The answer is: What’s in the water?
Effects on Human Health
If the water you are drinking contains unsafe levels, or even any levels of contaminants, it will create harmful health effects. These can reproductive effects, nervous system damage, gastrointestinal illnesses, or chronic diseases like cancer.
The EPA recognizes over 85,000 toxic contaminants in water, yet only regulates 90 of them. This means it is important that you know what is in your water, and proactively use some type of filtration system that removes, or at least substantially reduces the specific contaminants that you know are in your water.
Most City’s source their water from ground water aquifers or surface waters like lakes and rivers. These sources can be contaminated by various microbes, chemicals, and radionuclides.
Some of the sources of drinking water contaminants:
- Industry and agriculture - Organic solvents, heavy metals and petroleum products, metals + fertilizers and pesticides.
- Human and animal waste – ground water that passes thru rock and soil with natural occurring heavy metals, arsenic and more.
- Treatment and distribution – water treatment can leave behind chemical byproducts that are harmful
There are five major types of water filters:
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Whole Home Systems
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Point of Use Drinking Water Systems
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Reverse Osmosis Systems
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Ion Exchange Systems
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Life Water Ionizers
Source: The EPA Drinking Water Report