How Safe Is Your Tap Water? What You Need to Know

For the majority of us living in developed countries, filling a glass from our taps is instinctual. But just how safe is that water running from your kitchen tap?

Tap water in the UK, US, Canada and much of Europe is relatively safe for drinking just as it comes out of your faucet. Many purification processes include filtration, chlorination and UV treatment used by water treatment facilities to rid the contaminant of harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. It is regularly tested to meet strict safety standards imposed by health authorities.

Nonetheless, the process from treatment plant to tap can introduce a few variables. Indeed, older pipes may have been installed using lead or other metals that might end up in our water supply (particularly if you live in a home built before the 1980s). You might also be living in an area with naturally occurring minerals like fluoride or arsenic which, while regulated and tested appropriately, is completely safe for consumption but brings up additional worries from even the most informed homeowners.

Chlorine, which is added to water for disinfection purposes can produce a taste or odour that some people find offensive, but it is not harmful in the amounts administered. Occasional temporary issues like a contamination event or a pipe break can affect the quality of water in your area from time to time as well. When you need Office Water Coolers Swansea, visit https://www.waterforyou.net/bottled-office-water-coolers-wales/swansea

If so, get your tap water tested and/or invest in a good quality water filter. The majority of people opt for filtered water simply because they prefer its taste over tap (not out of safety concerns).

The bottom line? Tap water is a safe, affordable and generally convenient choice for most of us but some dislike the taste.