(ARA) – Americans enjoy some of the safest, cleanest drinking water in the world.

Still, about 49 million people have been exposed to levels of regulated chemicals, bacteria and radioactive substances that the Environmental Protection Agency deems unsafe, according to a recent study.

Even more alarming is that this number does not account for the millions of Americans who rely on well water, which is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain and, therefore is not regulated by the EPA.

Additionally, no community, including the most sought-after neighborhoods, is exempt from potential water quality concerns. A recent article in the New York Times mentioned that one prosperous East Coast town found illegal amounts of potential carcinogens arsenic and tetrachloroethylene in its water system.

“These recent findings illustrate why it is so important to not take water quality for granted,” says Jerome Kovach, vice president of research and development at Kinetico, a leading manufacturer of water treatment products.

According to Kovach, some believe that crystal clear water is free from impurities, but that might not be the case. Actually, there are contaminants that are colorless, odorless and tasteless. The only way to know they’re present is to test the water.

If using city water, the EPA recommends consulting consumer confidence reports first to learn the quality of the water when it leaves the distribution system. The reports indicate which contaminants are present in the local water supply and whether those levels meet federal water standards.

“Looking at drinking water from a municipal level is step one in the process. It provides a broad umbrella understanding of what types of water challenges are present in the community,” Kovach says. “Step two is taking a much closer look at the water coming out of the faucet. Water may have to travel miles from the treatment center to the home and can pick up impurities along the way.”

Aging pipes in homes and in communities as a whole impact water quality, even if water has met all quality standards when leaving the treatment system. In fact, Kovach cautions that water quality can vary from house to house. Just because a neighbor’s water is fine does not guarantee the water coming from your faucet is too.

“Our analysis shows that it is common for water in one home to have as much as four to five times the dissolved matter as the water in a neighbor’s home, quite often at concentrations that exceed recommended levels,” Kovach adds.

Many local water treatment professionals offer in-home testing for free. Kovach recommends, at the very least, to test the water’s pH value, the presence of total dissolved solids, hardness and iron, like Kinetico’s basic test. For a greater level of detail on the water’s quality, many water treatment system dealers can collect samples for a more in-depth water analysis conducted by a third-party laboratory.

“Most people have smoke alarms that are checked at least once a year. Monitoring for the potential dangers present in the water you and your family drink should be given the same consideration as the air you breathe,” Kovach says.

After testing, if problems are present, Kovach recommends looking for National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certified treatment systems. The NSF is a credible third party that rigorously tests products and audits production facilities to ensure products perform as claimed.

When it comes to water, the EPA is stepping up its efforts to ensure that more communities achieve legal limits under federal law, but there could be impurities in your water that don’t have maximum contaminant levels. Kovach encourages homeowners to take responsibility for their home’s water.

“The best advice I can give is to know what’s in your water. It’s up to you to make sure your water quality meets your standards,” Kovach says.

Learn more about common water problems and water contaminants with a free water test from Kinetico.

Courtesy of ARAcontent