Is your tap water hiding something?
Do you know what’s in your tap water? It’s surprising (and a little gross) to find out there’s an average of over 300 contaminants in the tap water we drink.
Does the quality of the water you drink everyday really matter? Well, simply put… heck yeah it does! Do you care what you put into your body? Most likely you just said yes. So, of course we need to care about the quality of water we drink.
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With the recommended 8-10 cups of water a day, that’s a large majority of what we may consume in an average day. That’s assuming you’re drinking the suggested amount. But I’m guessing since you’re hanging out here with me, you’re trying to do better at it. Great job!
The average adult body is made up of 55-60% water. That’s amazing! Our body is half water. Not bone or muscle, but water!
So, let’s talk about the water we’re drinking each day. Are you a tap person or a bottled water person? Or maybe you’re like me and like to fill up from the refrigerator door dispenser. It’s fast, cold, and filtered. That’s a plus!
Most house water comes to us from our local utility department. We pay them, and consequently we rely on them to provide us with safe water. Many homes live on wells and septic systems. They get their water from their well underground.
But how do we know what’s really in our water? There are a few resources that should be readily available you to answer that question.
Let’s look at municipal water systems first.
Municipal water is “a public water supply system or water supply network including water treatment facilities, water storage facilities (reservoirs, water tanks and water towers) and a pipe network for distributing the treated water to customers including residential, industrial, commercial or institutional establishments.”
The great thing about a municipal water system is that they should be providing you with a water analysis report. If it doesn’t get mailed to you, just call them and request it. This will give you a breakdown on the contaminants that are in your water. You will be able to see a number of chemicals and pollutants and that are ranked according to their safety levels.
Lead, arsenic, copper, carcinogenic vocs, manganese, nitrate, chromium, fluoride…. and others that with big confusing names.
A great resource I found online is the EWG Tap Water Database. Simply type in your zip code and it will give you your municipal’s water analysis. It will rank the contaminants and also tell you if your water utility is in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards.
What about those of you on well water and septic systems?
If you’re currently living in a home with well water, I’m pretty sure you have had your water tested. And if you are going to buy a home with a well, don’t sign the contract until you have had the water tested or the owner can show you a recent certified water analysis.
Your well isn’t governed or filtered by anyone but you. So be sure and get that water tested!
Your well water should be sent out to a certified laboratory for water testing. An excellent resource for water testing laboratories is the EPA website. The Environmental Protection Agency can provide you with certified labs in your state where you can mail a water sample and then receive a full report of water contaminants.
Check out the EPA.gov page for how to get your water tested.
Thankfully we live in a country where clean, safe drinking water should be easily available to us. I’m not saying that you should be scared of your tap water, just aware of what you’re putting in your body, and maybe consider a filter system if necessary.
I drink water from my home or office refrigerator 95% of the time, and I try to keep my home water filters changed regularly to prevent any “infiltrators” in my family’s water. A decent water filter from your local store may be all you need for that extra safety step.
Check out water pitcher and filter that I use every day HERE.
Now go get that big glass of water and enjoy 😊
Stay hydrated for better health and happiness!
