- 90% of parents said they are spending more time at home due to the pandemic, and parents are twice as likely to say this has increased their concern about the quality of their tap water (52% vs. 26%)
- Parents are 74% more likely to say they are concerned about the quality of unfiltered tap water in their homes (47% vs 27%)
- 7 out of 10 parents agree that it’s necessary to use a water filter, making them 25% more likely than non-parents to believe water filtration in their home is a must (70% vs 56%)
- How can you find out what is in your drinking water?
One of the best ways to find out what is in your tap water is to review your local water quality report. The EPA requires all drinking water suppliers to provide an annual water quality report, sometimes called a “Consumer Confidence Report,” to its customers on or before July 1st. In this report, you can learn where your water comes from, what contaminants may be present in your water, and any compliance concerns you should be aware of. For Houston residents on municipal water, you can view your annual water quality report here.
However, these reports can be pretty dense and hard to understand. If you find your local water quality report difficult to read, another great resource you can tap into is the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) National Drinking Water Database. Updated every few years, this database provides an easy-to-understand assessment of your city’s water quality, based on data from local water quality reports. It also highlights what water filtration technology (i.e. activated carbon, reverse osmosis, or ion exchange) is best suited to remove the specific contaminants found in your water and information about said contaminants.
Another way to find out what is in your water is to conduct your own test. This is the only option for homes that use a private well, but it can also be utilized by homeowners with municipal water who are looking for more in-depth information about their water quality.
Testing can be done in a couple of different ways. The fastest and easiest way is to purchase a home test kit. There are a lot of home test kit options on the market, so it’s important to make sure you use a reputable kit that tests for the contaminants that concern you the most. The biggest caveat to using a home water test kit is the results may not be 100% accurate, but they should paint a clearer picture of your home’s tap water quality. The second way to test your home’s water is to send a sample off to an independent lab. This is by far the most accurate and reliable way to know exactly what is in your water but is the most costly and time-consuming option.
- What are the most common water contaminants that can impact your family’s health?
Some of the most common contaminants found in tap water include heavy metals like lead and mercury, chlorine, chloramines, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides, cysts, and PFAS. If present in your water, each of these contaminants comes with its own set of health risks. The severity of these health risks range from dried skin and irritation to your eyes and nose, to gastrointestinal problems, fertility issues, and organ damage. With water being quite literally essential for life and good health, it is counterintuitive to hydrate with poor quality water that can actually put your and your family’s wellbeing at risk.
- What are the best ways to address water contaminants that concern you the most?
The most reliable way to address your water quality concerns is to use a home water filtration system that has been tested and approved to remove the contaminants present in your water. When it comes to picking out a water filter, the top factors to consider include your budget, space, and water quality concerns. For example, if you live in a small, rented space and are primarily concerned with improving the taste and smell of your water, a budget-friendly, no-installation pitcher or countertop system might be the best choice. However, if you’re looking for a system that can tackle tougher problems, like lead, installing an under sink or whole house water filter will be your best bet. Either way, if you’re unhappy with or concerned about the quality of your water, your most reliable option is to filter from your tap, rather than turn to bottled water.
- Can you compare refrigerator vs. under sink water filters?
Most refrigerator filters can do a reasonably good job of removing impurities that affect the taste and smell of your tap water, like chlorine and chloramines, but are not able to remove trickier contaminants like lead, PFAS, or bacteria and cysts. So if your water quality concerns go beyond taste and smell, a fridge filter is not the best option for you and your family.
For those looking for more filtration power, an under sink water filter system can be a great option. These systems are installed underneath your sink, typically in the kitchen, and filter your water before it comes out of the tap. That means you have instant access to clean water for drinking, cooking, dishwashing, and more. Under sink filters are appealing because they don’t take up counter or fridge space but still provide you with instant access to filtered water, and they often utilize higher performance water filtration media, like ion exchange or reverse osmosis, that can remove a wide variety of contaminants. If you’re shopping for an under sink water filter, be sure to check for third-party certifications from groups like NSF or IAPMO to ensure proper contaminant removal, and take note if the system connects directly to your faucet or if it requires a dedicated filtered water faucet.
- Can you compare spring-sourced water vs. filtered bottled water options?
Regardless of the source, whether it be spring or filtered water, there are actually quite a few issues parents should be aware of when it comes to bottled water. In addition to the undeniably negative impact single-use plastic water bottles have on the environment, the quality of bottled water, no matter the source, can be questionable. Many parents may not be aware of this, but the bottled water industry is not regulated by the FDA or any other government entity. That means the industry operates under a “self-policing” model and bottled water companies do not have to disclose or verify where their water comes from, how the water has been treated, or if it has been treated at all. Additionally, recent laboratory testing conducted by the EWG found contaminants like disinfection byproducts, industrial chemicals, prescription drugs, and bacteria in common brands of bottled water.
As mentioned, the most trustworthy way to address any water quality concerns you may have is to filter your drinking water using a reliable system that meets your specific needs.
