Water has become a Hot Button Topic in North America as recent failures of Government at all levels, including (in the USA) the Lorded EPA, has failed to properly follow testing schedules and to test for specific nationally required chemicals, including chemicals known to be effecting local water sources.
Water testing at all levels of Government has become sloppy!
Note, it is very important to define one's water source!!! If your water source is your personal 'well' or other water source on your property. It is your responsibility to have your water source checked regularly! Wells and other Water Sources change with time and depth of the Well /or surface source(s).
Group, Town, City and/or Regional water sources that have a network of supply piping and a connection to that system to your home places you at the quality effort of your governing group. Those governing groups are required to 'regularly' test the water they supply. The test are to be made available to you either in the form of a yearly report or are publicly provided at the offices of the group.
It is very important for you to know the 'source(s)' used by your group!!! Most groups use a combination of several wells and /or river or lake (surface) water sources. For a very long time, it was believed that well water was safe and that surface water need to be closely monitored. Especially during Spring and Summer as the combination of 'Run-Off' and warm water are sources for a wide cross-section of chemicals and 'bugs.' Over the last 20 twenty years the number of groups with well source water have been reporting ever increasing issues with contaminated wells.
If your group water source is not adding some level of chlorine, you are more at risk of water sourced contamination than a group that is use it. The profuse addition of chlorine is a problem! That commonly occurs from the group not having the proper equipment to determine the amount needed, and /or the equipment to meter that introduction of it. Heavy use of chlorine is ether an indication of seriously contaminated water source(s), a spot treatment resulting from a water pump or main break or sloppy methods of adding it.
Many groups will choose to provide fluoridated water to their customers. The belief is that it can improve the quality of their customers 'teeth.' The good news is that if your group is adding this chemical, they have the testing equipment and metering equipment, which is driven by the expense of the chemical. That means that they also have the equipment to add chlorine at proper levels. Whether this chemical should or should not be added, I have chosen not to address that as part of this Post. The Point Is: If your group is providing fluoridated water and at the same time, providing heavily chloriated water, your group is activity chasing contaminated water source(s).
Note #1: Both of the above chemicals 'off-gas' quickly by simply placing the water is an open contain, commonly as quick as 12 to 24 hours.
Note #2: Regardless of your water source, if your area has known issues with Lead or other contamination issues (chemicals, and /or micro organisms) you need to have your water checked for those additional items. WARNING: There is a ton of junk on the market that have high claims regarding what they remove. If you do not have your water source checked by a Certified Testing Group, you haven't a clue what your filtering needs are! This Certified Testing Group commonly know what issues exist in your area, since they are already providing 'treatment' system targeting those issues.
