The most common impurities in tap water and what they do to you. What can you do about it?
Most tap water in the civilized world is perfectly safe to drink. But there is still impurities in tap water. For many these impurities won’t be a problem but for a few they can cause serious problems.
Knowing what these impurities are and what kind of affects they can have on you is well worth knowing. For instance my wife had had a problem with dry skin and rashes on her hands for many years before I found out that tap water was the cause.
I have created a list below of the most common impurities in tap water, with some details of the problems the impurities can cause.
The most common impurities found in tap water are -
- Chlorine,
- Lead,
- Aluminum,
- Copper,
- Calcium,
- Phosphates,
- Nitrates,
- Sodium,
- Fluoride,
- Radium
- Arsenic.
Chlorine is used to kill off any bacteria that can do you harm. Such as -
- Botulism
- Campylobacteriosis
- Cholera
- E. coli Infection
- M. marinum infection
- Dysentery
- Legionellosis (two distinct forms: Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever)
- Leptospirosis
- Otitis Externa (swimmer’s ear)
- Salmonellosis
- Typhoid fever
So as you can see chlorine is very useful and not something to rail against but too much of it can cause some of the following problems -
- Coughing and/or Chest tightness
- Sensation of burning in the nose, throat, and eyes
- Watery eyes and/or blurred vision
- Feeling sick
- Dry skin or rash
It is unlikely that you will experience all of these symptoms from contact with tap water but the rash on my wife’s hands have cleared up since we started using a water filter.
Lead may come from pipes within your house or underground.
Some of the other water impurities are from natural sources such as metals and mineral found in the rocks through which the water has passed on it’s way to the water source.
Arsenic is also be found naturally and can be a major problem in some areas of the world. Its affects can be compounded if there is mining in the area.
Others water impurities such as nitrates and phosphates have probably enter the water system from the wash off of farmland. Nitrates can cause blue baby syndrome and if left untreated can cause death.
Phosphate poisoning is severe but there doesn’t seem to be much evidence that the quantities found in tap water affects humans particularly. It does however kill off fish in waterways.
These water impurities can be easily removed with a good quality water filter.