If you’ve been thinking about a whole-house water filtration system in Salt Lake City, you may be wondering if it’s really necessary. Is the water quality in our area really that bad? Water service providers, take extra strength steps to clean and treat water before channeling it through the city and into your home.
But that doesn’t mean that 100% of contaminants get removed from the water. We are highlighting five common contaminants that are found in tap water. Even at very low levels, these contaminants can pose risks to your health. You can keep reading to learn more about contaminants found in tap water and how a whole-house water filtration system can help.
Heavy Metals
If there are metal pipes leading into your home, then you are then increased risk of having trace amounts of metal in your tap water. This is more of a concern in older homes that may have outdated or corroding plumbing materials. Examples of metals that you may find in your tap water include copper, lead, aluminum, and uranium.
Chlorine
Water treatment facilities often use chlorine to help cleanse tap water before distributing it to homes and businesses. Trace amounts of chlorine may be left behind following the cleaning process. Chlorine is particularly dangerous because it is linked to development of some cancers.
Nitrates
These chemicals are found in fertilizers and can also come from the waist in septic tanks. Nitrates are a larger concern in rural areas where fertilizers are used for crops. The chemicals in fertilizer can sink into ground water and make their way into tap water. There’s only so much that a water treatment facility can do to remove these chemicals from tap water.
Bacteria and Viruses
Unfortunately, seeing some of the chemicals and metals above may not surprise you. But we find that many homeowners are caught off guard by the idea that bacteria and viruses may travel into a home through the tap water.
It’s completely normal for some microorganisms to be in your tap water, but some are harmful. One example is E. coli, which can make you very sick and even be fatal to infants and the elderly.
Fluoride
This is actually a compound that gets purposefully added to water as a way to prevent tooth decay, especially in young children. It’s safe in low levels. But if fluoride levels are too high, they can actually be harmful to your health.
Too much fluoride consumption may lead to changes in tooth enamel that actually weakens your teeth instead of strengthening them. Fluoride also has the potential to impact your entire skeletal system by weakening bones as well.
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