- Environmental chemicals, including pesticides, herbi-
cides and trihalomethanes, a by-product of chlorination,
and chemicals that can leach out of plastic bottles. - Heavy metals including lead, copper, and nitrates.
- Bacteria, including the most common coliform bacteria.
- Radiological pollution, including radon, radium and
uranium.
If you’re concerned about your water, the first step is to analyze
it to find out what, if any, contamination exists. Once any questions
about the quality of the water are answered, necessary steps to
improve it can be taken more logically. The first question to ask is in
regard to the source of your water. For most people, this is either a
public water system or a well.
Individuals on public systems have the legal right to ask for and
obtain the results of past water tests from their water supplier. The
supplier must also inform you of any problems, past or present, in
meeting federal requirements for safety. The supplier can also tell you
if your water contains chlorine or fluoride.
If your source of water comes from a well, you’ll have to take the
initiative and have the water tested yourself. If you’ve recently pur-
chased your home, a water test should have been done before the
sale. At other times, the health department may do certain tests, espe-
cially if there are local pollution problems. Deeper wells generally
have less contamination than more shallow, often older, wells. Even if
your area has a safe environment, many problems can come from
water runoffs and chemical leaks far away from your well.
Whether you drink public or well water, another potential source
of contamination is your pipes. The biggest problem is potentially
found in older houses. Because lead is a serious health hazard, lead
pipes and lead-containing materials were outlawed in 1986. However,
in older houses (built before 1930), the plumbing may include lead
pipes, lead-containing solder or other lead-based materials. These
soft, dull-gray metal pipes are very dangerous, especially with soft
water. Some cities, like Chicago and New York, may have lead con-
122 • IN FITNESS AND IN HEALTH