TL;DR: Your tap water may meet EPA standards and still carry contaminants picked up from aging pipes, farm runoff, or natural sources. This guide breaks down the most common tap water contaminants and how to remove them for good.
- The top 5 threats: Nitrates, microorganisms, arsenic, pesticides, and radionuclides are the drinking water contaminants we test for most often in central Indiana.
- 3 more to watch: Chlorine, lead, and microplastics round out the eight most common water pollutants.
- Invisible dangers: Many contaminants, like arsenic and lead, have no taste, smell, or color, so testing is the only way to know they’re there.
- The fix: Reverse osmosis systems remove the tough stuff right at your tap, while whole-home softeners tackle hard water minerals.
- Free water test: Indy Soft Water will pinpoint exactly what’s in your water, with no guesswork and no pressure.
Do you know what’s in your water? If you don’t have a water filter from Indy Soft Water, there’s a good chance that you’re drinking hard water. Hard water has high levels of dissolved minerals, including calcium and magnesium. While these minerals aren’t necessarily bad for you, plenty of other tap water contaminants can be.
So, is tap water safe to drink? In the United States, the answer is usually yes, at least by regulatory standards. Municipal water systems are required to meet EPA guidelines before water ever leaves the treatment plant. But “meets minimum standards” and “as clean as it could be” are two very different things. Water can pick up contaminants on its journey through miles of aging pipes, and private wells aren’t regulated at all. That’s why it pays to know exactly what’s in tap water before it ends up in your glass.
Which country has the healthiest tap water? That honor usually goes to Switzerland, Iceland, and Finland, thanks to pristine natural sources and heavily protected watersheds. Here in central Indiana, our source water works a lot harder. Agricultural runoff, aging infrastructure, and naturally occurring minerals all affect our local water quality, which makes home filtration even more important.
What are 5 substances that can contaminate water? The list below covers the five we test for most often. Let’s break down the top five drinking water contaminants we look for.
1. Nitrate and Nitrite
Nitrate is found in fertilizer and animal waste, and it can enter the water supply through runoff or leaching. That’s a real concern in a farming state like Indiana. Nitrite is a byproduct of nitrate breakdown, and it can also be found in sewage or industrial waste. Both contaminants are harmful to human health, and they can cause a range of serious problems, including cancer, birth defects, and nervous system damage. Infants are especially vulnerable, which is why nitrate testing is so important for families on well water.
2. Microorganisms
Another common water contaminant is microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses. These tiny organisms can cause a variety of illnesses, ranging from mild stomach upset to serious waterborne disease. There are many ways for microorganisms to enter your water supply, including through sewage systems, animal waste, and flooding events that overwhelm local treatment plants. Because you can’t see, smell, or taste most of them, regular water testing is the only way to know these tap water contaminants are there.
3. Arsenic
Arsenic is found in both private wells and public water supplies. It occurs naturally in Indiana’s soil and bedrock, so it can seep into groundwater without any human help at all. While it is not always harmful to human health, it can pose a serious threat if consumed at high levels over time. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. In severe cases, it can lead to organ failure and death.
4. Pesticides
Pesticides are used in agriculture to protect crops from pests, but they can also end up in our water supply. These chemicals are harmful to human health, and they can also cause damage to aquatic ecosystems. In addition, pesticides can be difficult to remove from water, and they can linger in the environment for years. Spring planting season often brings a spike in these tap water contaminants across the Midwest.
5. Radionuclides
Radionuclides radioactively decay and emit particles that can be harmful to human health. They can enter the water supply through natural sources or from human activity, such as mining and nuclear power plants. Radionuclides can cause cancer and other health problems, and like arsenic, these tap water contaminants are completely undetectable without a proper water test.
Other Common Water Pollutants to Watch For
The five contaminants above are the heavy hitters, but water contamination doesn’t stop there. What are the 8 common water pollutants? Most experts take the five above and round out the list with these three additions:
- Chlorine and disinfection byproducts. Treatment plants add chlorine to kill germs, but it lingers in your water and affects taste, smell, and even your skin and hair. A good carbon filter can reduce chlorine dramatically at the tap.
- Lead and heavy metals. Older homes with lead pipes or solder can leach this dangerous metal into otherwise clean water. Lead is tasteless, odorless, and invisible.
- Sediment and microplastics. Sand, rust, and tiny plastic particles make their way into water supplies through aging pipes and environmental pollution.
Together with nitrates, microorganisms, arsenic, pesticides, and radionuclides, these make up the eight pollutants most likely to show up in a home water test. The good news? Every single one of them can be addressed with the right filtration setup.
We Remove Hard Water Contaminants
Indy Soft Water offers the best solutions in water softening and water filtration. Our drinking water solutions include Reverse Osmosis systems, high-efficiency systems, and point-of-use systems. A reverse osmosis system is the gold standard for the tough stuff, removing contaminants including nitrates, arsenic, lead, and dissolved solids right at your tap. It’s the most thorough tap water filter you can install in your home.
Additionally, our whole-home water softeners remove the harsh minerals that cause dry skin and itchy clothing, protecting your pipes and appliances at the same time. Every home’s water is different, which is why our WQA-certified team starts with a free water test to find out exactly what tap water contaminants you’re dealing with. Then we’ll recommend the system that fits, with no guesswork and no pressure.
So, if you’re tired of living with the hard water found in Carmel, IN and the surrounding Indianapolis area, call us at (317) 228-9822 or contact us online to schedule your free water quality analysis today.
