Is There Poison In Your Tap Water?

Tap water is said to be generally safe to drink in the United States and Canada and many people rely on government information for safety data. But what if that information is outdated or inadequate?

The Safe Drinking Water Act defines the term "contaminant" as meaning any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water. Therefore, the law defines "contaminant" very broadly as being anything other than water molecules. Drinking water may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants; some harmful at certain levels; others harmless.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the following are general categories of drinking water contaminants and examples of each:

• Physical contaminants impact physical appearance or other physical properties of water, such as with sediment or organic material.

• Chemical contaminants, either naturally occurring or man-made. Examples include nitrogen, bleach, salts, pesticides, metals, toxins produced by bacteria, and human or animal drugs.

• Biological contaminants microbes or microbiological contaminants. Examples include bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasites.

• Radiological contaminants are chemical elements that can emit ionizing radiation. Examples include cesium, plutonium and uranium.

Science.org states that in the US, in any given year from 1982 to 2015, somewhere between 9 million and 45 million Americans got their drinking water from a source that was in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Canada is not much better. Though we are said to have an excellent water system, serious issues have been detected in major cities and small towns, that violate the same safety standards.

Other Contaminants

1. Arsenic - a natural metalloid chemical usually present in groundwater. It poses health problems and is present in residential tap water through agricultural, industrial pollution or a private well.

2. Chlorine - added to water supply to kill germs and pathogens, but when it mixes with other organic compounds it can create a few harmful byproducts. One of these is a group of chemicals known as trihalomethanes (THMs); linked to kidney problems and increased cancer risk. Another, known as haloacetic acids (HAAs), causes skin irritation and could also increase cancer risk. 

3. Fluoride - although naturally-occurring in the human body, excess amounts from tap water pose some health issues, such as fluorosis and severe skeletal problems.

4. Heavy Metals - cause organ damage, cancers, nervous system damage, brain damage, and autoimmune disorders. The latter can themselves lead to kidney damage, joint inflammation, and more.

5. Herbicides and Pesticides - these chemicals are toxic and can sometimes sneak into water supplies, especially in groundwater of agricultural areas.

6. Nitrates - inorganic compounds commonly present in processed meats, but also found in tap water. High levels may increase the risk of colon cancer. Nitrate may enhance the cancer potential of other compounds or may turn into cancer-causing chemicals.

7. Radon - a natural gas present in the air and occurs in water tapped by wells. When groundwater passes through rocks with uranium, it releases radon into the water, putting you at risk of stomach cancer or internal organ cancers.

8. Diethyl Phthalate - a colorless liquid typically used to make flexible plastics. This compound can sneak into groundwater from landfill leaks. Health dangers are lower sperm quality and count, disrupt sex hormone levels, and altered genital developments.

9. Bacteria - an indicator that water has animal waste or sewage contamination. Waterborne germs can also grow in pipes because pipes are generally old. While water may be clean(er) leaving the treatment plant, the accumulation of filth in old pipes carrying your water to tap can be tremendous.

10. Phosphates - compounds of phosphate ions commonly present in fertilizers as plant nutrients and in detergents as a water softener. Studies have convincingly demonstrated the toxic effects of phosphate in accelerating various pathologies, ranging from vascular calcification to tumour formation and aging.

11. Pharmaceutical Drugs - small amounts such as unneeded antibiotics, mood stabilizers, and birth control pills, may be present in some tap water systems when flushed down toilets, or passed through urine and feces.

12. Dioxins - contaminants produced in combustion processes, like cigarette smoking and forest fire, and discharges from chemical factories. The EPA reports that dioxin exposure can damage the immune system, lead to cancer, interfere with hormone production, as well as lead to reproductive and developmental problems.

13. PFOA - one of the biggest concerns for today's drinking water is perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Commonly known as the "nonstick" element in Teflon, elevated levels are usually found in regions located near chemical plants. The chemical has been associated with kidney and testicular cancer, high cholesterol, early menopause, colon ulcers, and other adverse health effects.

What is The Solution?

So, what to do when faced with tap water issues and a tight budget that prevents installing an expensive “under-the-sink system.

Personally I use an inexpensive option that has worked well for me over the years. As a disclaimer, I have no affiliation with the company and there are competing products and services out there anyone is welcome to research.

I use an over-the-counter system through the company Alexapure. It transforms water from virtually any fresh source into clean drinking water that has had 99.9999% of 200+ impurities removed, including lead, chromium, chromium-6, bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), TCP, nitrates and pharmaceuticals and 97% of flouride. There is no need to boil water again.

Adding additional filters brings a faster flow rate, but personally, I’m used to 1 filter and some patience. What I like is that each filter has a filtration capacity up to 5,000 gallons, with replacement filters easy to install and requiring no priming.

Again, there are competing products, but I found this at the best value for what it does and have been using it close to a decade. After the water is filtered, it’s basically distilled and I simply add in trace mineral drops to alkalize it.

It’s cheaper to buy from their main USA site, as Canadian sites seem to think adding a few hundred dollars is acceptable. Link is here.

Enjoy your clean water!