Contaminants
Chromium 6
Chromium is an odorless and tasteless metallic element naturally found in rocks, soil, volcanic dust, plants, and animals.
The most common forms of chromium that occur in water are:
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Trivalent chromium (chromium-3)
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Hexavalent chromium (chromium-6)
Chromium-3 is an essential dietary element found in many fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, and yeast.
Chromium-6, according to the EPA, occurs naturally in the environment from the erosion of natural chromium deposits and from industrial processes such as leakage, poor storage, or inadequate industrial waste disposal practices.
If Chromium 6 sounds familiar, that's because it is the same chemical that made Erin Brockovich famous.
The Environmental Working Group found that 75% of drinking water samples were contaminated with Chromium 6.
Check to see if you are among the 218 million Americans whose water is contaminated with Chromium-6 (the Erin Brockovich chemical).
PFOA, PFOS, and PFC
PFOA, PFOS, and PFC are chemicals found in household and industrial products such as stain repellents, fire retardants, lubricants, pesticides, and more. They are commonly found in non-stick cookware, stain resistant carpeting and fabrics, and oil-resistant coatings on food packaging.
PFCs, also known as PFASs, have been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, weakened immunity and other health problems.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) maintains an interactive map of PFC, PFOS, and PFOA contamination.
According to the New York Times, The Environmental Protection Agency says streams tapped by water utilities serving a third of the population are not yet covered by clean-water laws that limit levels of toxic pollutants.
Unsafe lead levels are not limited to Flint, Michigan. CNN reports that more than 5,300 water systems are in violation of the EPA's lead and copper rule, a federal regulation to safeguard America's drinking water from its aging infrastructure.
Violations include:
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Failure to properly test water
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Failure to report contamination
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Failure to treat water properly
The NRDC report reveals that the EPA is also aware that many utilities "game the system," using flawed or questionable testing methods in order to avoid detecting high levels of lead.
Other Common Contaminants
It’s bad enough to be able to see, smell, or taste a contaminant. But what if your water looks, smells, and tastes just fine — is it? Not necessarily.
Microbial and organic contaminants cannot always be detected by human senses. You might go years before realizing a problem exists. Many folks never become suspicious until people in the community start to get sick. Water near agricultural areas may contain harmful organic material from pesticide or fertilizer application. Chemicals from pesticides and fertilizers in water may increase cancer risk and reproductive problems and can impair eye, liver, kidney, and other body functions. Similar problems can result from exposure to water near industrial plants.
Some common waterborne contaminants include:
Even if you cannot see, taste or smell the contaminants, there are resources available to help you detect and treat the issues. Contact us today for one of our licensed water treatment specialists to perform a water analysis.
Effects of Waterborne Contaminants on Health
Acute Effects
Acute effects occur within hours or days of the time that a person consumes a contaminant. People can suffer acute health effects from almost any contaminant if they are exposed to extraordinarily high levels (as in the case of a spill). In drinking water, microbes, such as bacteria and viruses, are the contaminants with the greatest chance of reaching levels high enough to cause acute health effects.
Most people’s bodies can fight off these microbial contaminants the way they fight off germs, and these acute contaminants typically don’t have permanent effects. Nonetheless, when high enough levels occur, they can make people ill, and can be dangerous or deadly for a person whose immune system is already weakened.
Chronic Effects
Chronic effects occur after people consume a contaminant at levels over EPA’s safety standards over the course of many years. The drinking water contaminants that can have chronic effects include chemicals (such as disinfection byproducts, solvents and pesticides), radionuclides (such as radium), and minerals (such as arsenic). Examples of these chronic effects include cancer, liver or kidney problems, or reproductive difficulties.