When Bluewater, a company advocating for clean water, began a project to test Americans’ drinking water, the results were astounding. The 2019 study found that 28% of Americans had experienced chronic water contamination within the past 2 years. In addition, research shows that over 51% of all Americans worry about water contamination, including lead, PFAS, microplastics, and viruses that can be found in water supplies.
While the majority of these fears comes from water quality reports out of Flint, Michigan and Modesto, Texas, many other regions of America have contaminated water supplies. The average number of households with water filter systems has also gone up, increasing over 40% in the past two years.
Should you worry about the quality of your home’s water?
Does Your Home’s Water Taste Contaminated?
There are some clear signs of water contamination in some cases. If you suspect contamination, check for the following:
• Discolored water
• Murky or cloudy water
• Bad odor or taste
• Greasy film
• Metallic taste
• Particles floating in water
In other cases, contamination is hard to recognize because there are no signs. These microscopic compounds, organisms, and toxins may be in your water for years without the faintest sign that they exist.
Test Your Water First
It’s natural to worry about your home’s water and the safety of your family. The first step to finding out about your home’s water is to simply conduct a water test. You can purchase water testing strips online, hire a water testing professional, or even send away a water test strip to test for thousands of contaminants.
You’ll receive a report with all of the possible contaminants and levels of toxins in your water. If you have a high amount of toxins in your water, you’ll likely receive recommendations on how to proceed, which could include replacing pipes in your home or simply installing a water filter system.
What Water Filter Systems Work Best
When dealing with any water contamination, you should pick a system that will completely remove the toxin. Multi-stage water filters work the best because water passes through at least two stages of filters before going to your faucet.
However, the best systems have more than three stages of filtration, including a sediment filter that can filter out the smallest microns of dust and particles. The best water filtration systems include the following filters:
• Sediment pre-filter
• Activated carbon filter
• Reverse osmosis membrane
• Ceramic filter
• Water softener
• UV Filter (particularly for well water homes)
This level of filtration guarantees that 99.99% of all contaminants are removed from your home’s water. However, it’s best if you install a whole home water filter, as that leads to the least amount of health risks for your family.