The Contaminants in Your Water

Dennis Friedrichs is the owner of Chicagoland Water Conditioning & Purification in Morton Grove, Illinois, a trusted provider of water filtration in Chicago. And according to Friedrichs , there's no such thing as completely contaminant-free tap water, and many contaminants in water can't be seen, tasted or smelled.

In recent years, more and more consumers have become concerned about alleviating health risks and inconveniences associated with poor quality tap water. And they want to know what's in their water as well. In fact, what's in your water depends on where you live and where your water comes from. Unfortunately, without testing your water, unless you notice an unpleasant taste or odor, there's no way to know exactly which contaminants are in your home's water supply.

Calcium and Magnesium: Water is considered "hard" when excessive calcium and magnesium is present. Hard water is the most common problem with residential water. If you find that your dishes are spotty or that you have a hard time getting your clothes clean, then you may have hard water. Hard water is "softened" by replacing the calcium and magnesium ions with sodium. Softened water lathers more easily, keeps skin and hair soft, and cleans clothes and dishes more effectively.

In Chicago, Lake Michigan provides about 90% of the city's water. Lake Michigan's water is moderately hard, so most residents should have a water softener. If your water comes from a well, your water is probably extremely hard. A water softener is a necessity for you.

Lead: Lead in drinking water has been a source of concern for some time. Just two decades ago, high levels of lead were common in drinking water due to the widespread use of lead pipes in household plumbing. Action taken by the government in the '80s and '90s greatly reduced our exposure to lead in tap water. However, lead is still detectable, in small quantities, in many homes' drinking water. And in some homes, concentrations are high enough to warrant real concern.

Lead has been associated with a number of adverse health effects, and children under six are at the greatest risk. In fact, lead doesn't naturally occur in water. It enters drinking water through older lead pipes, from corrosion of older fixtures or from the solder that connects pipes. When water is allowed to sit in lead pipes for hours, lead leaches into the water. Lead is tasteless and odorless, so the only way to determine whether your home's water is contaminated with lead is to test for it.

Chlorine: Chemical contaminants in drinking water are another source of concern. Chlorine is one of the most common chemical contaminants. Chlorine is present in almost all tap water. It is a powerful disinfectant, and is added to water to kill disease-causing bacteria.

Unfortunately, chlorine can react with organic materials in drinking water to create dangerous toxins called trihalomethanes (TMHs). Because of the effects of TMHs, consuming large quantities of highly chlorinated water has been shown to increase miscarriage and birth defect rates in pregnant women. Chlorinated water has also been linked to a host of other health problems including asthma, skin problems, heart disease and some types of cancer.

More and more evidence is pointing to the importance of clean water, but just because water meets the Environmental Protection Agency's standards doesn't mean it's 100% safe. Over time, ingesting common contaminants in tap water can cause real problems. However, bottled water isn't the answer. Although some bottled water may have fewer contaminants than tap water, the manufacturing, distribution and disposal processes of plastic bottles all raise environmental concerns. Fortunately, an in-home water treatment system can soften your water and remove nearly all of the contaminants to deliver great tasting, chemical-free water that's safe for all members of your family to enjoy.

Dennis Friedrichs is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a contractor or more contractor articles at Yodle Consumer Guide.