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Water is essential to life. It transports nutrients to our cells, aids in the digestion process, transports wastes out of our bodies, helps maintain a normal temperature, lubricates our joints and quenches our thirst.
There is virtually no place on earth that is invulnerable to water contamination, whether it be from agricultural chemicals, industry, sewage or non-point source pollution. In many areas of our country, multiple sources of pollution contaminate sole source drinking water supplies, making it essential that people filter or otherwise purify their water supply.
Common Contaminants Found in Drinking Water
Microorganisms: Virtually all public water supplies contain microorganisms, including bacteria, parasites and viruses. Most of the bacteria and parasites are destroyed by chlorine that is used by water treatment facilities, but viruses are more difficult to eliminate.
Radioactive Substances: Uranium and radioactive gases (like radon) occur naturally in small amounts in many water supplies. Dumping of low-level radioactive wastes from hospitals and other research or manufacturing facilities may increase this amount to potentially harmful levels.
Toxic Minerals: Inorganic minerals such as cadmium, lead, mercury, aluminum, arsenic, asbestos, barium, chromium, fluoride and nitrate are naturally occurring in water in small amounts, but they may increase to harmful levels if pollution from agriculture or mining contaminate the water supply.
Organic Chemicals: Fertilizers, pesticides, paints, fuels, plastics and dyes are often detected in public water supplies. Research shows that the chlorine used to treat water may combine with some of these substances to form harmful chemical compounds such as chloroform. Water facilities use filtering systems to deal with these contaminants with varying degrees of success.
Additives: Water purification processes include the addition of several disinfectants that, when combined, may create harmful compounds and byproducts. Many flocculants, which clump pollutants for easier filtering, are classified as probable human carcinogens by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Fluoride, a known toxin, is still added to many public water supplies.
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