What is in your Water?

What is in your Water?

Although the information regarding what is in our water is public information, it is not as easy to figure out as pulling up the California Department of Public Health’s website. 

With an over abundance of tables and charts brimming with clever abbreviations and measurements unfamiliar to the average student, it is no wonder that most have no clue as to what is in the water that they consume daily. According to the California Department of Public Health, we should be doing our research.

“Read consumer confidence reports, be informed consumers,” Matt Conens of the California Department of Public Health commented, “What is in water can affect your health if it doesn’t comply with water quality regulations.” 

The Public Utilities Department’s report on water quality relative to public health goals (PHG report) is offered as public domain annually. The most recent PHG report said that San Diego’s water violated only one public health goal; uranium. Although the amount found in drinking water exceeded the goal, it does not “constitute a violation of drinking water regulations or indicate the water unsafe to drink,” according to the PHG report. 

Since this contaminate was found in the drinking water, the PHG report proposed a way to reduce the levels with the best available technology using reverse osmosis. The estimated cost for the treatment plan solely is between $147.2 million and $281.7 million per year for the life span of the system. The PHG report concludes by saying that no further action is proposed for now to reduce the already below maximum contaminate level of uranium. 

While our water here in the United States is often considered the safest in the world, a warning is also issued to individuals who may be more vulnerable to contaminates in the water than the general population, such as those who are pregnant or those who are undergoing medical treatment. In the 2009 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report, individuals are urged to speak to their healthcare providers about drinking tap water. 

Is bottled or vended water any safer? According to the California Department of Public Health’s website, bottled or vended water is regulated differently than standard tap water since the source is different. While tap water comes from places like lakes and rivers, bottled and vended water is derived from approved sources including licensed private water sources. 

Retail water facilities treat approved water to improve the quality. They often use various filtration processes such as reverse osmosis and disinfection such as ultraviolet light to do this. These processes are done mainly to improve the clarity, flavor, and taste. All water is regulated to ensure our safety, but it is up to us as individuals to know exactly what those standards are. 

“I think it’s important to know what impurities are in their water because water is an essential part of human’s lives. We must be informed of unclean water,” Palomar College student Mardee Littrell said, “We have to be aware of our health.”