Safe Drinking Water- Part 1: What's Really in Your Water

Nutrition
Written by Larry Betz

From Daily Use to Emergency Preparedness

By Larry Betz | Prepared Not Paranoid https://www.preparednotparanoid.com/

Most of us turn on the faucet and assume the water is safe. For most of the day, that's a reasonable bet. But "legal" and "safe" aren't always the same thing, some of the most important new limits are still years away, and the pipes in your own house can add problems your city never sees.

Having safe, clean drinking water is essential for everyday life. Take a second and think about what you use water for. From your favorite morning beverage to cooking and hygiene, we need water all day, every day. The majority of us take it for granted that when we wake up and turn on the faucet we have safe drinking water.

Every cell in our body depends on water to function properly, from regulating body temperature and maintaining cellular structure to aiding digestion and nutrient absorption. Staying hydrated not only improves physical performance but also enhances cognitive function, mood, and even skin health. Think of water as the fuel that powers your body's engine, helping it detoxify, repair, and operate at its best.

Clean drinking water isn't just about quenching your thirst, it's about safeguarding your health. Contaminants in water can lead to a host of health issues, from minor stomach upsets to serious long-term conditions. Using water that's free from harmful pollutants ensures that you and your family enjoy water that supports your body's natural functions without unwanted chemicals or pathogens.

Common Contaminants and Their Health Risks

Here's a list of common contaminants found in drinking water and their associated health risks.

Fluoride

Health Risks: Fluoride is beneficial for dental health when applied topically, like in toothpaste. Too much swallowed fluoride over time can cause dental fluorosis (white spots or streaks on teeth) and, at high levels, skeletal fluorosis (stiff, brittle bones). Some studies have also looked at effects on the thyroid.
What's new: In August 2024, the National Toxicology Program concluded with moderate confidence that fluoride levels above 1.5 mg/L are linked to lower IQ in children. That is about twice the 0.7 mg/L level the U.S. recommends for community water. There wasn't enough data to say whether 0.7 mg/L affects IQ. In September 2024, a federal judge ruled that fluoride at current levels poses an unreasonable risk to children's brain development and ordered EPA to act. EPA began an expedited review in 2025 and released a preliminary assessment in January 2026. Utah and Florida became the first states to ban community water fluoridation in 2025. EPA's enforceable limit is still 4.0 mg/L.

My take: If you want to reduce fluoride, know that most pitchers don't remove it. Reverse osmosis, distillation, and specific fluoride filters do. More on that in Part 3.

Lead

Health Risks: Highly toxic, even at low levels. The CDC says no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Lead can cause developmental delays, learning problems, neurological damage, kidney issues, high blood pressure, and anemia. It is particularly dangerous for children and pregnant women. Lead usually comes from old pipes, solder, and fixtures in older homes, not from the water source.

What's new: In October 2024, EPA finalized a rule requiring most water systems to replace lead service lines within 10 years, and in February 2026, EPA said it would keep that deadline. Ask your water utility whether your home has a lead or galvanized service line. Utilities are required to keep an inventory.

Arsenic

Health Risks: Arsenic occurs naturally in groundwater, and it's common in parts of the Southwest, including Arizona. Long-term exposure can lead to skin lesions, cancer (lung, bladder, skin), cardiovascular disease, and developmental effects in children.

Nitrates and Nitrites

Health Risks: These usually come from agricultural runoff (fertilizers) and septic systems. They can cause "blue baby syndrome" (methemoglobinemia) in infants by impairing oxygen transport in the blood, and they may be linked to certain cancers. Boiling does not remove nitrates. It concentrates them. Never use high-nitrate well water to mix baby formula.

Chlorine and Chloramine

Health Risks: These are used to disinfect public water, and they do an important job. They can form byproducts (trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids) linked to bladder cancer and reproductive issues. They can also irritate skin and the respiratory system. Chloramine is harder to remove than chlorine, and most basic pitcher filters don't remove it.

Pesticides and Herbicides

Health Risks: These often enter water sources through agricultural runoff. Many are endocrine disruptors, affecting hormones and fertility, and some increase cancer risk.

Pharmaceuticals and Hormones

Health Risks: Trace amounts of antibiotics, birth control hormones, and antidepressants have been found in water supplies. The levels are usually very low, but long-term effects of low-level exposure are still being studied, including hormone effects and antibiotic resistance.

Bacteria, Viruses, and Parasites

Health Risks: Contaminated water can contain E. coli, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, norovirus, and other pathogens. These cause stomach illness, diarrhea, dehydration, and severe infections. They are the biggest danger after a flood, hurricane, or water main break.

Heavy Metals (Mercury, Cadmium, Chromium, and Others)

Health Risks: Mercury affects the nervous system, cadmium damages the kidneys and bones, and hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) is a known carcinogen.

