What is in Tap Water?

What is in Tap Water? - Best Water Filter

Tap water is water that is piped to a valve or tap inside a home or structure typically from a municipal water treatment plant. Tap water is often referred to as city water, and the pressure of the pumping stations drives the water through a series of pipes to the tap in our homes. Tap water, in many areas, is primarily used to supply our homes with water for appliance like washers and dishwashers and also for showering and flushing toilets. Additionally, tap water is also supposed to be safe to drink, but is tap water safe to drink?

In the Past

In the early 19th century many American cities relied on centrally located wells where citizens would get their water. Unfortunately, in that same era disease was running rampant and easily spread through these community wells.

Finally, in 1854 John Snow was able to convince city governments that diseases like cholera were being spread in the polluted river water that fed the wells.

In the mid 1800’s large cities began piping drinking water, from rivers, to the inner city. In 1842 New York city had its first Tap Water. Shortly thereafter cities like Chicago and Boston had systems that sent polluted river water straight into the homes of it residents. Americans didn’t believe wastewater was dangerous so it was still discharged into the same rivers that supplied drinking water. Treatment of wastewater didn’t begin until the mid 1900’s when treatment programs were federally funded.

Today

Today we have made large strides in both wastewater treatment and treatment of tap water. However, just like in the 1800’s, is the government accurate when they tell us that the tap water is safe to drink. Many scientist have asked the question is tap water safe to drink and have run additional test that look for many other contaminants than the government test for, or at least don’t report on. More and more data exists that shows contaminants in the water can be harmful to humans.