Yes, municipal water is treated to meet the minimum federal requirements. These requirements do not cover all contaminates. Most people expect their tap water to be free from every impurity, but this is not the case. While many impurities are harmless, some that remain in the system are adverse to your heath and others cause stains, have odors, and damage sensitive equipment. A water softener installation can help mitigate some of these issues by removing hardness minerals and improving the overall water quality.

Chlorine has been in use in our water systems since 1908, when it was first used to eliminate serious water-borne diseases such as typhoid. It has been in common use for over 80 years and has some proven public health benefits. However, in the 1970’s research uncovered that chlorine, when added to water, forms Trihalomethanes (chlorinated by-products) by combining with certain naturally occurring organic matter such as vegetation and algae. Further, the American Journal of Public Health published a report in 1992 that showed a 15% to 35% increase in certain types of cancer for people who consume chlorinated water. The report also stated that much of these effects were due to showering and bathing in chlorinated water.

According to The National Cancer Institute, cancer risks for people who consume chlorinated water may be to be up to 93% higher than for people who do not. While acknowledging the need for clean public water, most experts now agree that there are some significant risks related to consuming chlorine and chlorinated by-products in drinking water.

Call Paragon Water today at 1-866-846-4811 to speak with a water treatment specialist about your water softener installation or water filter system needs. You can also visit EWG’s website to receive a free water report for your local water provider.

TDS refers to Total Dissolved Solids, or the weight of all solids in your water. The solids are primarily calcium and magnesium and would not be a measure of contamination. Understanding TDS will help when considering water softener installation, as high levels can affects the efficiency of your system and the quality of your water.

While the quality of most bottled water is high, it is, for the most part, a self-policed industry with few, if any regulations to ensure quality. In contrast, manufacturers in the heavily regulated water filter system and water softener system industries must do extensive testing and provide regular reporting on the effectiveness of their systems.

Nearly every municipal water system uses chlorine. The levels of chlorine will vary based on many factors including outdoor temperature, distance from the water utility, the amount of chlorine used by the utility, and the overall level of water usage at the time of the test. An undetectable level of chlorine on a certain day does mean chlorine is not then or normally present and does not eliminate the need for an effective water filter system.

VOCs are Volatile Organic Chemicals, which are synthetic compounds that turn to vapor at relatively low temperatures. Most VOCs found in municipal water are herbicides and pesticides.

Instead of relying on the EPA’s Primary Standard for water, our advanced water filter system will put the standard of water purity in your hands.