When there’s such a hot market for bottled water, and when everyone seems obsessed with attaching filters to their kitchen sink, it’s hard not to get the feeling that tap water isn’t very safe to drink. But don’t worry — that concern is greatly misguided. And maybe it does have something to do with the marketing frenzy telling you that bottled water or filter water is better.
Even so, most health experts will tell you that unless you have underlying health concerns or there is an emergency situation, tap water is perfectly safe to drink. More importantly, it is the easiest and most cost-efficient way of getting the 8 glasses of water a day that you’re encouraged to get to stay hydrated. Drinking plenty of water helps the body with important body processes like digestion, blood flow, and joint lubrication.
That’s not to suggest that there’s anything wrong with drinking bottled water. Some people prefer the taste or convenience of bottled water. If you’re somebody who prefers bottled water, go for it. It should be noted that some tap water is boosted with fluoride, which is good for your oral health. But besides that, tap water and bottled water are very similar. And for what it’s worth, both bottled and tap water will have at least some trace amount of contaminants in them. In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that approximately 25% of bottled water is nothing more than tap water.
Who Oversees the Water?
You might be wondering who out there is monitoring the water to make sure it’s safe. That’s a good question — and the answer is different for tap water than it is for bottled water. In the case of bottled water, the Food & Drug Administration (commonly known as the FDA) sets and regulates safety. In the case of tap water, on the other hand, monitoring is up to the Environmental Protection Agency (commonly known as the EPA).
According to the EPA, the United States enjoys one of the safest and most reliable supplies of drinking water in the entire world. This is thanks in part to the Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974, which started regulating public water systems, of which there are currently 150,000 across the country today.
Per the Safe Water Drinking Act, there are limits set by law on 90 common contaminants that can be found in drinking water — things like lead, copper, arsenic, mercury, cyanide, and antimony, all of which can turn up in drinking water because of contamination from natural sources (think bacteria and parasites), industrial processes (think chemicals), or just a faulty plumbing system. As long as these contaminants are within the limits set by the EPA, they will not have any adverse effects on human health. This means the water is safe to drink.
How Do I Know What’s In My Water?
Part of the EPA’s role in ensuring safe drinking water is requiring all water utilities across the country to provide their customers with annual quality reports. These are known as Customer Confidence Reports and they will usually arrive in mailboxes at the end of the fiscal year, sometime in July.
When you receive your Customer Confidence Report, look it over in detail and you’ll be able to find out where your water is sourced (such as from a river or from an aquafer), the level of specific contaminants, and what risks, if any, these potentially pose to a person’s health.
It’s important to note that the EPA does not regulate private wells, so households that source their water supply from wells will need to take it upon themselves to test their water every year for contaminants.
If your water source is ever contaminated, laws set by the EPA dictate that your water supply agency must notify you immediately.
I Still Have Concerns…
That makes sense. Even though tap water is perfectly safe for most healthy individuals, there are some people who feel more comfortable being extra careful. More importantly, those individuals with weakened immune systems — such as those who are undergoing chemotherapy or living with HIV/AIDS, or those who received an organ transplant or are pregnant — are more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water.
Filtering your water can be a smart option. You can invest in a filtration system that attaches directly to your kitchen tap, or you can buy a special pitcher with a filter on it. In either case, look for a filter that is designed to remove the specific contaminants you’re concerned about. You should also look for filters that are independently certified by the Public Health and Safety Organization, which ensures the filtration mechanism is effective. You should also take care to maintain the filter by cleaning it as frequently as recommended in the manufacturer’s instructions.
One last important note: In emergency situations, some people opt to boil their water. Bear in mind that this method will kill germs and bacteria, but it will not be able to filter out contaminants like lead, nitrates, or pesticides.