Answer: That depends on where you live. “Water quality varies tremendously from one water supply to another,” explains Erik Olson, head of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s drinking water program. If you live in Chicago, for example, you can probably save your money. According to a report released this past June, when the nonprofit NRDC tested water supplies in 19 American cities in 2001, Chicago was the only one that got an “excellent” rating. Most were rated “good” or “mediocre.” If you live in Boston, Phoenix, or San Francisco, you may need to shell out for at-home treatment. Those cities’ water systems were rated “poor” because they contained contaminants such as bacteria, potentially cancer-causing chemicals, and lead.
Looks Clean, But Is It?
To determine whether you need to filter or purify the water you’re drinking, first find out what, if any, unhealthy contaminants are lurking in it, Olson advises. To do that: Get the report. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires water companies to issue annual reports on contaminant levels. Yours should come with your water bill. If it doesn’t, call the water company and ask for a copy. You may also find the reports at the local library or, if your water company is large enough, at the Environmental Protection Agency Web site. Read the whole thing. In its investigation, the NRDC found that several water companies buried bad news inside their reports. The cover page of Washington, DC’s, for instance, announced, “Your drinking water is safe.” But following pages revealed that the city’s water contained worrisome levels of lead and potentially harmful chemicals. Double-check the numbers.In addition to the levels of contaminants in your water, your report should specify the Environmental Protection Agency’s “MCL” or “maximum [allowable] contaminant level” for each. If a contaminant level exceeds the MCL, the EPA will require your water company to take steps to fix it. But don’t rest easy, figuring that your water’s safe. You should also pay close attention to contaminants that come close to the MCL, says Olson. Since companies are required to test only periodically, a contaminant that nears the MCL during testing could exceed it at other times. If you’re pregnant or have an infant at home, look for levels of nitrate, a contaminant from fertilizer and feces, and chlorination by-products called trihalomethanes, Olson says. These may increase risks of miscarriage, birth defects, and other health problems. [pagebreak] Call the company. Most water companies test for more contaminants than the EPA requires. Call yours and ask if it has found high levels of any it tests for voluntarily, since these may not appear in your annual report, says Olson. Ask if they’ve taken steps to filter or purify the contaminants. Got kids? Test for lead. If your kids are 6 or younger, test for lead, even if your annual report shows low levels of this toxic metal in your water supply, Olson says. These days, lead contamination often originates inside the house, he explains. Most cities have replaced old lead water mains with iron ones. But older buildings may be plumbed with lead pipes or copper pipes welded with leaded solder. Even new “lead-free” faucets may be made from brass that contains enough lead to cause problems, such as lower IQs, Olson says.
Find the Right Treatment
If you do find something in your water, which treatment system should you use? Again, that depends–on what’s in there, whether you want to purify every drop that enters your home, and how much you’re ready to spend. There are several different types of treatment devices, from a carbon filter to more a complex ion exchange system and distillers, and they range in price from $20 to $2,500.Unfortunately, there’s no single system that removes all contaminants, explains Joseph Harrison, technical director of the Water Quality Association (WQA), an industry group. So, you could need more than one kind of device. Complicating matters (just a little): Most types come in a variety of models. There are pitchers, devices that screw on to faucets, and under-the-sink units that attach to the cold-water line and feed treated water to a third faucet that’s installed on the sink board. There are also more pricey point-of-entry, or whole-house, systems (installed where the water enters your home) that treat all your water for drinking, dishwashing, bathing, showering, and laundering. Why choose one of these? Showers are a particular problem because you can inhale trihalomethanes, which have been linked to health problems including cancer and miscarriage, says Olson. Below is a guide that compares several different types of water-treatment systems. When shopping, look for a model certified by an independent lab such as NSF International, the WQA, or Underwriters Laboratories, and check the manufacturer’s specifications to make sure it removes the contaminants in your supply. [pagebreak]
It Came from the Faucet
Lead, which can lower children’s IQs and cause developmental delays; in adults it can boost blood pressure and cause kidney problems Potential carcinogens, including arsenic, asbestos, radium, benzene, trichloroethylene, radon, the pesticide atrazine, and perchlorate, a chemical known for causing thyroid tumors and, in fetuses and infants, delaying development Germs, including cysts such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium; fecal bacteria such as fecal coliform; and viruses. These are a particular risk for infants and anyone with a weakened immune system, including those with HIV, transplant recipients, chemotherapy patients, and the frail elderly By-products of chlorination, such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, which may cause cancer, reproductive problems, and birth defects Nitrate (from fertilizers and animal and human waste), which can interfere with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen and is especially hazardous for infants; it also may be linked to miscarriages and birth defects Heavy metals, such as mercury and cadmium, which may cause kidney and neurological damage
