We all know that drinking plenty of water is good for our health. Drinking water hydrates dry skin. It also aids in digestion by getting rid of toxins in the body. Some experts even believe that drinking lots of water can be a crucial part of losing weight as it can help to fill up your stomach and stop you from over-eating.
However, you’ll need to make sure that you’re drinking quality water if you want to reap the benefits. So, how do you know if your drinking water is safe? Here are 7 tips to guide you.
1. Always Check Your Water Quality
Depending on where you live, many undersink drinking water system companies are required by government and local law to monitor the supply of water in your area for contaminants (and keep those contaminants low). Go online and find the website for your local water supply group. There, you’ll find information on how to contact your water agency. You can even get downloadable reports on contaminants.
If you’re worried about the quality of your water, or you don’t believe that whatever you’re drinking is as healthy as it appears, you can also order a home testing kit to use online.
2. Filters Are Usually a Good Idea
Even with monitoring and regulations to keep water quality in check, there can still be various impurities in the water that you drink – particularly tap water. Some of these contaminants are caused by your household plumbing, which is something your water supply group simply can’t control. With that in mind, it’s a good idea to consider investing in a filter if you’re worried about old pipes.
One benefit of a good water filter is that it can remove any trace amounts of dangerous chemicals that could make you or your family sick. You can even get filters that can be built into your water supply line.
3. Bottled Isn’t Always Better
It’s tempting to assume that bottled water is always healthier than tap water, particularly because we know that the FDA monitors them to maintain safety standards. However, the brand that you buy might not be more pure or safer than whatever comes out of your tap. Like city water, your bottled water is only regulated to a certain point.
To make sure that you’re getting the kind of quality water that you expect, check the ingredients on the back of the bottle before you drink anything.
4. Some Contaminants are Worse than Others
One point to be aware of when you’re checking the safety of your water supply is that some contaminants are more dangerous than others. It’s challenging to keep your water completely free from pollutants, so if nothing else, make sure that you avoid the following:
- Bromate: Linked to cancer
- Giardia Lamblia: Known for GI problems
- Arsenic: Linked to circulatory problems
5. Sediments aren’t a Great Sign
If you notice things floating in your water, that’s not necessarily a sign that the water is unhealthy, but it may be an indication that you want to think twice before drinking it. Some sediment might just be small amounts of iron or manganese. However, your water company should be using filtration treatments to stop deposits from appearing in your water.
If you see high levels of particulates when you run your taps, ask your water company if you should be concerned. Sometimes, these deposits in your drinking water can cause nausea, headaches, and diarrhoea.
6. You Can Smell Dangerous Water
Sometimes, you’ll be able to smell that there’s something off with your water. If your supply smells strongly of hydrogen sulfide (eggs) or chlorine (bleach) then there’s a chance that something has gone wrong with the filtration process used to keep your water supply safe.
Although small amounts of these chemicals are harmless in small doses, they can cause various health conditions when consumed in larger amounts. Avoid drinking anything too smelly!
7. Colourful Water Can be Dangerous
Finally, clean drinking water should be clear of any colour. If there’s a tint to your water, then watch out. Yellow water could be a sign of cancer-causing substances like chromium-6. On the other hand, orange water is a sign that you have rusty pipes somewhere along your line or your water contains excess amounts of iron or lead. Blue or green water may be a sign of highly elevated copper caused by corrosion in your pipes.
Stick to water that’s clear to avoid any problems.
There you have it – 7 pieces of information you can use to make sure your water is healthy. If you have any tips we haven’t included here, make sure to share them in the comments below.