Safe Drinking Water Information

Every person, plant and creature needs water in order to survive, especially clean and safe drinking water. Drinking water quality can vary from place to place, so educating yourself about which sources of water are safe to drink or how to make water safe and clean is vital.

Safe Drinking Water Sources

• One safe source of drinking water is bottled water.

  Most people get their drinking water from two sources: public water systems and individual water systems. Public water systems allow the populace to receive tap water from a community water system and are monitored and regulated by the EPA. Individual water systems are private wells and are not monitored by the EPA. This source can be clean and safe but may also become contaminated. Bottled water is a safe source of drinking water as well.

Possible Water Contaminants

• Although chlorine helps keep water safe and drinkable, too much chlorine can become a water contaminant itself.

  The EPA maintains a list of possible water contaminants monitored for primary water regulations. These contaminants include microorganisms (viral and bacterial), disinfectants (chlorine, bromate), inorganic chemicals (arsenic, cadmium, barium, lead), organic chemicals (benzene, PCB's) and radionuclides (uranium, alpha particles, beta particles).

Creating Safe Water Through Filtration

• There are other options to create your own safe, potable water at home. Filtration uses filters to remove contaminants, minerals that may cause water to be too 'hard' or 'soft,' or to remove disinfection byproducts such as chlorine. According to the American Water Works Association, methods of water filtration include activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis filters and water softeners.