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| Tap water |
Water Quality
The overall quality of your home’s tap water will vary based on the treatment facilities that clean and treat the water. Do you have local lakes, reservoirs, and streams that help to protect water against pollution? Are the pipes in your city well-maintained, or are they old? Older pipes are the ones that pose the most risk to your health. The lead inside the pipes when consumed can lead to learning disabilities and other health concerns. If you are concerned about your water, use a PH level test to find out if your drinking water meets the EPA requirements. The other thing you can do is use a filter on your tap water. This will help to filter out some of the contaminants that are found in water.
How old is your home? The bad pipes in your home can cause problems with lead and pathogens. Lead is a serious issue, especially for children and infants since it leads to brain damage. Pathogens will make people sick, especially older people and young children as their immune systems are not as strong. Some larger cities actually have worse water quality because they do not have access to clean sources of water, and they usually have outdated pipes and poor treatment systems. Cities in rural areas can also struggle with water quality due to fires and other things that get into holding ponds and possibly into the treatment center.
Chemicals in Water
It is important to use chemicals to clean and properly treat water to make it safe for drinking. What happens when too much chlorine is used? Can you become ill from the chemicals used? Does the fluoride that is added to drinking water cause problems? While most dentists agree the fluoride is important for children's developing teeth, there have been some studies showing that fluoride in the drinking water can cause health problems. Common chemicals used to clean and treat water include algaecides, antifoams, biocides, boiler water chemicals, coagulants, corrosion inhibitors, disinfectants, flocculants, neutralizing agents, oxidants, oxygen scavengers, pH conditioners, resin cleaners, and scale inhibitors. It is important to speak to your doctor about your health, medications you take, and if you should be concerned about your tap water.
Using Tap Water
Some cities are trying to improve water quality. Adding new water systems can actually kick up sediment that has accumulated in the pipes over years. This can cause a nasty smell and discolored water. Speak to your city officials about such issues. Most will stop in a month or less after the new pump system filters out the sediment in the city pipes. Test your water if you are concerned about drinking it. Filtered water might be a necessity if you live in a city with problematic water issues. If your water levels have tested high for lead, you need to use a filter that is designed to remove lead. Simply letting the water run for several minutes will not work against problems with lead in the water.
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