Water Quality (for Families & Communities)

Water can become unsafe in two ways. The water itself is contaminated (e.g., a chemical is dumped in a river, in groundwater, etc.). What contains or carries the water is contaminated (e.g., the water travels through pipes with lead in them).

There are many different types of water contaminants from a wide range of sources. Water may be unsafe because of pollution from farms or factories, sewage spills or leaking septic systems. Fuel tanks or landfills can leak underground into water. Old pipes may contain lead and need to be replaced. Harmful bacteria called algal blooms can grow in both fresh and salt water, and make people and animals sick. and naturally-occurring contaminants, such as arsenic or radioactive elements. Chemicals or sewage can spread or spill from industrial areas or farms into local drinking water sources. Aging water pipes in need of replacement can contain lead. Water in ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans can also contain certain chemicals or fecal matter. Public water sources and well water can become unsafe to drink or bathe in during or after wildfires or flooding.

• Examples of germs/bacteria that can make your family sick include: Cryptosporidium, E. coli, Giardia, Hepatitis A virus, Legionella, Norovirus, Rotavirus, Salmonella, Shigella.
• Examples of chemicals that can make your family sick include: arsenic, copper, lead, nitrate, pesticides, PFAS, radon, uranium.

Contaminants range in how harmful they are. Disinfection byproducts associated with water chlorination are often listed as a contaminant on local water reports. These disinfection byproducts are helpful at the right levels to kill germs and prevent illness. Below are some examples of harmful health effects from water contamination.

Algal Blooms- Mild symptoms can include stomach pain, rash, headache, coughing, watery eyes, nose irritation, or sore throat. Serious symptoms can include seizures, liver damage, and/or irregular heartbeat.

Lead- Most children with elevated lead levels do not have symptoms right away but may develop problems as the lead levels rise. Children may experience headaches, abdominal pain, loss of appetite or constipation, clumsiness, irritable mood, drowsiness, vomiting, or seizures. Find more information on our lead page for families and communities.

PFAS- Health effects can range. People can experience increases in cholesterol levels. Babies affected can have lower birth weight. People can also have lower antibody response to vaccines. Pregnant women can experience hypertension or preeclampsia. Additionally, PFAS is also linked to kidney and testicular cancer, and changes in liver enzymes.

• Know Your At-Home Water Quality:
  • Public Water Sources: If your tap water comes from a public utility, the utility must issue a public report every year by July 1st. This report is called a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). The report includes where your water comes from and what’s in it. Visit your water supplier’s website or look up the CCR on EPA’s website here. You can also test your tap water at home for harmful contaminants.
  • Private Water Sources: If your tap water comes from a well, once a year, test your water quality. The AAP recommends testing private wells every year for coliforms, nitrates, pH, and total solids. They recommend testing every 3 years for chemicals and every 5 years for solvents or other tests recommended locally. Families should also test their water if there is flooding, change in water taste, odor or appearance, or if the family has other concerns. Families can call or email their local or state water authorities to learn more about testing their home ‘s water.

• Improve Your At-Home Water Quality:
  • You may want to install an at-home water filtration or treatment system, or use a portable water filter to remove certain germs or chemicals. There are systems that can treat your whole home, or ones that can treat only your kitchen sink, or only your bath or shower water.
  • If you live in a community with unsafe water or are concerned about your water quality, use a water filter that is NSF certified. This type of filter removes harmful contaminants, including PFAS. Use pre-mixed baby formula or mix it using filtered water. The AAP also recommends testing private wells in other circumstances:
    • if it is a new, repaired, or reconditioned well,
    • if there is a newborn in the household,
    • unexplained illnesses in all family members,
    • recent changes in land use (e.g., new septic systems, new industry, new construction, data centers, fracking),
    • known changes in your neighborhood or county in the quality of the groundwater.

• Keep Your Family Safe
  • Families living in flood-prone areas should store adequate supplies of drinking water at home. This is in case a flooding event disrupts the usual sources of safe water. A 3-day supply is recommended for families planning to evacuate and a 2-week supply is advised for those who would plan to shelter-in-place. FEMA advises that usage should be calculated at 1 gallon per person per day.
  • Check your local fish advisories before eating locally sourced fish or seafood or wild game.

• Be Careful While Traveling, Hiking or Camping
  • If you don’t know if your water is safe while traveling, camping, or hiking, it’s best to treat it before drinking it. To kill bacteria, boiling water is best. You can also use portable water filters. Boiling water or using portable hiking water filters will not remove harmful contaminants such as lead, arsenic, or PFAS.
  • Avoid using hot water from a tap while traveling, as it is more likely to contain lead.

• Check Local Alerts Before Swimming
  • Look for local signs posted about the water quality before swimming in a river, lake, or ocean. Avoid water that appears cloudy or dirty.
  • Nationally, EPA has a database that shows water quality on beaches. Environment America Research & Policy Center also has a Safe for Swimming dashboard. For people in California, the state has a Safe to Swim map.
  • Wait 3 days after a heavy rainfall to swim. Ensure you are swimming at least 150 feet from a storm drain to avoid run-off.

• Staff at schools or childcare centers can improve water quality provided to children in schools or centers. Examples include working with local public health officials to test school water sources.
• Students and teachers should fill their water bottles from drinking fountains or bubblers that staff know are safe. They should not drink tap water from science laboratories, art rooms, restrooms, or other taps that aren’t tested regularly.