originally posted on January 5, 2017

(StatePoint) Recently there has been growing concern about the quality of the water we drink, outside and inside our own homes. Homeowners across the country realize that potential contaminants can compromise the quality of water that comes out of the tap at home, work or other community sources.

At a time when safe tap water is not necessarily a given, consider investing in an easy-to-use and maintain water filtration system that can be used at-home or on-the-go to improve water quality.

For example, LifeStraw, first introduced for people in developing countries without access to safe water and for victims following natural disasters, now makes a range of water filters and purifiers designed for uses like emergency preparedness, outdoor recreation, travel and everyday hydration.

The refillable LifeStraw Go water bottle features a built-in filter, and removes 99.9999 percent of waterborne bacteria (including E. coli and salmonella) and 99.9 percent of waterborne chlorine, organic chemical matter, bad taste, and muddiness.

As an added bonus for the charitably-minded, consider that improving your own water quality can have a global impact, too. One in 10 people globally lack access to safe water, according to the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Through the “Follow the Liters” humanitarian program, for each LifeStraw purchased, one school child in a developing community in Africa receives safe drinking water for an entire school year. For more information, visit lifestraw.com

To learn more about drinking water quality, visit the US Environmental Protection Agency at epa.gov.