Public Water Supply

The Safe Water Drinking Water Act requires the EPA set regulations regarding contaminants in community drinking water. Public utility or water treatment plants are required to publish a Consumer Confidence Report containing information about the quality of their water supply. You can call your supplier for this report or find it on the company website. In it, you will find the EPA's listing of Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs), or the highest concentration allowed for those contaminants known to cause health problems. Then the report will note the actual level found in your water.

Unfortunately this report does not tell the whole story of the health of your home's water.

There may be seasonal or weather conditions that cause spikes in contaminant levels. There may be contaminants leaching into your water while enroute to your home, or even while it is inside your home. Lead pipes and old plumbing fixtures can leave lead deposits in your water. Very young, elderly or pregnant members of your family may be particularly vulnerable to levels of contaminants considered safe for the general public. Home-test kits for lead are available on the Internet as are kits for detecting other potential problems in your drinking water supply. If you are concerned about what might be in your water, you can have it tested by an independent laboratory or by using a home testing kit.