Defining Drinking Water Standards

It is reasonable to question the safety, or lack of safety, when it comes to the condition of our drinking water. We live in a modern society with modern technology. However, there was a price paid for modern technologies. The spurt of technology and modernization has taxed our clean drinking water supply. Tampering with our water supply can have direct negative effects on our health.

We do have methods to help combat the impurities in our drinking water. Filtering our drinking water helps to get rid of the impurities in our drinking water. Filtered water is usually enough to make it safe for human consumption. It is for this reason, that the government has established guidelines to measure the standards for water, before it is distributed and consumed by the masses.

It should be mentioned that there is not a single method which can be used to purify water 100% from contaminants. Government agencies have done vast studies to determine how many contaminants can be in the water, but still safe for drinking by humans. Not only is there no method to purify water 100%, but even if there were, the cost would likely be prohibitive. Keeping water at the mandated levels of safety through filtration and purification are costly as it is.

Water Criteria to Enable Drinking

For public safety, the government and various health agencies along with water authorities established the guidelines for safe drinking water. One such standard is defined as turbidity. Turbidity is a measure of how cloudy the water is. If the water is cloudy, there is a good chance that microorganisms are present. These microorganisms can be responsible for gastrointestinal or stomach problems.

There are several contributors to turbidity of the water. There may be a problem with contamination of the pipeline. Contaminants can include vinyl chloride, lead, cadmium, and copper. If any of these are in the drinking water, they can lead to illness and disease after prolonged exposure.

Drinking water can also be contaminated by fertilizer debris or a septic tank leak. Either one of these will cause nitrate levels in the water to rise. High nitrate levels in drinking water can lead to cancer, problems with reproductive organs, and infant health problems. .

All drinking water is evaluated before it is allowed to be consumed by the public. However, what is considered safe levels of contaminants can vary state to state. It also can depend on the types of water filtration and water purification facilities used. Not to mention, the water quality itself at the source.

Clean drinking water shouldn't be taken for granted. What exactly is considered clean drinking water has been established by the government and other large agencies. It is up to you to trust whether or not these standards are in actuality safe standards. After reading this, you may give pause about drinking from your tap again.