The answer is: not necessarily. It is not uncommon for people to drink tap water laced with 20 or 30 chemical contaminants. The pollutants derive from a wealth of sources, including agriculture, factory discharges, consumer products, urban runoff and wastewater treatment plants. In fact, over 300,000 groundwater sites in the U.S. are contaminated.
The simple (or perhaps complicated) truth is that there are contaminants in our water that our natural senses cannot detect. They may go unnoticed by sight or smell, however they can impair bodily functions in our eyesight, livers and kidneys and cause other serious health risks such as gastrointestinal illness, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders. Infants, young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people whose immune systems are compromised because of AIDS, chemotherapy, or transplant medications, may be especially susceptible to illness from some contaminants.
It may be years before you even realize that you are in danger of contaminated water so it is critical to have your water analyzed by your local Culligan Man.
Should you have water contaminants (see list below), you can review filtration and sanitation solutions here: Solution Center. By simply clicking on the issues that have been uncovered in your water analysis, you can quickly determine which product(s) will help your water get back on a safe and clean track.
Some common waterborne contaminants include:
- Aluminum
- Ammonia
- Arsenic
- Barium
- Cadmium
- Chloramine
- Chromium
- Copper
- Fluoride
- Iron & Sulfur
- Bacteria
- Lead
- Nitrates/Nitrites
- Mercury
- Perchlorate
- Radium
- Selenium
- Silver
- Uranium
Sources:CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention); EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)