Water Contaminants Guide

DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS

Getting a passing grade from the federal government does not mean the water meets the latest health guidelines. Legal limits for contaminants in tap water have not been updated in almost 20 years — and have not been reviewed in over 40 years.

The Clean Water Act of 1977 only covered a minimal amount of conventional, non-conventional, and toxic pollutants. It extended the compliance deadlines for industries acting in good faith and enhanced the industrial pretreatment program to safeguard municipal treatment plants. It did not focus on drinking water quality. The legal limits for drinking water quality have not advanced to follow the information we have learned since the 70’s — we’ve discovered more about how drinking water contaminants affect the body.

According to Rebecca Fry, PhD at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, “Some contaminants in well water, like bacteria and nitrates, can cause short-term illnesses (such as stomach problems, diarrhea, nausea). This may be especially dangerous for certain high-risk populations such as small children, pregnant women, [the] elderly, or people with a compromised immune system. Drinking water with high levels of contamination for many years may increase the risk of long-term (chronic) diseases such as anemia, high blood pressure, and in some cases, cancer.”

Not all bacteria are harmful. Some bacteria are classified as "nuisance bacteria" as it does not cause bodily harm.

Local Water Quality Quick Links:

Check your local water contamination: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

Nuisance Organisms

Iron bacteria
Sulfur bacteria
Manganese bacteria

SIGNS OF NUISANCE BACTERIA (NO BODILY HARM)

Yellow, orange, purple or brown stains in the water
Rainbow sheen on the water
Slimy buildup on plumbing fixtures
Swampy smell
Rotten egg smell
Black stains on plumbing fixtures
Corroded metal piping
Discoloration of silverware
The smell worsens with hot water

SOURCE

Soil
Sediment
Shallow groundwater
Surface water
Environments rich in hydrogen sulfide

Harmful Microogranisms

Cryptosporidium
Giardia lamblia
Legionella
Total Coliforms (including fecal coliform and E. Coli)
Viruses (enteric)

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MICROORGANISM CONTAMINATION

Gastrointestinal illnesses, such as diarrhea, vomiting, or cramping.
Legionnaire's Disease, a type of pneumonia
Cloudiness of water
Unusual taste or odor of water

SOURCE

Human and Fecal Waste

Disinfection Byproducts

Bromate
Chlorite
Haloacetic acids
Total Trihalomethanes

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DISINFECTION BYPRODUCT CONTAMINATION

Anemia
Nervous system effects in infants and young children
Increased risk of cancer
Liver, kidney, or central nervous system problems

SOURCE

A byproduct of drinking water disinfection

Disinfectants

Chloramines
Chlorine
Chlorine dioxide

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF DISINFECTANT CONTAMINATION

Eye/nose irritation
Stomach discomfort
Anemia
Nervous system effects in infants and young children

SOURCE

Water additive used to control microbes

Inorganic Chemicals

Antimony
Arsenic
Asbestos
Barium
Beryllium
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Cyanide
Fluoride
Lead
Mercury (inorganic)
Nitrate
Nitrite

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF INORGANIC CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

Increase in blood cholesterol
Decrease in blood sugar
Skin damage or problems with circulatory systems
Potential increased risk of cancer
Increased risk of developing benign intestinal polyps
Increase in blood pressure
Intestinal lesions
Kidney damage
Allergic dermatitis
Gastrointestinal distress
Liver damage
Nerve damage
Thyroid problems
Bone disease
Mottled teeth in children
Delays in physical or mental development in infants or children
Slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities in children
High blood pressure
Shortness of breath and blue-baby syndrome in infants below the age of six months or who drink nitrates or nitrites. Risk of death.
Hair or fingernail loss
Numbness in fingers or toes
Circulatory problems
Changes in blood
Intestine problems
Unpleasant taste or odor of water
Brown, yellow, or orange discoloration of water

