“There’s also chemical contamination, which are things that you may not realize are even in the water,” said Roy.
Fortunately, water supplies in most homes in the United States are biologically safe, according to Roy.
Finding out what’s in your water One way for homeowners to find out about what kind of contamination could be present in their water supply is to obtain a copy of their water quality report, or consumer confidence report, according to NSF International.
A report can include essential information on detected contaminant levels, the contaminant’s potential source and if water in your community exceeded the maximum contaminant level.
“Private wells are completely unregulated by the EPA,” Roy said.
“It’s up to the homeowner to test their water for things like arsenic [and other contaminants].” What to know about water treatment Once your water’s contaminants are identified, consumers can work to find the best treatment options for their concerns.
However, not all filters can reduce all contaminants, according to NSF International.
“This certification means that the product’s claims to reduce contaminants such as arsenic, lead, perfluorooctanoic acid, microcystin and radium have been validated, and homeowners can be confident the system will do what it says it will.” When it comes to home water treatment systems, consumers have multiple options, Andrew said.
“Point-of-use (POU) systems treat the water where you drink or use your water, and include water pitchers, faucet filters and reverse osmosis (RO) systems,” he said.
Consumers also have the option of whole-house/point-of-entry (POE) systems, which treat the water as it enters a home, according to Andrew.