substances can not only make your water smell or taste bad but could cause harmful health effects. Certain populations such as Infants, children, pregnant women, older adults, those who are undergoing chemotherapy, have had organ transplants or have a weakened immune systems are more susceptible to the effects of metals and toxins in drinking water.
Chemical contaminants are finding their way into our water supplies from municipal sewage, polluted runoff, agriculture, industrial pollution, chemicals, old eroding water pipes and more.
Some of the most common water contaminants are:
Heavy Metals- lead, iron, cadmium and arsenic are the most common offenders. If consumed daily even in low concentrations the effects are considerably harmful. Once they are consumed, they are not excreted by the body and accumulate inside us causing damage to cells.
Chemical/Industrial Waste- Materials like nitrate, mercury and chromium discharged by factories leach into nearby water sources. Some of these are easy to filter out and some are not. They tend to be more problematic in some areas than others.
Biological contaminants- Living organisms in water. Sometimes referred to as microbes or microbiological contaminants. Examples of biological or microbial contaminants include bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites. Chlorine is commonly used for disinfecting water, but it can leave a distinct odor and taste which makes drinking water less desirable. In addition, higher concentrations of chlorine can cause stomach upset and skin irritation.
Runoff- This is the natural flow of water over the ground surface whenever there is an excess from rain, snowmelt, irrigation or even washing your car. As the water runs over surfaces it picks up chemicals and contaminants that make their way into the water shed. One of the most problematic is pesticides, because they are used in abundance and are poisonous. Even after natural filtration, exposure to air, and turbulent water, runoff chemicals can persist.
Natural Occurring Impurities- Inorganic chemicals exist in nature and as water travels to our water sources it may run over rocks and sediment containing natural sources of fluoride, nitrates, arsenic, and other materials.
Some resort to buying bottled water if they don’t have quality tap water but bottled water is no guarantee of water safety. Not only have studies shown some brands can contain high levels of arsenic, microplastics and mold, bottled water is thousands of times more expensive than tap water, and the plastic packaging and transport carries heavy environmental costs.
To check the quality of tap water in your zip code visit the EWG at the address below:
https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/
To purchase a filtration system for your home visit Bere Water Systems.
