Don’t take your water municipality’s word for it: There are many common water contaminants found in the water that is pumped into your home. Five Star Plumbing offers its customers filtration options designed to ensure the water your family consumes and bathes in is safe. What’s lurking in your water? Here are common contaminants and the dangers they pose.
Water Contaminants
Municipality treated water can still be contaminated, as can well water. In some cases, the treatment does not take care of the contamination; in other cases, your home’s plumbing actually contaminates the water. Common contaminants found in water include aluminum, arsenic, bacteria, chloramines, copper, fluoride, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, uranium, and viruses. Scary, isn’t it?
How Your Body Absorbs Water
Your body absorbs water in different ways. If you drink a glass of water, you introduce it into your digestive system, as do you introduce water into your digestion when you eat food that contains water in it. When you bathe, you rinse yourself with water to remove the soap, and this water can be absorbed into your system through your skin, your body’s largest living organ.
Health Effects of Contaminated Water
Despite EPA restrictions on water contaminants, some people still get ill from their drinking water. Flint, Michigan is the latest example of a water contamination crisis. Common illnesses caused by water contamination include cancer, diarrhea, kidney failure, liver failure, nausea, reproductive problems, and vomiting. You can also become ill from parasites such as giardia from contaminated water.
Beyond You and Your Family
Pets, too, can become ill from contaminated water. Giardia is a common intestinal parasite found in pets, including cats, dogs, and horses. If a queen or bitch is infected with giardia, she can pass the parasite to her kittens or puppies. Animals can also suffer from kidney or liver failure if they consume lead or mercury from their drinking water. Filter your pets’ drinking water, too.
What You Can Do About Water Contaminants
Your best game plan to protect you and your family (including your furry friends) from water contamination is to filter the water the comes into your home. The easiest way to do so is to have a professional plumber install a water filtration system. If you prefer to use faucet filters, that’s fine, too, just know they can sometimes affect water flow into your home and damage your faucets.
Five Star Plumbing is located in San Antonio, TX, and we’d love to talk with you about water filtration. Call us today.
