Having access to a readily available source of clean drinking water is a luxury that most of us take for granted. Yet very often the quality of the water that flows from out taps is not as good as we would like it to be. While water treatment plants do their best to ensure that the drinking water they supply to consumers is filtered and treated to a standard that is safe for consumers to drink straight from their taps, once it leaves the treatment plant, circumstances beyond their control can impair the quality of the water as it travels along the pipes between the treatment facility and your home. This results in many searching for a city water filtration system.

The corrosion found inside a copper pipe

We have now become accustomed to having running water flowing from our taps and cannot imagine living without it. Yet, because the pipes supplying drinking water to our homes were laid many decades ago, and have not been properly maintained or replaced when needed, they now contribute to poor drinking water quality. In fact, old water pipes pose one of the biggest dangers to drinking water quality in home water systems. This is because the pipes themselves are made from materials, such as iron and lead, that are known to release toxic particles into the water as it flows through the pipes.

One the most hazardous toxins that we are exposed in a supposedly safe existence is lead in drinking water. Lead, a toxic heavy metal, poses the risk of lead poisoning even at low levels of exposure, and is particularly dangerous to developing children. Lead exposure can hinder development and can cause learning disabilities, mental disorders and mood swings, abdominal discomfort and tummy upsets, loss of appetite and weight, fatigue, loss of hearing and seizures. Lead leaches from old, decaying lead pipes which are still in existence in some old city water systems. Iron is another heavy metal that can leach from old water pipes, but thankfully the associated health risks are not nearly as serious as those posed by lead. Exposure to iron can cause serious skin irritations and it also makes the water taste bad, giving it an unpleasant metallic taste.

Replace Pipes or a City Water Filtration System in Your Home

If your drinking water tests positive for iron and/or lead, it is highly likely that somewhere between your home and the water treatment facility lies a section that consists of old decaying water pipes. The big question, is where? Homeowners can opt to have the pipes in their home, as well as the 'last mile' pipes lying between their home and the city's water main line inspected, and if necessary, replaced. However, this could prove to be a complex, labor intensive and costly operation, and it may not necessarily solve the problem if the rot lies in the main municipal water supply line beyond your property boundary.

Water pipes stacked upon each other

A far simpler, and more cost-effective solution would be to invest in a good quality city water filtration system that is capable of removing iron and lead from water. This will solve the problem no matter where the lead or iron is coming from. Furthermore, a good quality city water filter, such as those in the Berkey Water Filter range, can also remove many other toxic drinking water contaminants that we are exposed to on a daily basis, as well as resolve taste and odor issues that commonly affect the quality of water that flows from our taps. Berkey Water Filters can also be fitted with optional filter cartridges that are capable of removing fluoride as well. Filtering your drinking will not only remove many potentially hazardous contaminants, it will also remove pollutants that make water smell or taste bad, rendering the water cleaner, tastier and more pleasant to drink. Learn which is the best water filter for you.