SOURCES

Discharge from petroleum refineries
Fire retardants
Ceramics
Electronics
Solder
Erosion of natural deposits
Runoff from orchards
Runoff from glass production wastes
Decay of asbestos cement in water mains
Erosion of natural deposits
Discharge of drilling wastes
Discharge from metal refineries
Discharge from metal refineries and coal-burning factories
Discharge from electrical, aerospace, and defense industries
Corrosion of galvanized pipes
Runoff from waste batteries and paints
Discharge from steel and pulp mills
Corrosion of household plumbing systems
Discharge from steel/metal factories
Discharge from plastic and fertilizer factories
Water additive which promotes strong teeth
Discharge from aluminum factories
Runoff from landfills and croplands
Leaking from septic tanks
Sewage
Discharge from petroleum refineries
Discharge from mines
Leaching from ore-processing sites
Discharge from drug factories

Organic Chemicals

Acrylamide
Alachlor
Atrazine
Benzene
Benzo(a)pyrene (PAHs)
Carbofuran
Carbon tetrachloride
Chlordane
Chlorobenzene
2,4-D
Dalapon
1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)
o-Dichlorobenzene
p-Dichlorobenzene
1,2-Dichloroethane
1,1-Dichloroethylene
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Dichloromethane
1,2-Dichloropropane
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
Dinoseb
Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)
Diquat
Endothall
Endrin
Epichlorohydrin
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene dibromide
Glyphosate
Heptachlor
Heptachlor epoxide
Hexachlorobenzene
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
Lindane
Methoxychlor
Oxamyl (Vydate)
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
Pentachlorophenol
Picloram
Simazine
Styrene
Tetrachloroethylene
Toluene
Toxaphene
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Trichloroethylene
Vinyl chloride
Xylenes

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ORGANIC CHEMICAL CONTAMINATION

Nervous system problems
Blood problems
Increased risk of cancer
Eye problems
Kidney problems
Spleen problems
Anemia
Reproductive difficulties
Liver problems
Adrenal gland problems
Weight loss
Cataracts
Stomach and intestinal problems
Slight nervous system effects
Skin changes
Thymus gland problems
Immune deficiencies
Circulatory problems
Immune system problems
Chemical taste/smell

SOURCES

Added to water during sewage/wastewater treatment
Runoff from herbicide used on row crops
Leaching from gas storage tanks and landfills
Leaching from linings of water storage tanks and distribution lines
Leaching of soil fumigant used on rice and alfalfa
Discharge from chemical plants and other industrial activities
Residue of banned termiticide
Discharge from chemical and agricultural chemical factories
Runoff from herbicide used on rights of way
Runoff/leaching from soil fumigant used on soybeans, cotton, pineapples, and orchards
Discharge from rubber factories
Runoff from herbicides used on soybeans and vegetables
Emissions from waste incineration and other combustion
Residue of banned insecticide
An impurity of some water treatment chemicals
Discharge from petroleum refineries and factories
Residue of banned termiticide
Breakdown of heptachlor
Discharge from metal refineries and agricultural chemical factories
Runoff/leaching from insecticide used on cattle, cotton, lumber, gardens, fruits, vegetables, alfalfa, livestock, apples, potatoes, and tomatoes
Runoff from landfills
Discharge of waste chemicals
Discharge from wood-preserving factories
Discharge from dry cleaners
Residue of banned herbicide
Discharge from textile finishing factories
Discharge from metal degreasing sites
Leaching from PVC pipes

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

PFAS (HFPO-DA, PFBS, PFHxS, and PFNA)
HFPO-DA (commonly known as GenX Chemicals)
PFBS
PFHxS
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF PFAS CONTAMINATION

Liver effects
Immune effects
Thyroid effects
Developmental and thyroid effects following repeated exposure during pregnancy and/or childhood
Kidney effects
Potential concern for cancer
Elevated cholesterol levels
Cardiovascular effects
Increased incidence of kidney and testicular cancer

SOURCES

Discharge from manufacturing and industrial chemical facilities
Use of certain consumer products
Occupational exposures
Certain firefighting activities

Radionuclides

Alpha particles
Beta particles and photon emitters
Radium 226 and Radium 228 (combined)
Uranium

SYMPTOMS OF RADIONUCLIDE CONTAMINATION (NO VISIBLE SIGNS)

