Your Water Quality
Drinking water in the United States is generally safe and high quality. It is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world, and it should be. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is a federal law that sets standards for the safety and quality of public drinking water, and it requires water utilities to regularly test and report the quality of their water. Private wells are not regulated by anyone and bottled water is regulated by the FDA (not through the EPA or the Safe Drinking Water Act). The EPA (sometimes enforced through states) maintains regulatory and legal oversight of public drinking water systems. There continues to be much research about emerging contaminants, there is a lot of information about contaminates in drinking water, and it's important to understand what's coming out of your tap. If you have a complaint or concern, or are just curious about the quality of your drinking water, here are some steps to take.
Contact your water utility. Your water utility is responsible for the quality of the drinking water. Contacting them can be a good first step to address any concerns you have about the quality of your drinking water. Most cities will provide additional sampling for you at no cost.
If you are part of a public water system, look on their website (or contact them) for a copy of your annual Consumer Confidence Report. This is a required annual publication and provides an excellent overview of what's in you water. The presence of contamination is required to be reported in the Consumer Confidence Report
If you don't trust your water provider for whatever reason, or if you have a private well, or if you have concerns about specific contaminants in your water, you can have your water tested by a certified laboratory. This can help identify any contaminants that may be present in your water and determine the appropriate treatment or corrective action.
Before you go it alone and test your own water, read our in-home troubleshooting advice for optimal water quality. Although many supplemental treatment options exist, if these are not maintained regularly, water quality issues can arise and create problems.