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, the "Forever Chemicals")

Health Risks: PFAS persist in the environment and in the body for years. They are linked to certain cancers, immune system suppression, hormone disruption, high cholesterol, and developmental issues.

What's new: In April 2024, EPA set the first national limits for PFAS in drinking water, including 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS. In May 2026, EPA proposed keeping the PFOA and PFOS limits but pushing the compliance deadline from 2029 to 2031, and dropping the limits for four other PFAS. Bottom line: your tap water may not be required to meet these limits for years. A certified home filter is your fastest option.

Radioactive Elements (Radon, Uranium, Radium)

Health Risks: These occur naturally in some groundwater, including parts of Arizona. Long-term exposure can increase the risk of kidney damage and certain cancers.

Microplastics

Health Risks: Microplastics have been found in tap water, bottled water, and in the human body. Research on health effects is still early, but they may carry endocrine-disrupting chemicals and accumulate in tissues. Bottled water appears to be a bigger source than tap water (see Part 3).

Where the Rules Stand

Several big changes have happened since 2024, but many of them are proposed, delayed, or years from taking effect.

Here's a quick look at where things stand.

Don't wait for the rules to catch up. You can find out what's in your own water this week.

How to Find Out What's in Your Water

As you can see, there is a good chance you are not drinking pure H2O. You don't need H2O plus these toxic chemicals or the associated health risks.

Here's how to find out what's in yours, from free to most accurate.

Step 1: Read your utility's water quality report. If you're on city water, your utility must publish a Consumer Confidence Report every year. It's free, and it's usually on the utility's website. It lists what was detected and how it compares to the legal limits.

Step 2: Look up your zip code. The Environmental Working Group's Tap Water Database shows what has been detected in your utility's water, compared to health-based guidelines, which are often stricter than legal limits.

Step 3: Use test strips for a quick check. Basic home test strips are inexpensive and easy to use. They change color based on chlorine, lead, nitrates, hardness, and pH. They are a screening tool, not a lab result.

Step 4: Get a lab test for real answers. A state-certified lab test is the only way to know exactly what's coming out of your faucet, including lead from your own pipes. Your state health department lists certified labs.


If you have a private well: No one is testing it but you. The CDC recommends testing well water every year for bacteria, nitrates, and anything common in your area (in Arizona, that includes arsenic and uranium). Test again after a flood or any change in taste, smell, or color.

When Disaster Changes Your Water

Everything above is about your water on a normal day. In an emergency, the biggest danger changes. After a flood, a hurricane, a wildfire, or a water main break, germs become the main threat, and your city may issue a boil water advisory. Wildfires can also damage pipes and leave chemicals in the system, which boiling won't fix.

Three things to do now, before you need them:

  • Know where your main water shutoff valve is, so you can keep contaminated water out of your home's pipes.

  • Sign up for your city's emergency alerts so you hear about a boil water advisory right away.

  • Store water before you need it. Part 2 covers how much, and Part 3 covers how to store it.

Personally, I just assume my water isn't clean, so I have several options to purify my drinking water. Whether you are purifying your water for healthy daily use or for a disaster where clean water is limited, I'll walk you through several options for clean water in Parts 2 and 3.

Ask Yourself

  • Have I ever read my city's water quality report?

  • Does my home have older pipes, solder, or fixtures that could add lead?

  • If I'm on a well, when was it last tested, and for what?

  • Do I know where my main water shutoff valve is?

Remember

You can't see, smell, or taste most of what's in your water. Find out what's in yours, filter for what matters, and keep a supply stored for the day the faucet stops being safe.

Get Started Today

[FREE DOWNLOAD: TO BE CHOSEN AFTER THE BINDER REVIEW]

Go Deeper

The Prepared Not Paranoid Family Nutrition Guide. This post shows you what may be in your water. The guide goes further, with full chapters on what's really in your tap water and how to test it, how much water your family needs to drink and store, and the filters, purifiers, and travel options that actually remove what matters, plus the Emergency Water Purification Card for your kitchen and go-bag. [Get it here: LINK]

Tools I recommend: The water test strips, certified water filters, and water storage containers I recommend are in my Amazon store. https://amzn.to/4yM747h

Related reading:

References

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not medical advice. If you're worried about lead, nitrates, or another contaminant, especially if you're pregnant or have an infant, talk with your doctor and get your water tested by a state-certified lab. Affiliate disclosure: I've linked to products from my Amazon store that I personally recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my work.

If someone has severe vomiting, diarrhea with signs of dehydration, or a baby seems bluish or very sleepy, call 911.

Awareness gives you time. Time gives you options.


The prepared protector is someone who's decided that loving someone means being ready for them, not just hoping things go fine.


Prepared Not Paranoid. Protecting the Most Vulnerable Among Us.

Larry Betz https://www.sedonastrengthandmobility.com
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