“Is my water safe to drink?” –this is something we all wonder on occasion. We like to think our water is clean and free of contaminants, but what exactly is in tap water?

Even in countries with regulated water systems like the U.S., U.K., or Canada, concerns around tap water quality are valid. While most municipalities treat water before it reaches your tap, that doesn’t mean it’s free from contaminants — many of which can impact your health over time.

Some are introduced through aging pipes. Others are left behind as byproducts of water treatment. And then there are newer threats like PFAS — “forever chemicals” that have only recently become a major public health concern.

Contaminants or waterborne pollutants aren’t always detectable by our human senses, so waterborne illnesses sometimes are attributed to other external factors instead of the water source. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that water sources near agricultural or industrial plants may contain pollutants from these facilities like pesticides, fertilizers, lead, or other chemicals. Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies potential health risks from contaminated water—such as increased cancer risk, reproductive issues, and impair organ function, to name a few.

In an article by the New York Times, scientists like Dr. Griffiths, the former chairman of the EPA’s Drinking Water Committee noted that there are thousands of chemicals, viruses and microbes that the EPA has not even begun to assess, which leaves a big question mark on whether or not our water is safe. There is a slew of contaminants that can be harmful to your health. Constantly ingesting these contaminants can lead to chronic illnesses, cancer, and other health issues. This article explores common contaminants found in tap water today — and why filtering your water is more important than ever.

Lead

Lead can contaminate water through lead service lines that connect the home to main water lines, or from other plumbing systems soldered with lead. Some drinking water fountains, lab faucets, sinks, hoses, and spigots are connected to lead-lined water tanks. Aging pipes and corrosion of household plumbing systems can lead to lead pollution in water.

Unlike other contaminants, there is no safe level of lead exposure, particularly for children, where it can cause developmental delays, behavioral issues, and lower IQ. In adults, prolonged exposure is linked to cardiovascular problems and kidney damage. Despite being banned in new plumbing materials, lead contamination is still widespread. A 2021 Natural Resources Defense Council report estimates that over 12 million U.S. homes are still connected to lead pipes.

In the case of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, the residents of Flint have been served lead-polluted water for several years now. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) points out that “nearly 9,000 children were supplied lead-contaminated water for 18 months”—a severe detriment to the health of those children and many other residents of the area. Make no mistake—Flint is just one case where lead poisoning is widespread. Many cities across the country face varying levels of lead in their water.

Chlorine and HAA5 (Haloacetic Acids)

Water treatment facilities add chlorine as an antimicrobial agent. Chlorine deters the growth and presence of bio-contaminants like bacteria, viruses, and mold. Failure for municipalities to regulate sufficient amounts of chlorine in water mains can lead to waterborne illnesses and bacterial contamination. Flint faced a similar issue where levels of fecal coliform bacteria were discovered in city water.

While effective at killing bacteria and viruses, chlorine also reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in water to form byproducts — notably HAA5, a group of haloacetic acids. Long-term exposure to HAA5 has been associated with an increased risk of cancer, reproductive issues, and developmental effects. These risks led the EPA to establish maximum contaminant limits for HAA5 in public water systems. Still, violations are not uncommon. A 2023 analysis by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that over 100 million Americans were exposed to unsafe levels of disinfection byproducts in their tap water.

PFOA and PFOS (“Forever Chemicals”)

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) belong to the broader class of PFAS — synthetic chemicals used in non-stick cookware, firefighting foams, and waterproof textiles. They’re often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down naturally and persist in the environment for decades.

PFOA and PFOS have been found in the tap water of major U.S. cities, and even low concentrations have been linked to serious health concerns, including increased cholesterol levels, immune suppression, liver damage, and certain cancers. In 2023, the EPA proposed new federal limits for PFAS in drinking water after growing pressure from environmental groups and public health experts.

Heavy Metals: Mercury, Cadmium, Copper, and Zinc

Heavy metals can leach into drinking water through industrial waste, mining runoff, or corrosion of plumbing systems. Some, like copper and zinc, are essential in trace amounts but harmful at higher levels. Others, like mercury and cadmium, are toxic even at very low concentrations.

• Mercury exposure can affect the nervous system and kidneys.
  
• Cadmium is a known human carcinogen and can damage the liver and bones.
  
• Copper in excess can lead to nausea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal issues.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these metals can accumulate in the body over time, making chronic exposure a concern even if daily intake appears minimal.

