Water Contaminants

Home water quality can vary dramatically depending on where you live. While municipal water coming into the home has been treated, many homeowners are still using and drinking water which contains chemical disinfectants, chlorine, heavy metals, radionuclides, microplastics, and other contaminants for which no testing is required.

Treated water can become contaminated with chemicals and other health hazards, which is why whole house water filtration systems are rising in popularity today.

These “Point of Entry” systems filter all water coming into the home (not just drinking water at the point of use). By installing the filter at the main water line, it ensures that the water in the shower, bath, and kitchen sink has been filtered. 

How Does a Whole House Water Filter Work

So how does a whole house water filter work? 

A good filter for municipal water will contain a sediment filter to remove the dirt, sand and suspended particles that plug-up your aerator screens, and clog your appliances,

Did you know you likely started off your day by applying a potentially cancer-causing substance to your body? 1,4-dioxane (commonly referred to as dioxane) is frequently found in everyday hygiene products such as shampoos, deodorants, and cosmetics. Levels of 1,4-dioxane in water have also been found and they are not currently being regulated. Understanding what 1,4-dioxane is exactly and what advanced filtration technologies can remove it from your drinking water can help keep your family safe. 

Buyer Beware

1,4-dioxane is a synthetic industrial chemical that occurs during the manufacturing process. Exposure to high levels of 1,4-dioxane has been linked to liver and kidney damage by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified 1,4-dioxane as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans by all routes of exposure.” The effects of 1,4-dioxane on human health depends on how much 1,4-dioxane you are exposed to and the length of exposure.

Approximately 15 percent of Americans rely on private wells as their primary source of drinking water according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While public water systems are required by the EPA under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act to test for certain contaminants, and to take action when contaminant levels exceed defined thresholds (Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)), private wells fall outside of the EPA’s rubric.

Who is responsible for the quality of well water?

Some state governments regulate private wells at the time it is dug and when the property in which it resides is bought or sold. However, it’s the well owner’s ongoing responsibility to monitor the quality of the water drawn from the private well and treat it if its contaminant levels exceed the MCL or state action level. Through recommend action levels, the state can spur treatment of well water contaminants for which no federal MCL exists, in order to reduce health risks.

The EPA has also established National

Nearly 300 million Americans get their tap water from public water systems. In the US, we have the infrastructure in place to provide us with instant access to freshwater, unlike many other parts of the world where people travel miles for drinking water or have to boil their water before using.

Recent news has gone on to reinforce the fact that regulated water sources here in the US are not always as pure as we assume. Oversights and mismanagement are causing water health crises in communities across the country. Consider Flint, Mich. where cost-cutting measures resulted in toxic drinking water containing lead and other pollutants being delivered to homes throughout the city. While this is an extreme case, it’s hardly an isolated incident.

Last year, data CNBC obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) disclosed that only nine states reported safe levels of lead in their water supplies leaving 41 states to report higher than normal levels. In short, despite regulations, there