Is My Drinking Water Safe?

Well Water, Bottled Water, Public Water. Are They All The Same?

What is in the water my family drinks? Is it safe? How can I be sure?

These are just a few of the common questions we are asked on a daily basis. Whether you consume water from a private well, municipal system or bottle there is always the risk that contaminants find their way into the water source.

Is any one option safer than the other?

Not necessarily. Only thoroughly testing your drinking water can determine if contaminants are present and then filter them to make your water the safest quality it can be.

Even bottled water can be contaminated. In fact, a lot of bottled water is simply tap water that has been put into plastic bottles. It often comes from the same sources you are currently using.

The Government Monitors It, Is That Enough?

You have no control over what is supplied by the local water company or even what is in the bottled water you are paying for.

Although regulations exist and testing of these sources is performed on some routine basis, contaminants are found and not always corrected in a manner you would expect or even assume would be standard operating procedures.

In fact, the US Department of Environmental Protection reports that since 2004 there have been 6,743 violations for “Failure to Monitor Regularly” in the state of New Jersey alone. There are hundreds of other violations, including those as serious as not monitoring repeat failures for contaminants as dangerous as coliform bacteria.

What About The Safe Drinking Water Act?

There are about 90 contaminants regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act. In comparison, there are more than 60,000 chemicals used in the US alone (according to the EPA).

Studies have been performed by independent and government scientists that assessed thousands of these chemicals in recent decades. According to the NY Times analysis of government records, hundreds have been linked to increased risks of cancer and other diseases, even at very small levels.

Other studies have found that even some of the chemicals that are regulated by the act pose risks at much lower levels than previously known. Even knowing this, many of the standards for those chemicals have not changed at all since the 1980’s.

Since 2004, it is estimated that over 60 millions Americans have been exposed to drinking water that did not meet at least one government health guideline specifically designed to protect people from cancer or serious disease.

Testing your drinking water is an easy, inexpensive way to ensure that your drinking water is actually safe.