Benzene

Benzene is released into water from atmospheric deposition, petrol spills and other petroleum products, and chemical plant effluents. Based on a study by the WHO, benzene has been detected in 50-60% of potable water samples from 30 treatment facilities across Canada. It can also be formed naturally through volcanoes and forest fires and is a natural part of cigarette smoke, crude oil, and gasoline. Benzene is also used as a solvent in dry cleaning, paints, printing, etc. Benzene enters water as discharge from industrial factories or leaching from landfills and gas storage tanks. Repeated exposure at low levels of benzene produces toxic levels in the blood and blood-forming tissues.

VOCs

VOCs, also known as Volatile Organic Compounds include a slew of chemicals. Organic chemicals are widely used in various industries and products like paints, varnishes, wax, disinfecting, and even cosmetic products. Since there is such a wide variety of pollutants, health risks also vary greatly depending on levels of exposure and length of time exposed. Some effects include eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, loss of coordination, nausea, liver, and kidney damage.

Bio-contaminants

Bio-contaminants include microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, and mold. These contaminants can develop organically in water (they LOVE water). Moist areas become the perfect breeding ground for bio-contaminants, which can lead to illnesses and other waterborne diseases. Without antimicrobial agents like chlorine, water is left vulnerable to bio-contamination, which is why the treatment of water with chlorine is so widespread in certain areas.

Bio-contamination perhaps proposes a more serious risk for most of the world. In an article by the Guardian, Microbiologist Joan Rose experienced first-hand the tragedies that can come from bio-contamination in water. In Walkerton, Canada’s worst-ever water pollution incidents, two pathogens entered into the water supply and many of the small town’s residents fell ill and some even died. This was caused by runoff from local agriculture. Incidents like this stem from overall pollution and increased waste around the world. Most waste goes into water, which introduces different waterborne diseases, viruses, and pathogens which are making people sick at alarming rates.

Pharmaceuticals

The EPA lists pharmaceuticals as potentially risky contaminants in water. Prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications get into lakes, rivers, and streams, whether they are flushed down the toilet or down sink drains. A Harvard Health Letter indicates that water quality experts and environmental advocates are becoming increasingly concerned with the effects of this on human health. Compounds such as estrogen have been linked to sexual changes in fish. The potential health risk for humans of pharmaceutical remnants in water is currently unknown and being monitored as a public health matter.

How LARQ Filters Help Address These Contaminants

LARQ Advanced Bottle Filters, are designed to target a wide range of contaminants commonly found in tap water. The LARQ Filter Advanced (NSF/ANSI 42, 53, and 401 compliant) helps reduce lead, chlorine, chloramine, HAA5, mercury, cadmium, and other heavy metals, along with PFOA/PFOS (PFAS) and common pesticides and pharmaceuticals. These filters also capture particulate matter and improve taste and clarity. LARQ’s filters focus on the most prevalent and concerning pollutants affecting water quality today without removing essential minerals. For microbial defense, LARQ’s PureVis™ UV-C technology in its pitchers and bottles provides an added layer of purification by neutralizing bacteria and viruses.

Our aging water infrastructure has health consequences.

In the U.S., water safety standards are currently based on decades-old studies. Despite all these efforts to regulate levels of contaminants, 27 million Americans are served by water systems violating health standards established by the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Additional contaminants that emerge from the water mains and pipes in aging homes are never reported in municipal water quality reports. As a result, 19 million people become ill each year due to contaminated water. In fact, a 2012-2014 study found that nearly 21,000 municipalities across the U.S. issued Boil Water Advisories (BWA) for microbial contamination. On a global scale, over 3 million people in the United States, United Kingdom, Netherlands, and  Canada have received BWAs.

Even in countries with strong water regulations, contaminants can make their way into your tap — whether from upstream industrial activity, outdated infrastructure, or aging pipes inside your home. Relying solely on municipal treatment may not be enough.That’s why point-of-use water filtration is increasingly recommended by environmental health experts. By filtering your water just before you drink it, you help reduce exposure to substances that might slip through centralized systems or enter through pipes along the way.

These issues contribute to an environmental crisis

Since the LARQ Bottle launched in 2018, more than 95,637,301 single-use plastic water bottles have been saved from entering the landfill. Unfortunately, during the same time nearly 1,000,000,000,000 (that’s a trillion with a capital T) single-use plastic bottles have been tossed away–likely due to inaccessibility to clean drinking water.

Final Thoughts

Understanding what’s in your tap water is the first step to making informed decisions about your health. Whether it’s removing lead, chlorine byproducts, PFAS chemicals, or heavy metals, choosing a high-quality water filter can offer added protection — and peace of mind.