Do you ever stop to think about what’s in your glass of water? You might assume that the water coming out of your tap is safe to drink.
But the truth is that there could be contaminants lurking in your glass of water – which may affect your health and that of your family.
Find out just what kind of contaminants might be hiding in your tap water and what you can do to help protect yourself and your loved ones.
What are water contaminants? And why should you be worried?
Water contaminants are potentially harmful substances that make their way into your water supply.
While your tap water is usually subject to very strict standards and closely monitored by a government body (depending on where you live), there are some contaminants that may slip through. That’s a real worry.
Some common types of contaminants include:
- PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) – These are toxic man-made chemicals that are used for things like firefighting foam, non-stick frying pans and food packaging. They are linked to cancer and a variety of other illnesses and are known to be present in your tap water.
- Lead – Can be surprisingly common in your drinking water. That’s because it can leak into your water supply through old pipes. It’s prossibly carcinogenic, and can damage the kidneys as well as increase blood pressure. In the long term, it can affect your child’s brain development which could cause some behavioural and learning problems.
- Pesticides and Herbicides – These can get into water supplies from agricultural work. They’re toxic and can cause respiratory illnesses, allergic reactions, nausea and vomiting, as well as Parkinson’s disease and cancer, among other conditions. Although your water supply is probably regularly tested for pesticides, there are such a wide variety of these chemicals that not all of them are always detected or removed.
- Bacteria and viruses – While your water supply is regularly tested and treated for bacteria and viruses, they can very occasionally appear. They can cause diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and sometimes more serious illnesses. They may turn up because of rodents (and other animals), insects and faeces.
- Microplastics – Even these can get into your tap water. While it’s not yet known if there are any health effects from consuming them, some think that they may leak some toxic chemicals.
How you can protect yourself
If these contaminants are in your tap water, is there anything you can do to protect yourself?
There is.
A water filter can help provide clean, pristine water – so you can rest assured that what you’re drinking is of the highest standard. Filters trap contaminants like the ones mentioned above, ensuring that what you drink is better for you.
Doulton has a variety of hand-made ceramic water filters that reduce up to 99.99% of bacteria, heavy metals, certain chemicals and even microplastics – while still keeping healthy minerals in.
Hydration without the harm
Clean water is a human right, and you should be able to drink water while knowing that it’s completely safe.
Yes, it’s a real concern that there are potentially harmful contaminants lurking in your glass of water, but you can rest easy; with a high-quality filter, you’ll protect yourself and your family.
You’ll have water that is at it should be: pristine.
