Decoding the Mysteries of Your Drinking Water

From Lakes to Taps, Unveiling Hidden Risks and Solutions for Cleaner, Safer Hydration

What’s in your drinking water? Whether it’s from a lake, a well, or your municipal supplier, you’re receiving more than just water. Understanding contaminants is crucial, as they can impact your health and affect plumbing and your appliances.

Lake water, also called surface water, is directly used by thousands and reaches thousands more through municipal suppliers. Many homes in upstate NY rely on private wells. If you’re using surface or well water, it’s essential to conduct your own testing and treatment. The New York State Department of Health recommends testing for Coliform Bacteria annually and other contaminants every 3 to 5 years (1). Surface and well water may contain bacteria that cause illness, as well as minerals like Calcium that can harm appliances. Additionally, many water supplies contain contaminants that have been proven to cause cancer in certain concentrations. The good news is that proper testing can help understand and mitigate these contaminants.

If you’re on a municipal water supply, you don’t need to perform regular testing or install your own treatment system. Generally, municipal water is safe and doesn’t pose immediate health risks. However, you may want to treat your water to reduce contaminants resulting from disinfection. Common contaminants in area municipal water include Haloacetic acids (HAA5)(2), Chloroform (3), Hexavalent Chromium (4) (similar to the substance in the Erin Brockovich movie), and PFOA (5) (known as “Forever Chemicals”). While these contaminants are present in many water supplies in the area, they’re unregulated and exceed some health guidelines. You can find out what’s in your water by contacting your local water supplier and asking for the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).

Alternatively, you can access easy to understand consolidated data for many water systems in your area through the Environmental Working Group Tap Water Database. (www.ewg.org/tapwater/).

Different water sources require different treatments.

• Lake water benefits from being exposed to sunlight and air, making backwashing sediment filters and UV lights common treatments.
• Well water, your private supply, often requires cartridge sediment filters and water softeners.
• Municipal water, provided by the town, is a convenient and reliable source that contains disinfectant chemicals. The most common treatment recommendation is a whole-house activated carbon filter.

It’s recommended to test your water and treat it as needed to ensure you’re getting healthy water for you and your home. There are DIY test kits, area labs, and local water treatment specialists available to assist with these efforts.

References

2 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2022 Queensbury Water Department

3 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2022 Saratoga County Water Authority

4 Annual Drinking Water Report for 2019 Glens Falls Water Supply

5 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report for 2022 Town of Ticonderoga Water District