Atlanta Tap Water Has Contaminants, Advocacy Group Says.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has created a database that shows what contaminants are in tap water, based on ZIP code.
After analyzing test results from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the group concluded that Atlanta’s tap water meets environmental legal limits, but could still be harmful.
Capp said the EPA tries to set achievable standards for the quality of tap water, taking into account access states have to technology and other water management resources.
They don’t set standards that are unachievable," Capp said.
Disinfection byproducts are one of the contaminants found in Atlanta’s tap water.
"The disinfection is necessary to ensure that you kill any microbial contamination, but at the same time, it’s an indication, often, of upstream pollution," Andrews said.
"It’s an elevated risk and as a concentration increases, that level of risk increases.
Andrews recommends Americans filter their tap water with a simple water filtration system with contaminant levels where they are.
Capp said the tap water in Atlanta is fine to drink on its own.