Drinking Water Quality and Safety
When you turn on the tap for a glass of water, do you ever wonder about the quality
or safety of that water? With drinking water, it's important to think about not just
the water itself, but how that water gets to you.
The reality is, naturally pure water doesn't exist. Water is very good at dissolving
and absorbing impurities as it flows in streams, sits in lakes, or filters through
layers of soil and rock in the ground. Some of these substances are harmless. This
includes some naturally occurring minerals. But other naturally occurring minerals
and many artificial chemicals are not. Water also contains organic matter such as
dirt, leaves, and microbes.
The water you drink comes from one of two sources:
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Surface water found in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs
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Water found in an underground aquifer and pumped from a well
Clean, safe drinking water is important for good health.
Drinking water quality differs from place to place. It depends on the condition of
its source and the treatment it gets. Sources of contaminants might be in your neighborhood.
Or they may be many miles away from you in the watershed. The watershed is the land
area drained by water as it flows into the river, lake, reservoir, or aquifer.
Standards ensure safety
Public water supplies must meet quality and safety standards set by the EPA and state
governments. Your local government and private water suppliers are responsible for
managing the quality of the water that flows to your tap. They are required to test
and treat the water. They must also maintain the systems that deliver the water to
consumers. They report on the water quality to the state. Every community water supplier
must provide a report to its customers every year on local drinking water quality.
The report also must include the water's source, the contaminants found in the water,
and how consumers can help protect drinking water. This is called a Consumer Confidence
Report.
The EPA has standards for more than 80 contaminants that may occur in drinking water
and pose a risk to human health. These are what the EPA standards cover:
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Microbes (bacteria, parasites, viruses). The EPA watches for disease-causing microbes. Other microbes the EPA tests for are
not harmful to people. But they show that the water has not been correctly treated.
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Inorganic chemicals. These can come from natural erosion or from factories and farming. Some chemicals
that the EPA monitors are arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, nitrate or nitrite, and
selenium.
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Organic chemicals. These can be chemicals used to treat water. They can also be chemicals such as herbicides
and fungicides used in agriculture. Or they can be chemicals such as insect poisons
used by homeowners and chemicals from factories or underground drilling (known as
"fracking"). Many of these can mimic the effects of estrogen and other hormones if
ingested in significant amounts.
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Radionuclides. These are naturally occurring radioactive minerals that may give off a form of radiation.
Examples include radon, radium, and uranium.
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Disinfectants used in water treatment. Chlorine, chloramines, and chlorine dioxide are used to disinfect public water supplies.
Byproducts form when the disinfectants react with naturally occurring organic matter
found in the water. Over many years, exposure to these byproducts can cause diseases
or organ damage. The EPA monitors water to find extra levels of these: trihalomethanes,
haloacetic acids, bromate, and chlorite.
If you need exact information about your drinking water, you can read the annual reports
from the EPA. The reports can be found at the EPA. Watch for warnings telling you to boil water before you drink it.
The EPA does not regulate private water sources such as wells. But some state and
local governments do set rules to protect well users. Unlike public water systems,
private water sources don't have experts regularly checking the water's source and
its quality. Households using private water must take special safety steps to protect
and maintain their drinking water source. They should have their well tested on a
regular basis. They should always test it after any local flooding or construction
near the well. They should also think about getting a personal water treatment system.
How is water treated?
Public water supplies are sent through treatment plants. The treatment depends on
local conditions and impurities in the water. Chemicals called coagulants can be added
to the water as it flows very slowly through tanks. This will make dirt and other
impurities form clumps. These clumps settle to the bottom so they can be removed. Water
can be filtered to remove the smallest impurities. Most water suppliers add chlorine
or another disinfectant to kill bacteria and other germs. Any organic chemicals can
be removed with activated carbon. This soaks them up. Groundwater from aquifers has
been naturally filtered as it passes through layers of the earth. Water pumped from
wells generally contains less organic material than surface water. Well water may
not need to go through any or all treatments.
For people who depend on wells or other private water sources, the EPA advises annual
testing for nitrate and coliform bacteria. This can help to find problems early. Test
more often if you think there is a problem. According to the EPA, certain activities
in your watershed may affect the water quality of your well. This is even more likely
if you live in an area without sewers. These activities include:
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Digestive illness that keeps coming back. Check for coliform bacteria.
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The plumbing in your house contains lead. Check for lead and copper.
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Radon has been found in your home, or you live in an area where radon is common. Check
for radon.
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The pipes in your home are corroding. Check for lead.
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You live in a heavily farmed area or near a concentrated animal feeding operation.
Check for nitrate, pesticides, and coliform bacteria.
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You live near a coal mine or other mining operation. Check for metals.
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You live near a gas drilling operation. Check for chloride, sodium, barium, and strontium.
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You live near a dump, landfill, factory, or gas station. Check for volatile organic
compounds, sulfate, chloride, and metals.
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Your water has an unpleasant taste or smell. Check for hydrogen sulfide and metals.
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Your plumbing or laundry is stained. Check for iron, copper, and manganese.
Please note: If you have not used your tap water for some time, flush out the system of any microbes
that may be present, such as legionella.
For more information on safe drinking water, visit the EPA.
Bottled water
Bottled water is a popular way to get drinking water in the U.S. You may choose bottled
water because you like how it tastes. Or you may have health concerns about your tap
water. You may also choose bottled water instead of other kinds of drinks.
The FDA sets standards for bottled water in the U.S. The FDA bases its standards on
the standards set by the EPA for drinking water.
You can find out more about the bottled water you drink by looking at the label. The
label may tell you about the treatment process used. The label may also have a toll-free
number to call or a website to visit for more information. Plastic bottles often have
a number on the bottom that indicates if they contain certain substances that, for
instance, should not be warmed in a microwave.
This treatment information is especially important if you have a weakened immune system.
Check that the bottled water you drink takes steps to protect against the parasite
cryptosporidium. This parasite can cause serious illness. Treatments that can block
this parasite include: