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Tap water is generally safe to drink in the US, but Americans can take additional steps to improve the quality of the drinking water and make it safer. A number of factors should be considered when talking about the safety of tap water.

The average American citizen consumes about one to two liters of drinking water per day, in addition to the water used for cooking or washing foods. Virtually all drinking water in the U.S. comes from fresh surface waters or groundwater aquifers and is tested according to high U.S. and international standards for making it safe to drink.

Health authorities regularly assess the quality of tap water. There are over 150,000 public water systems in the U.S. serving over 300 million Americans. The US Congress enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974, and this is the main federal law in America focused on the quality of tap water. The SDWA authorizes the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set national standards to tap water to protect Americans against health issues related to exposure to water contaminants.

According to the EPA, a variety of contaminants and pollutants can be found in tap water. Water contains small amounts of some contaminants, and the fact those contaminants are present does not necessarily mean that drinking water may be harmful. Tap water may cause health problems when certain contaminants reach a certain level in the water.

For example, in Flint, Michigan, there was a public health crisis back in 2014- 2016, which involved the municipal water supply system. Tens of thousands of local residents were exposed to dangerous levels of lead, and bacterial contaminants were responsible for sickening many and killing at least 12 people.

EPA has special regulation in place for more than 90 contaminants in drinking water. Water contaminants are broadly classified into:

While life threatening microbes responsible for cholera or typhoid fever are rare in the US and all Western countries, many viruses and other microbes can cause stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. These infections are often self limited or require minimal treatment in healthy individuals, but can be severe and even life threatening for individuals with a weakened immune system.

Local health authorities issue warnings when dangerous levels of certain microbes are detected in the tap water and they may recommend boiling the water before consuming it, if necessary.

For example, bacteria like E.coli and parasites like giardia can leak from the sewage system into the drinking water. Food and other environmental contaminants are also reported to the public, along with recommendations on how to stay safe.

In 2019, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found 56 new contaminants in the drinking water in the U.S., which were added to the list of more than 300 known contaminants.

Many of these newly detected contaminants include various pesticides, disinfectant by-products and radioactive compounds. Some of these substances are associated with serious health conditions including cancer, reproductive disruptors and liver diseases. The EPA has not yet regulated these chemicals.

While the U.S. has high standards for public drinking water, the regulation of the law in the U.S. is not perfect and it does not apply to homes that use private wells. EPA regulates over 90 contaminants, but a few more hundreds of substances found in the water should be monitored.

For these reasons, Americans can take a few additional steps to ensure the safety of the drinking water.

The EWG recommends using point- of-use filters and reverse osmosis technology for drinking and cooking water only.

The U.S. has high standards to evaluate and ensure safety of the drinking water. EPA has special regulation in place for more than 90 contaminants in the drinking water. However, more and more contaminants are found in the water and environment. Using quality water filters can further increase the safety of the drinking water.

Tap water in the U.S. is generally safe, but with some caveats.

While the U.S. has high standards for public drinking water, many substances can contaminate the water.

To make the drinking water safer, consider using a water filter, preferably using reverse osmosis technology.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Types Of Drinking Water Contaminants.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG). Tap Water Database. Step-by-step guide to selecting a home tap water filter.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG). Water Filter Technology.

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