When you turn on the tap to fill your glass with water, do you trust that it is clean? Most people have faith in the water they drink, but recent events and studies have cautioned us that this shouldn’t always be the case. Your tap water could contain harmful contaminants. To give you an inside look, this blog will explore how pure your drinking water truly is, focusing on national and Washington state specifics. We’ll also cover the potential health effects of contaminated water and provide actionable steps to ensure your water’s safety.
How Pure is Your Drinking Water?
While all public water must comply with federal water safety standards, the amount of violations each and every year is alarming. In 2017, it was reported that nearly a quarter of the US population (77 million people at the time) were served by water systems reporting violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 2015.
Of that, smaller, rural communities were especially vulnerable because their municipal water treatment systems were typically underfunded or outdated, leading to issues from naturally-occurring contaminants like arsenic to fecal matter run-off from local farms.
So, what does it mean for you if your water isn’t pure? Let’s dive into the potential health effects of contaminated water – looking at our area of Kennewick in particular.
Potential Health Effects of Contaminated Water
If you are a resident of Washington like us, you have every right to be extra concerned about your drinking water. Why? Washington has been reported as one of the worst states for tap water. We investigated a local water test for PFAS, and the report showed that “Samples taken on March 12, 2024, at our Ranney Collector source, resulted in an exceedance of the SBOH SAL limit for PFOS. The SAL for PFOS is 15.0 ppt, and the sample had results of 17.9 ppt.” 2.9 over the recommended max; yikes!
Unfortunately, contaminated water has a slew of adverse health effects. Let’s take a look at PFAS chemicals (known as “forever chemicals”) as an example. PFAS chemicals are a group of thousands of artificial chemicals that are found in everyday products that don’t break down but end up in the water and in our bodies for years to come.
There are many types of PFAS chemicals, but the report from Kennewick showcased that these chemicals can cause the following health effects if there is excessive exposure over many years:
- Cholesterol, liver, thyroid, kidney, reproductive, and immune system issues
- High blood pressure during pregnancy
- Lower birthweights in babies
- Increased risk of certain types of cancers
- Neurological disorders and abnormal behavior in exposed children
- Altered thyroid hormone levels, particularly affecting infants and sensitive populations such as pregnant and nursing individuals
Fortunately, drinking pure water is an easy way to ensure this doesn’t happen to you.
What Should You Do?
There are a few steps that you can take to ensure you have pure drinking water. The CDC reports that every community water supplier must provide an annual report to its customers, known as the Consumer Confidence Report. In addition to reviewing that report, you can get your water specifically tested. At the very least, this will tell you about your specific water quality.
Next, we suggest taking mitigation steps to reduce or eliminate harmful water. This may include installing a certified water filter or reverse osmosis system. However, if you are thinking of simply boiling your water, that won’t do you any good when it comes to PFAS or lead. For these contaminants, advanced filtration methods are required.
The best step you can take is to outsource your water to a trusted water supplier. This ensures a consistent supply of high-quality, contaminant-free water. You can rest assured that your water meets the highest standards of safety and purity while removing the personal effort of having to manage your water.
Trust in Paradise Bottled Water to Provide You with Pure Drinking Water
At Paradise Bottled Waster, we offer you the safety and security of purified water. Our water undergoes a rigorous filtration process that exceeds industry standards, removing harmful bacteria, viruses, and contaminants. We have proudly served the Kennewick community since 1984, providing clean, safe drinking water for residents and businesses alike. Make your life easier today, and sign up for 3 or 5-gallon water pickup or delivery!
