The Hidden Dangers of Drinking Unfiltered Tap Water

It's no secret that drinking water is essential to your health. After all, water accounts for nearly two-thirds of the human body's total mass. It's used to regulate metabolism, assist with digestion, repair damaged tissue and more. But if you're currently drinking tap water from your home's faucet, you may want to reconsider your source of H2O.

New Study Reveals Cancer-Causing Compounds in Tap Water

According to a new study conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), tap water often contains one or more cancer-causing compounds. For the study, researchers examined tap water samples from over 48,000 water systems in the United States. After analyzing the samples, they discovered 22 cancer-causing compounds.

The EWG estimates that roughly four out of 10,000 Americans will develop cancer as a result of drinking the polluted tap water.  While these findings are concerning, what's even more concerning is that many of these carcinogenic-filled samples still met the legal standards.

"The vast majority of community water systems meet legal standards," said EWG's Olga Naidenko. "Yet the latest research shows that contaminants present in the water at those concentrations – perfectly legal – can still harm human health."

What About Bottled Water?

Many people assume that bottled water is safer to drink than tap water. If it's processed and packaged by a reputable beverage company, conventional wisdom may lead you to believe that it's free of cancer-causing compounds and other contaminants. Unfortunately, though, this isn't the case. Bottled water often consists of nothing more than tap water. Beverage companies simply fill bottles with tap water, after which they distribute and sell it as bottled water.

Of course, bottled water is also bad for the environment. Statistics show approximately 38 million water bottles, most of which are made of plastic, end up in landfills each year. It's become such a problem, in fact, that many cities are now taking action to restrict or ban the use of plastic single-use water bottles.

Drink Filtered Tap Water

Rather than drinking bottled water, consider drinking filtered tap water. There are several different types of water filtration systems, some of which include activated carbon, ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and reverse osmosis. Regardless, they are all designed to purify tap water by removing harmful chemicals and compounds. By investing in a water filtration system, you can enjoy clean and delicious tap water without fear of inadvertently ingesting harmful chemicals or compounds.