Every year, 286 million Americans draw fresh drinking water from a public water system. All of these systems are monitored to be in compliance with health and safety regulations set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, reports the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but filtration systems aren't always perfect. Several safety issues affect such systems, as well as bottled drinking water, and must be effectively countered to ensure your and your family's health.
Waterborne Disease
Various waterborne pathogens may contaminate your drinking water, including water derived from public water systems, warns the EPA. The agency says that such pathogens may cause disease outbreaks. A commonly encountered pathogen is the Cryptosporidium, which sometimes escapes filtration and can cause potentially fatal effects. Cryptosporidium was responsible for one of the United States' largest disease outbreaks related to contaminated drinking water, sickening 400,000 people in 1993 in Wisconsin.
Metal Contaminants
Hazards from dissolved metals that may contaminate the original water supply or slough off of water delivery systems, such as old water pipes, can pose a "direct risk to health," according to the World Health Organization. The most common is lead, which can have especially dangerous results on the mental and physical development of babies and children, warns the EPA. The metal may get into your water from old lead pipes and soldered pipe joints in your home. A water filter can help remove this contaminant.
Nitrates
Nitrates get into the water supply from fertilizer runoff that may end up in storm drains and other sources that lead to water treatment and filtration systems. When ingested by children, it keeps their blood from carrying oxygen and essentially suffocates them internally, according to the EPA.
Bottled Water
Bottled water may be perceived as safer than municipal tap water, but this isn't necessarily true, warns the National Resources Defense Council. Even bottled water can be contaminated by the same problems that occasionally plague tap water.
Compromised Immune Systems
If you have a compromised immune system, like if you're going through chemotherapy treatment for cancer or suffer from HIV, you may be at more of a risk from water contaminants than the average individual, warns the EPA. Your tolerance levels for contaminants may be much lower than what's deemed safe for the average person. The EPA suggests consulting your doctor on finding safe drinking water sources if you have such a compromised health situation.
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