What's really in your Tap Water?

Did you know that your tap drinking water may contain a number of contaminants from a range of sources that can make you ill? Some contaminants have an effect on the look, smell and taste of your drinking water, yet some will be unnoticeable and can potentially have more harmful effects on your health.

Pollutants from the environment can find their way into our water supply by leeching into our groundwater, erosion of natural deposits, surface run-off and rain. Dust, smoke and poisons from industrial facilities, pesticides and herbicides from farming and residential gardening and even animal waste can contaminate our drinking water.

Fertilisers and Nitrates can come in run-off from crop fertilisers as well as animal and industrial waste. Nitrates are highly leachable and are extremely dangerous for children under three months old.

Calcium and magnesium are natural minerals found in our water supply particularly as we increase our use of groundwater. They are key contributors to what is known as "hard water" which can cause scale in heating appliances leading to increased corrosion.

The Water Authority is required to treat our water supply with a range of chemicals before it is deemed fit to consume. Chemicals used in the treatment of water include:

Chlorine is added as a disinfectant to remove dangerous bacteria and other micro-organisms. Chlorine is one of the major caused of objectionable taste, smell and odour in our drinking water. But, there are a number of hard shelled protozoa which are resistant to chlorine disinfection. Cryptosporidium and Giardia have been discovered in domestic water supplies and they can cause immediate health problems if ingested. Did you know that Chlorine has been identified as a potential carcinogen? A carcinogen refers to any substance that is an agent directly involved in the promotion of cancer.

Fluoride is added to protect against dental decay particularly in young children. There is a considerable body of research which indicates that fluoride may have adverse effects on our health. Aluminium is added to our water supply to act as a flocculant, ironically to make the water look clearer.

Water from the water treatment plants travel through a network of pipes, including those in your own home, some of these pipes may be well over 70 years old. These pipes can contain a range of contaminants which may enter our water supply. Among these are:

Dirt, Rust, Slime, Sand and Mud. They are as bad as they sound. These contaminants build up over a number of years and can cause the water to be dirty or worse. They can be particularly prevalent when pipes are accidentally broken or accessed for repairs and maintenance.

Copper and Lead can leach into the water supply from the copper pipes in your house and they have been identified as particularly dangerous to health.

So what can you do to protect your family? Installing a simple water filtration system in your home means that you can enjoy tap water without worrying about contaminants. In addition to the convenience and cost savings of not buying bottled water, by using a water filtration system you will be helping the environment.

In the US alone, it is estimated that the production of bottled water accounts for 2.7 million tons of plastic each year, requiring more than 1.5 million barrels of oil to manufacture. That's enough to fuel 100,000 cars each year. According to the Container Recycling Institute, 86% of plastic bottles become rubbish. Incinerating these bottles produces toxic byproducts such as chlorine gas and ash containing heavy metals.