Increased risk of cancer
Kidney toxicity

SOURCES

Erosion of natural deposits
Erosion of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation
Decay of natural and man-made deposits of certain minerals that are radioactive and may emit forms of radiation known as photons and beta radiation

Flouride

SOURCE

Rocks & soil in aquifers & private wells

SYMPTOMS (NO VISIBLE SIGNS)

Skeletal fluorosis, (pain and tenderness of bones and joints)
May cause dental fluorosis (during a formative period of tooth enamel)
Tooth discoloration
Pitting of teeth

WATER TESTING & FILTRATION

Water testing differs significantly based on what you are looking for. Ensure you get your water tested at a certified laboratory (state-certified or EPA-certified) as they follow health standards and regulations.

If you’re looking to purchase a water testing kit, SimpleLabs offers certified mail-in water testing kits. If you're in the Eastern Washington or Northern Idaho area, EcoWater Spokane offers certified complimentary water testing. Contact us to get started.

Certain companies can get away with selling water filtration systems that don’t filter certain water contaminants. Make sure the company or lab you go

through meets industry standards.

Certifications to look for:

NSF/ANSI 42
- Filters are certified to reduce aesthetic impurities such as chlorine and taste/odor. These can be point-of-use (under the sink, water pitcher, etc.) or point-of-entry (whole house) treatment systems.

NSF/ANSI 53
- Filters are certified to reduce a contaminant with a Health Canada and EPA. health eect. Health eects are set in this standard as regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Canada. Both standards 42 and 53 cover adsorption/filtration which is a process that occurs when liquid, gas or dissolved/suspended matter adheres to the surface of, or in the pores of, an adsorbent media. Carbon filters are an example of this type of product.

NSF/ANSI 58
- Reverse osmosis systems incorporate a process that uses reverse pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane. Most reverse osmosis systems incorporate one or more additional filters on either side of the membrane. Filters are certified to reduce a contaminant with a Health Canada and EPA.

NSF/ANSI 401
- Treatment systems for emerging contaminants include both point-of-use and point-of-entry systems that have been verified to reduce one or more of 15 emerging contaminants from drinking water. These emerging contaminants can be pharmaceuticals or chemicals not yet regulated by the EPA or Health Canada.

EcoWater Spokane has all of these certifications, which is why we have been Eastern Washington & Northern Idaho’s trusted water provider.

HOW WE COMPARE

ECOWATER PRODUCTS

ECOWATER

Modern and efficient systems

Functional pumps

Battery backups

Remote service available

Innovative designs

Doesn't require service calls for hardness changes

Allows you to use an entire tank before the system regenerates

Automatically adjusts to water usage patterns

Ecowater's products have smart technology that only uses the required amount of salt based on your water hardness

Ecowater System can be repaired with a ballpoint pen in a maximum of 20 minutes

Less maintenance requirements and less cost

Common systems that are built well

Maximizes RO water

Membranes do not require sanitation

Monitors cartridge use and provides real-time filter life on indicator and/or smart device

EcoWater systems have battery powered wifi connectivity and monitoring

Rids itself of iron contaminants

No products or parts use PFO's or PFA's inside EcoWater equipment

PROP-65 compliant

Advanced upflow brining

Softened water doesn't sit exposed

No bad water taste. It rises upwards

EcoWater ERR3700R20 uses less than 1/3 of the salt Culligan systems use. Anywhere from 1.3 LBS to 8.9 LBS

EcoWater ERR unit only uses 39 gallons of water to flush itself

NSF 42, NSF 44, NSF 53, NSF 58, NSF 61, NSF 372, and NSF 401 certified

Made in the United States

Filters are high quality and don't clog

Low cost maintenance

Systems withstand temperature changes

Only uses 1/2 to 1/3 of the salt RainSoft uses EX: EER3700R20 uses 1.3 LBS to 8.9 LBS of salt per generation

