Ensuring access to clean, pure water is crucial for maintaining good health, yet more than 2 billion people worldwide still lack safe drinking water. The contamination of tap water with harmful substances has led many to turn to alternatives like bottled water and home filtration systems to safeguard their well-being.
Despite this shift, there is a lack of comprehensive scientific data on the safety of these water sources, especially concerning hazardous chemicals and pollutants. Researchers from California recently investigated the safety and quality of three common drinking water options – bottled water, tap water, and household-treated tap water.
Published in the journal PLOS Water, their study revealed concerning levels of carcinogenic chemicals and other harmful pollutants in all types of drinking water, raising doubts about what is truly safe for consumption.
Detection of Cancer-Linked Chemicals in Drinking Water
The researchers collected and analyzed 100 bottled water samples from 89 different brands, 603 tap water samples, and 111 household-treated tap water samples from the San Francisco Bay Area. They tested for 100 different contaminants, including metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), disinfection byproducts, and microbial indicators, as well as evaluated taste, odor, and color preferences of consumers.
One alarming finding was the presence of trihalomethanes (THMs) in all tested drinking water sources. THMs are carcinogenic disinfection byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter in water. They have been linked to liver toxicity, reproductive issues, and developmental problems.
Tap water samples had the highest concentrations of these chemicals, accounting for 94.5% of total toxicity, while THMs made up 76.7% of the total toxicity in household-treated tap water.
Furthermore, 2% of tap water samples exceeded the regulatory limit for THMs, while 25% of household-treated tap water samples had levels of chloroform, a common THM, above health-protective benchmarks.
In addition to THMs, heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and uranium were found in both tap water and household-treated tap water samples. Lead, especially harmful to children, can cause neurological damage and developmental delays. Arsenic and uranium pose long-term health risks, including cancer and kidney damage.
Bottled Water Is Not a Safer Option
Despite concerns about tap water safety and taste, bottled water is not necessarily a safer choice. The study found that some bottled water samples exceeded regulatory limits for THMs and contained petroleum-derived compounds like benzene and toluene not found in tap water. Heterotrophic bacteria were also present in bottled water, challenging the perception of its purity.
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals like microplastics and PFAS found in plastic water bottles pose additional health risks. Microplastics can leach from the bottle or be present in the water source, potentially causing hormonal imbalances and reproductive issues. PFAS disrupt thyroid function, leading to metabolic disorders and developmental problems.
También se han asociado con una disminución de la fertilidad, una función inmune alterada y un mayor riesgo de cáncer.13
La base de datos de agua del grifo de EWG: ¿Qué contaminantes hay en tu agua?
Si desea saber qué otros contaminantes acechan en su agua, puede obtener los resultados del análisis de agua potable local de su empresa de agua. Es su derecho ver el informe anual de calidad del agua de su área, que debería resaltar los contaminantes de preocupación (aunque podría haber otros que sean legalmente “seguros” pero aún representan un riesgo para la salud a largo plazo).
El Grupo de Trabajo Ambiental (EWG) también ofrece una base de datos exhaustiva de agua del grifo que permite a los consumidores acceder a información detallada sobre la calidad del agua potable local. Esta base de datos proporciona información sobre los contaminantes detectados en los suministros de agua municipales, incluidos sus niveles y posibles riesgos para la salud.
Simplemente ingresando su código postal, podrá aprender sobre contaminantes específicos encontrados en su área, como plomo, cloro y varios pesticidas. Este recurso le permite tomar decisiones informadas sobre la calidad de su agua y alienta a las empresas de servicios públicos locales a mejorar sus estándares.
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