The Effects of Polluted Drinking Water

The main drinking-water source in the United States is public drinking-water systems. The Environmental Protection Agency defines a public water system as a system of pipes or other means that provides water for human consumption. Public water systems provide 90 percent of Americans with drinking water. The EPA lists several types of pollution associated with public water systems and other water sources.

Developmental Delays

• Lead can get into public water systems through leaching from the plumbing and lead solder in the home's copper pipes. Several factors affecting lead levels in drinking water include the types of minerals in the water, how much time water stays in the pipes, and the corrosion of fittings, pipes and fixtures. The EPA classifies lead as a toxic metal that affects children the most. Lead exposure causes developmental delays in young children. Nursing mothers and pregnant women risk exposing their children to lead's harmful effects by drinking polluted water.

Increased Risk of Cancer

• Water suppliers usually add disinfectants to drinking water to kill pathogens and other disease-carrying microorganisms. The problem with this practice is that some of the disinfectants can react with water's natural materials to form harmful byproducts. For example, trihalomethane -- a carcinogenic chemical compound -- is a byproduct of the reaction between chlorine, chloramine and naturally occurring organic and inorganic materials in drinking water. Another byproduct of this reaction is haloacetic acids, compounds formed as the unwanted byproduct of the chlorination of drinking water. Bromate is a chemical compound that is formed from the reaction between ozone -- a disinfectant -- and bromide. People who drink water containing these byproducts develop an increased risk for cancer after several years.

Intestinal Polyps, Liver and Kidney Damage

• Inorganic chemicals in drinking water can lead to serious health concerns. The decay of asbestos cement in water mains causes a significant risk of developing intestinal polyps. Intestinal polyps are small abnormalities or growths on the lining of the intestine. Short-term exposure to water from corroded household plumbing systems can lead to gastrointestinal distress. Long-term exposure can lead to kidney or liver damage.

Effects of Drinking Polluted Water from Other Sources

• Other sources of drinking water include private wells, reservoirs, streams, rivers and lakes. Contaminants in these water sources include microorganisms and runoff from surrounding pollutant sources. Pollutant sources include septic systems, landfills, pesticide and fertilizer runoff from farms and sludge disposal sites. Cryptosporidium is a disease-causing microbial pathogen found in animal and human fecal waste. Drinking water that has been contaminated with this organism causes gastrointestinal illnesses like cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Runoff from farms, orchards and leaking septic tanks may contain nitrates. Elevated levels of nitrate may kill infants below 6 months old, and can cause shortness of breath.