Helps with sensitive skin, skin conditions, and allergies

Water softening units soften water

Removes water contaminants

No phosphates get in your water

Units contain technology that systematically work for their intended purpose

Removes hard water

No chemicals and other contaminants get into your water

Carbon filters only have to be replaced every 36 months

Eco-friendly

Prevent scale build-up

No mixed metal welds to corrode or rot

OTHER WATER TREATMENT PRODUCTS

KINETICO

Systems with many tiny parts that make them overcomplex
Non-functional well pump
No battery backup
No remote service
Similar valve designs to valves used back in 1969
Requires a service call for hardness changes
Units regenerate multiple times per day
Each time the unit regenerates, eater pressure drops
There is no monitoring system to tell you how much salt your system is using
Meter disk system only permits complete tank exhaustion at certain settings
Overcomplicated 59 piece valve that requires expensive maintenance often
Easier to replace than repair
Wastes filtered water rinsing membrane with RO water
Membranes require sanitation, anually causing increased services costs
Shuts off after 500 gallons of use, causing inconvenience for those who use more water
Filter life is only visible underneath the sink
More tubing connections provide more opportunities for leaks
No pump (electricity), creating no way to rid itself of iron contaminants

CULLIGAN

Outdated wet brining technology
Softened water sits in the unit exposed to the air outside of it
The water is not fresh, and often these units are not kept in clean areas
Culligan's metal washer dissolves over time on the float, creating a bad taste
Uses anywhere from 6 to 36 LBS of salt per generation
Culligan models use 54 to 183 gallons of water to flush itself
Only NSF 44 certified
Claims units are "Assembled in the United States," not all parts are made in the United States
Offers "in-line filters" to help with problem water. These filters get clogged and are hundreds of dollars to replace

RAINSOFT

In + Out valve doesn't flush, will eventually have to be replaced
Techs charge hundreds of dollars every 4-5 years to replace the carbon on a RainSoft unit
RainSoft models "should not be installed where cold and heat are extreme" causing them to misfit extreme temperature changes
Uses a minimum of 2.25 LBS of salt and a maximum of 22 LBS of salt per regeneration
Only NSF 44 certified

PELICAN & AQUASAUNA

Pelican & AquaSauna units are not water softeners
Polyphosphates + Polycarbonate does not help people with skin conditions or allergies
Use Scale inhibitor units, meaning they put polyphosphates + polycarbonates in the water. Nothing is removed from your water
As water goes through the system, the phosphates get in to the water and coat your pipes, water heater, and you

NUVO

Nuvo units are a 20in filter with citric acid + carbon
Does not remove hard water
As water goes through the system, deposits, chemicals, and anything in your water coats your pipes, water heater, appliances, and you
Does not soften water
Carbon filters on Nuvo "softeners" have to be replaced every 6-12 months
Makes the water in your home acidic by adding to the water and not removing an contaminants
Claims to be "eco-friendly" but Nuvo filters often end up in landfills

LIFESOURCE

LifeSource units are not water softeners. Hardness is not being removed
LifeSource filters do not prevent scale build-up
Scaling causes build-up in pipes, on glassware, cookware, and stiff laundry
Energy costs increase due to the scale build-up in pipes and appliances. Costs increase from excess soap, detergent, and fabric softener usage.
Only NSF 42 certified
Corroded welds & pin holes commonly found in the LifeSource stainless steel systems cause leaks

SOURCES

Dr. Fry, Rebecca, “Well Water and Health.” UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, sph.unc.edu/superfund-pages/well-water-and-health

Environmental Working Group. “EWG’s Tap Water Database: What’s in Your Drinking Water?” Ewg.org, Environmental Working Group, 2010, www.ewg.org/tapwater/

EPA. “US EPA.” US EPA, 2023, www.epa.gov

US EPA, OW. “National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.” US EPA, 30 Nov. 2015, www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations

COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS

GLOSSARY

____

DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS

Nuisance Organisms

Harmful Microogranisms

Disinfection Byproducts

Disinfectants

Inorganic Chemicals

Organic Chemicals

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)

Radionuclides

Flouride

WATER TESTING & FILTRATION

DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS

WATER FILTERS

HOW WE COMPARE

ECOWATER PRODUCTS

OTHER WATER TREATMENT PRODUCTS

START YOUR JOURNEY

OUR CERTIFICATIONS

SOURCES