Charlotte Drinking Water: How Safe Is It?
Fortunately, we live in a city where public water is purified and regulated. However, it’s not as simple an issue as you may think, and what the government deems are “potable” is not always what is truly healthy. As a consumer, you need to learn what you can do to make Charlotte drinking water safer. (The good news is that some of these actions are free and simple to execute!)
Charlotte Drinking Water: Find Out Where Your Water Comes From
In general, well water is much higher risk because it is drawing from untreated groundwater, all of which may have been contaminated by pesticide and chemical run off. However, even city water sources (Lake Norman, Mountain Island Lake and the Catawba River) usually contain contaminants.
According to the 2014 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report (Charlotte Water, conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency), you should be aware that all of our lake and river drinking water sources are considered at high risk for contamination. Just read the report to see the EPA rating.
Find Out How Your Water is Being Treated
Charlotte water purification is described as such: “First we pump the water from Mountain Island Lake and Lake Norman to one of the three water treatment plants - Franklin, Vest or Dukes. We add aluminum sulfate (alum) in the rapid mix phase to cause dirt particles to clump together, where they are removed through settling. The water then flows through filters that trap even smaller particles. We add chlorine to prevent bacterial growth and fluoride to promote dental health.”
Unfortunately, scientists say that the use of chlorine to purify water causes significant health problems. How significant of problems?
The EPA reported that the incidents of cancer are 44% higher among those using chlorinated water. So why does Charlotte use chlorine as a primary purifier? Because it’s affordable and effective against most contaminants - even if it produces dangerous chlorine byproducts.
Learn about the CDC’s evaluation of chlorine byproducts here and the EPA’s recommendation guide on purifying tap water here.
Make Sure Your Plumbing System Isn’t Hurting Your Water Quality
Older plumbing systems begin to corrode and rust, and some even have lead in them. “Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. Charlotte Water is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components.”
The EPA recommends one short-term, inexpensive, temporary solution: “When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or cooking.” However, lead in your water is very serious problem, leading to a wide variety of health problems. You can learn more about lead in your water here.
Replacing your piping is very expensive and time consuming, but a water filtration system will remove all lead (and other contaminants) from your water system, ensuring the health of your family.
Thinking About a Charlotte Water Filtration System?
Concerned about Charlotte drinking water? Before you rush out and invest in a water purification system, you’ll want to do some research. Read our article comparing water purification systems or give us a call at 704-269-1066 for advice. You can also use our online contact form to get basic questions answered.
We’ll never push you to purchase something you don’t need, and we’re happy to answer questions and help you perform the research necessary to make the best decision for your home. We are most interested in ensuring you feel supported, respected and you get your questions answers and the best solution for your home. We look forward to helping you!
