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When you turn on the tap water, you expect clean water ready for use. Technically, that is what you get. Every city in the United States providing public water is regulated by both state and federal guidelines to ensure safe drinking water is readily available. However, water leaving the treatment plant is not necessarily the same water you get coming out of your sink.
Water in the United States comes from one of two sources: surface water or groundwater. Surface water refers to any body of water that is above the ground, including lakes, streams, rivers, springs, and reservoirs. Groundwater is found underground, often in an aquifer. Both public sources and private wells tap into groundwater supplies for household use.
No matter your water source, most Americans get their water from public water systems, and these systems are regulated on local, state, and federal levels (1). You can learn more about where your household’s specific tap water comes from by contacting your local utility provider.
Water treatment plants across the United States follow the same five steps for thorough treatment:
Coagulation: Chemicals are added to the water supply to bind dirt and other particles together.
Flocculation: Additional chemicals are mixed into the water to form larger, heavier particles (called flocs).
Sedimentation: Flocs and other solids in the water are removed.
Filtration: The water is sent through a series of filters to remove harmful contaminants, bacteria, odors, tastes, and dissolved solids from the water.
Disinfection: Lastly, chemical disinfectants, like chlorine, are added to the water in low levels to remove any last germs in the water. These disinfectants stay in the water as it goes through the pipes, killing any other germs it may encounter before reaching your sink (2).
Despite a thorough treatment process that removes the majority of contaminants from a water source, your tap water is not necessarily contaminant-free. Some contaminants, including but not limited to the following, can still be found in your tap water:
Disinfection byproducts
During the disinfection step of water treatment, chlorine is added to the water supply. Chlorine may help slow bacterial growth in the pipes and control odors/tastes in the water, but it also comes with an unwanted side effect.
When chlorine is added to sterilize drinking water, disinfection byproducts form. Federal limits are set to disinfection byproducts known as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAA5s), but most cities in America still allow small amounts of these substances to pass through. Research is still ongoing about the negative health effects of the byproducts, but trihalomethanes have been linked to liver, kidney, and colon cancer (3). Similarly, HAA5s are believed to be carcinogens (4).
PFAS
Additionally, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) remain in most water supplies throughout the United States. PFAS have been given the nickname of “forever chemicals” since it takes them thousands of years to break down. These chemicals are not found in nature, but instead they have been manufactured by people in industries like food packaging, waterproof clothing, nonstick substances, and firefighting foams.
PFAs are not fully regulated in the United States, however legislation may change this in the upcoming years. For now, the federal government does not have enforceable standards nationwide, resulting in their widespread presence in many states’ water supplies. Some states, like Pennsylvania, have put their own PFAS legislation in place to reduce contamination in the water supply.
These foreverchemicals are still being researched, but they are currently linked to a variety of health effects, including testicular and kidney cancer, liver damage, cholesterol changes, and developmental defects in fetuses.
Inorganic contaminants
Many inorganic contaminants are regulated by the EPA, but low levels of these contaminants may still enter the water supply. Chromium 6, for example, is a man-made chemical that is still present in American drinking water, and millions of Americans unknowingly drink tap water containing chromium 6 every day. Chromium 6 is connected to both lung and stomach cancer, asthma, kidney damage, and skin burns.
Additionally, the EPA regulates the legal limit of copper allowed in a water supply at 1.3 parts per million. Copper can, however, re-enter the water supply through corroding pipes, making it unsafe to drink before it reaches your sink. While many people do not experience negative health effects due to copper exposure, overexposure of copper can lead to headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and kidney disease.
Some inorganic contaminants, like lead, are regulated extremely strictly by state and federal guidelines. The maximum contaminant level for lead in your water is set at zero, meaning not even a trace of lead is legal in your water supply. In most cases, water leaving a treatment plant does not contain any lead at all. That being said, the water leaving a treatment plant does not magically appear in your sink. The pipes that transport the water from the plant to your house determine if your water stays lead-free. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “an estimated 4 million lead service lines serve water to properties in communities across the United States” (5). Due to corrosion, these service lines can add lead back into your water supply, making it unsafe to drink. Symptoms of lead poisoning include high blood pressure, decreased kidney function, and reproductive issues.
Despite the fact that your water may not be completely safe to drink after leaving the water treatment plant, it is possible to remove these harmful contaminants. By investing in a water filtration system that has been lab-tested to remove these contaminants, your water can be safer to drink.
Seychelle’s regular water pitcher, for example, is independently lab-tested to remove up to 99.99% of disinfection byproducts, PFAS, and inorganic contaminants like copper, chromium 6, and lead. Before purchasing a water filtration system for your household, be sure to research exactly what contaminants the filter is certified to remove.
Water goes through an extensive treatment process before it is sent out of the plant. The process, however, can create disinfectant byproducts that may cause negative health effects. Additionally, most states do not regulate levels of PFAS in the water supply, so these contaminants may remain in the water. Other contaminants, like lead and copper, may enter the water supply as it is en route to your sink. To avoid harmful contaminants sneaking into your water supply, consider investing in a water filter.
What happens to water after it leaves the treatment plant?
Water is then transported through pipes to households and businesses across the city or state. Depending on the pipes, copper or lead may re-enter the water supply after it leaves the treatment plant.
What is really in our tap water?
While tap water is thoroughly treated by the water treatment plant, some chemicals, including chlorine and PFAS, may still be present. In some cases, inorganic contaminants or bacteria may still be present in tap water.
Does boiling water purify it?
Boiling water for the appropriate amount of time can remove bacteria, viruses, and parasites from your water. It does not completely purify your water, however, as heavy metals, minerals, and chemical contaminants cannot be boiled out of water.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,https://www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/about/drinking-water-sources-an-overview.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,https://www.cdc.gov/drinking-water/about/how-water-treatment-works.html
Israa Harjan, et. al.,Research Gate,https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336532964_HEALTH_EFFECTS_OF_CHLORINATED_WATER_A_REVIEW_ARTICLE
National Library of Medicine,https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK590834/
United States Environmental Protection Agency,https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/lead-service-lines
