Water Filtration

Q: Who is responsible for ensuring that our tap water is safe?

A: A combination of federal, state and local government agencies, along with the water utility company that delivers your tap water.

Q: If tap water is unsafe for drinking, why does the government allow it?

A: Because it would cost a lot of money to make it safer; because many elected and appointed officials support industries that pollute water; and because many water utility companies resist their responsibility to make tap water safer.

Q: Isn’t the purpose of water utilities to provide safe water?

A: Yes, but many of them, particularly the small systems, are oriented toward eliminating immediate health threats from the water (such as harmful micro-organisms), and it is expensive to remove even trace amounts of pollutants that affect long-term health.

Q: I’ve heard that industry, agriculture and the military are still polluting water. Why doesn’t the government force them to stop discharging pollutants into water supplies?

A: It would cost a great deal of money for these sectors to stop discharging all pollutants and, rather than finding solutions to the problem, special interests pressure the government to allow the polluters to continue.

Q: So, in spite of the taxes I pay, it sounds like I have to be responsible for the safety of my drinking water?

A: The various levels of government are responsible for safe drinking water, and they have done much, but not enough, to improve it. Because of this, you are, by default, ultimately responsible for ensuring that you and your family have safe drinking water. The most economical and environmentally-friendly way to do this is to install a water filtration system in your home whether it’s a basic in-line water filter that attaches to your faucet or a more advanced unit like one of many reverse osmosis systems available. Even businesses are now able to install  botteless water coolers that filter the water on-site either through an ultrafiltration process or reverse osmosis treatment.

Q: What are my options?

A: The first thing to do is stop drinking chlorinated tap water as soon as possible. Then you have 3 basic choices: buy bottled water, buy water from a vending machine, or install a water filtration system.

Q: Which is the best quality drinking water: bottled water, water from a vending machine or water treated with a filtration system?

A: It depends on the particular kind you choose. If you buy the right kind of bottled water, its quality will be relatively high; however a few  bottled waters are worse than tap water. Most water from vending machines is of slighlty higher quality, but it is important to pick the right machines. Water fitration systems vary from extremely good to very bad; in fact some purifiers actually add toxic substances to the water. The effectiveness of a purifier/filtration system often depends on correctly matching it to your particular water conditions. In general, the best water filtration system will give you the purest water.

Q: But don’t natural springs have the purest water?

A: Not necessarily. Water from natural sources sometimes contains naturally occurring toxic pollutants.

Q: What should I know before buying a water purifier or filtration system?

A: That’s a rather complicated question. Your best bet is to buy from a well-established company with an excellent track record in purifying water that is similar to your water. In short, do your home work.

Q: How can I find out what is actually in my tap water?

A: If your water is from a water utility company, you should be able to get a free copy of test reports that show whether or not certain toxic substances are in the water. While these reports are helpful,they don’t include a large number of other toxic substances that may be in the water.

Q: If I want to get a more comprehensive test of my water, will my city or county health agency, or other health agency pay for it?

A: In general, no unless someone in your family has become sick and your doctor suspects water is the cause.

Q: How do I get a comprehensive test of my water?

A: You will have to pay for testing by a private laboratory. While most tests labs charge very high prices, there are several automated labs that offer low-cost, comprehensive testing.

Q: So should I have my tap water tested?

A: It is often possible to infer a great deal about your water from information already on hand, but to be on the safe side, if you have legitimate concerns, testing is advisable. Once you have those test results, you should get a purifier or a water filtration system that will remove any specific pollutants that you now know are in (or have been in) your tap water, and one that will also remove the most of all the many kinds of pollutants that may be in your water.