Contaminants
Did you know that you can view the toxicity of your local water supply? The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a public health organization, presents a tap water database that lists detected contaminants in drinking water – all you do is put in the zip code.
For instance, Oakland, California’s utility that encompasses San Francisco and serves 1,379,000 facilities reports levels of haloacetic acids (HAA5), haloacetic acids (HAA9), and trihalomethanes (TTHMs) exceeding the EWG’s Health Guidelines by 415 times, 603 times, and 373 times respectfully. That means that the amount of HAA9 in that public water supply is 603 times over the maximal recommended dose. In addition, 11 other contaminants were detected: aluminum, bromide, chlorate, chromium, fluoride, manganese, molybdenum, nitrate, nitrite, strontium, and vanadium.
Furthermore, The Guardian and Consumer Reports partnered to conduct a 9-month investigation of 120 water systems serving 19 million people in the United States. The global issues newspaper and American non-profit independent product-testing organization recorded that 118 samples contained lead, arsenic, and PFAS at exceeding rates.
“The legal dose of these chemicals that are accepted in tap water does not mean that they’re safe in any way,” states Dr. Eric Berg, a chiropractor who specializes in nutrition and health. “The legal limits of these contaminants have not been evaluated for 20 years.”
Low-income residential areas such as Nogales, Arizona are the most skeptical about contamination levels. The water quality is so terrible that Latino households in this area switched to drinking primarily bottled water. In a study that reviewed the perceived risks of Nogales residents consuming tap water, the Department of Community, Environment & Policy, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health found that 98% feared that local tap water would cause illness and 79% feared microbial and chemical contamination in their water. But should you be as concerned about water quality as they are?
Dangers
The following are the dangers of contaminants in tap waters, directly from the National Cancer Institute:
- High levels of arsenic: bladder cancer
- Long-term exposure to disinfection byproducts (HAA5, HAA9, TTHM, Chlorate, etc.): rectal and bladder cancer
- Ingestion of nitrate: stomach, colon, kidney, thyroid, ovarian, and bladder cancers.
- Heavy exposure to poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): kidney and testis cancer (with more studies needed)
Dr. Berg adds that fluoride can damage the thyroid and skin. Moreover, heavy metal poisoning from lead, arsenic, manganese, and copper causes organ dysfunction by binding to cells, leading to threatening, irreversible damage, according to the Cleveland Clinic, a nonprofit medical center organization.
The solution
For optimal, clean water, Dr. Berg installed a dual filtration system. One filter eliminates the chemicals: disinfectants, and heavy metals, while another filter specifically removes fluoride. Filtration produces more quality water than bottled water because when water is stored in a bottle for a long time, the plastics from the bottle seep into the water.
While middle and high-income households may be able to afford a filtration system, low-income areas like Nogales may have to rely on bottled water. Though the upfront costs of a water filter are higher, the investment is paid off by not having to buy bottles regularly and by reducing health risks.
In the case that tap water use minimizes and bottled water use magnifies, pollution will increase with the accumulation of plastic waste. If tap water quality does not undergo government regulation, families will be at risk of long term exposure to disinfectants, heavy metals, and plastics in their water, potentially leading to illness and irritation in the body. Worst of all, they may not even be aware of it.
