What is actually in tap water?

GenX

This is the trade name of an entirely unregulated chemical used in the production of products like non-stick pans, firefighting foam, and outdoor fabrics. GenX has already been shown to cause cancer in animal lab tests and, what’s more, it doesn’t degrade over time so it can contaminate water even over great distances from the source.

Bacteria, viruses, and protozoa

These are microbes that come primarily from human and animal waste. Water runoff causes them to wash into lakes and rivers, from where it can infiltrate groundwater aquifers. These contaminants can spread serious illnesses. E. coli was one such microbe causing serious intestinal infections before it was more commonly tested for, but the potential for new microbes to find their way into the water is always a concern.

Heavy metals

Metals like lead and arsenic are a common concern. Lead affects the drinking water of thousands of US drinking supplies, and can cause high blood pressure, nerve disorders, brain damage, and can be fatal. Arsenic is another common metal contaminant, mostly dissolved into water from rock formations containing the metal. Besides causing thickening and color changes in the skin, it is also highly carcinogenic, increasing the risk of cancers in the skin, lungs, bladder, and kidneys.

Nitrate

This chemical is most commonly found in fertilizers, manure, and liquid waste discharged from septic tanks. What’s more, bacteria present in the water can turn nitrogen into nitrate. Pregnant women and infants are at most risk from nitrate poisoning. While most healthy adults can undo the effects of nitrate, which stops red blood cells from transporting oxygen, others may be more vulnerable. Nitrate poisoning can cause the skin to turn pale and blue, but it can also cause seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, and can even be fatal.

Chlorine and chloramine

These disinfectants are both intentionally added to the water to disinfect the drinking supply. However, natural organic waste in the water, like decaying leaves, can cause them to react and produce harmful DBPs, also known as disinfection by-products, which are magnitudes more toxic than the original disinfectants. Many studies have shown chlorine DBPs to have links to cancer, miscarriages, and other long-term health effects. Chloramine is the recent replacement of chlorine because it is better at killing bacteria and viruses, but it still has the potential to produce many of the same DBPs.

Water pollutants are a concern worth taking seriously. Many of them, including GenX, cannot be boiled from the water. Reverse osmosis systems, however, have been shown to remove up to 99% of all contaminants, including GenX. A 5 stage reverse osmosis system can be easily installed under your sink so you always have a supply of purified water.