The United States largely has some of the safest tap water on the planet, thanks to the state and federal regulations in place. In fact, several studies show that bottled water may be more contaminated than tap water.
However, these standards are only in place in theory. A 2017 NRDC report shows that up to 77 million people might be affected by impure water due to some violation of safety regulations. Millions of water suppliers fail to test water safety properly, and do not even report their results to local health authorities. Let’s look at the most common sources of impurities in the US:
Plumbing
Improper plumbing is the number one cause for water safety concern. Water that is transported using either lead or galvanized steel pipes is immediately contaminated with lead or rust, leading to harmful, discolored water. Lead in particular can be hazardous even in trace amounts, targeting kids and infants most.
Effects: Central and peripheral nervous system damage, impaired hearing, impaired formation and function of blood cells, developmental delays, learning disorders.
Leaching
Leaching refers to water-soluble metals, solids, and chemicals entering drinking water, resulting in elevated levels of metals, organic contaminants, or asbestos in water consumed at the tap. This is usually caused when groundwater is transported to your homes without proper safety measures and filtration in place. Toxic metals such as arsenic and hexavalent chromium frequently make inroads into household water through leaching.
Effects: Arsenic causes cancer of the bladder, lungs, nasal passages, skin, kidney, liver, and prostate. Hexavalent chromium is a potential carcinogen.
Water Conservation
While water conservation is extremely important ecologically, treating used water in an unregulated manner can lead to severe problems. Several pharmaceutical drugs such as antibiotics, antidepressants, painkillers, and birth control pills are making their way to public water supply systems after being flushed out post use.
Water Treatment
One of the most widely used methods of water treatment is chlorination. While it does disinfect water by eliminating bacteria, it has toxic effects on the human body.
Another chemical intentionally added to water is fluoride. Initially, fluoride was thought of as an excellent way to ensure dental hygiene. However, later studies have shown that fluoride does far more harm than good. In fact, fluoride has been categorized as a class 4 hazard by the EPA and despite government bodies cracking down on the chemical, most water supplies still show fluoride presence.
Effects: Chlorine causes bladder, breast and rectal cancers, asthma, premature aging of the skin, congenital disabilities. Fluoride increases fracture risk, impacts immunity, impairs thyroid function, increases cancer risk, and disrupts the pineal gland’s function to cause hormonal imbalance.
All of this mandates a water filtration system for your home. The CDC recommends the international NSF rating system to make this decision easier. At Veripure, all our point-of-use water filtration solutions are rated INSF 42 and 53, giving you the safest, best tasting water possible thanks to our patented ozonation system. Don’t wait further. Make the switch to a healthier lifestyle and protect your family from impure water. Get your Veripure now!
