Should I Be Concerned?

Actually, yes.

Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine. (Source:  U.S. Council on Environmental Quality).

Known carcinogens are found in drinking water as a direct consequence of the practice of chlorination -- a long established public health practice for the disinfection of drinking water. (Source: Municipal Environmental Research Laboratory. Francis T. Mayo, Director)

Your water may contain contaminants, but there are no federal regulations requiring that water suppliers notify you of their presence unless they reach a certain level.

These contaminants - chemicals, radiation, and microorganisms - threaten public health as they regularly find their way into public drinking water systems.

Also, public water systems don't test for contaminants that enter the water between the treatment center and your tap, which may include asbestos from concrete water mains and lead from service lines and your home's pipes.

During 1991 and 1992, EPA records showed over 250,000 violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act.  A study by the Natural Resources Defense Council from 1993 states that THMs (chlorine byproducts) are associated with more than 10,000 bladder and rectal cancers per year, which is about 30 cancers per day.

The need and availability of pure CLEAN water for human consumption is now turning into a critical situation. Now Pollution of our streams, rivers, and underground aquifers is affecting our water.

Some tap and well waters have been found to contain high concentrations of chlorides, chlorine, fluorine, nitrates, chemical salts, sulphates, carbonates of sodium, nitrates, lead and many new contaminants which are entering our waterways daily.

Local health and water supply authorities steadily work to combat these contaminants as well as serious outbreaks of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other waterborne parasites, but their task can be overwhelming.