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Water Quality Tips for Homeowners 

State and federal laws in the U.S. require that the drinking water provided for public consumption by water utilities must meet a long list of quality and safety standards. But even with these stringent policies in place, the water from your tap is never going to be completely pure. This is especially true if you are among the 43 million Americans getting their water from a private well, in which case monitoring the water quality is even more important, and usually left completely up to you. 

You cannot see, smell, or taste most contaminants in drinking water, and consuming water with impurities on a regular basis can sometimes lead to adverse health effects ranging from gastrointestinal issues to reproductive problems, and even cancer.  

There are many sources of water contamination, including: 

• naturally occurring chemicals & minerals (like arsenic & uranium)
• man-made pollutants (like PFAS & MTBE)
• local land use practices (like fertilizers & pesticides)
• manufacturing processes
• wastewater releases

What Happens Between the Source & Your Tap?

Public water system operators monitor and treat drinking water for impurities that have been deemed by the EPA to be unsafe for human consumption. Many private well owners install water filtration and remediation systems in their homes to address impurities revealed by regular water quality testing. When these practices are in place, ideally, your water should be safe to drink. 

Even those with routine water quality testing and treatment practices should be aware, however, that there is another potential source of water contamination not often addressed: the water distribution system in your home or building. 

Deterioration of pipes, improper maintenance, and issues with various indoor plumbing elements can all contribute to poor water quality, especially in older construction. To follow are three possible sources of  water contamination under your own roof that you might want to consider when evaluating the safety of your drinking water. 

Pipes & Plumbing Fixtures 

Before the introduction of man-made materials such as Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Chlorinated Polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) and cross-linked polyethylene (aka PEX, XPE or XLPE), the most common materials used for the pipes transporting water throughout a home or building included steel, iron, copper, and, before it was banned, lead. 

Since metal pipe was the standard in construction all those decades ago, pipe corrosion is now a very common problem in older homes and buildings. Over time, deterioration of metal pipe may introduce metals such as iron, lead, copper, and zinc into the water you drink. 

Water with high acidity or low mineral content can contribute to the corrosion of metal pipes and fixtures. Brass or chrome-plated brass faucets and plumbing with lead solder can also leach metals into your drinking water. Although it is not mandatory, "Lead Free Certification" is being adopted by many manufacturers of plumbing products today, to assure consumers that their pipes and fixtures meet the lead safety standards of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. 

Bottom line? Find out what your pipes and fixtures are made of and when they were installed.  If the plumbing hardware in your home looks worn and/or was installed more than 20 years ago, you might consider having them inspected or replaced. And as always, the best way to know if you have unsafe levels of metals in your water is to have it tested by a certified lab. 

Stagnant Water

When a water system within a home or building is not used on a regular basis, unsafe levels of bacteria, sediment, and biofilm may form within the water tanks and pipes. Biofilm is a group of microorganisms that grow and multiply together, adhering to surfaces via a slime like substance. This slimy growth can occur within a water tank or water pipe when the system sits unused for too long. Legionella and  pseudomonas are particularly dangerous forms of bacteria that can grow within a biofilm environment.

Biofilm thrives in a moist, stagnant environment, and unfortunately, according to the CDC, the slime acts as a barrier to some water treatment chemicals. This means that even if your water is safe to drink at its source, if biofilm has started to grow in your plumbing, the water coming from your tap may contain harmful bacteria.

Sediment, bacteria and biofilm issues cannot be seen in a closed plumbing system, so if you have cause for concern, you may want to have your pipes and tanks inspected by a professional. You can also prevent issues by regularly “flushing” your pipes, faucets, showerheads, and water heater. Additionally, well users are advised to have their drinking water tested every three to five years, and annually for bacteria and nitrate. 

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