Filtered Water Vs Tap Water

Water is essential to the human body. It is recommended that 8 ounces of water be consumed daily. Of course, there are several sources: tap water (municipal and well, filtered or unfiltered), and bottled. With the costs of bottled water rising more people are reaching for the tap. So what is better; filtered or unfiltered tap water?

The source needs to be considered first. If the water is coming from a well, there may be more health risks. Water from a municipal supply (also known as "city water") is subject to the "Safe Drinking Water Act". This is a federal statute designed to protect people from unsafe water consumption. Anything that falls under this category is regulated by the government. The treatment for this source of water include: filtration to make sure all particles are removed from the water (dirt, clay, etc), ion exchange to remove chemicals such as nitrates and uranium, and disinfection by using chlorine. These processes keep tap water safe for public consumption (water.epa.gov).

Private wells, on the other hand, are not regulated by the government unless they serve at least 25 people. It is recommended that people with private wells test their water for contaminants at least once a year.

There are several adverse health effects that can come from drinking contaminated tap water. If there is an infant in the household under 6 months of age, high nitrates can cause "Blue Baby Syndrome"; this can inhibit the baby's blood from carrying the proper amount of oxygen and can lead to suffocation.

Another contaminant in unfiltered tap water is lead. Lead can cause delays in mental development in children and babies, if the contamination level is high enough. There is also evidence suggesting lead can cause attention deficits as well as high blood pressure in adults.

Overall, the cleanliness of drinking water is vital to human health. All should be actively making sure their water is safe for intake; especially if there are children or the elderly in the home. A filtration system is a good idea in homes where a private well supplies the water.