According to the Environmental Working Group (Ewg.org), water filters are necessary to remove or reduce the myriad chemicals that contaminate our nation's drinking water, some of which are linked to cancer and endocrine disruption. Offering healthy water tips, EWG suggests that no matter where we live or how pure we think the water is, tap water likely contains chemicals we should not be drinking. 

An EWG 2017 investigation of drinking water data found more than 250 chemicals in U.S. public water systems. More than half of these chemicals are not regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are not subject to any safety standards.

Most Common Contaminants

Fluoride occurs naturally in surface and groundwater, and is also added to drinking water by many water systems. Long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis and can cause bone cancers, while low doses have the potential to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.

Chlorine, according to a report from the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality, increases the risk of cancer. The disease among people that drink chlorinated water is up to 93 percent higher than for those using water that is not. Chlorine destroys the beneficial gut bacteria, where an estimated 70 percent of our immune system originates.

Chloramines, a byproduct of chlorine and ammonia, is colorless, odorless and tasteless. They are also considered carcinogenic and more difficult to remove from water than chlorine.

Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing volatile organic chemicals (VOC) that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants. They act as free radicals in the body, triggering cell damage and are highly carcinogenic, even in small amounts.

Hexavalent chromium 6, the cancer-causing chemical made notorious by the film Erin Brockovich, can damage the liver and reproductive system, and delay skeletal development of children. The EPA national survey of chromium-6 concentrations in drinking water revealed that the contaminant was found in more than 75 percent of water systems sampled.

Trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids, both linked to cancer, are routinely found in drinking water, sometimes above EPA-regulated limits. Additionally, arsenic, known to cause bladder, lung and skin cancer, as well as harm to the skin and lungs, can come from natural, industrial and agricultural sources.

Never assume tap water is free of worrisome chemicals. Instead, check the local water utility website for a drinking water quality report (CollierCountyFl.gov; LeeGov.com . Utilities are required to produce these reports annually.

Allini Water Systems of Naples, located at 1660 Trade Center Way, Ste. 5, in Naples, uses no chemicals in its filtration system, only organic carbons and bioceramics. Multimedia filters feature a self-cleaning process that does not require monthly filter changes or maintenance. Call 239-451-4393 for a free water test and consultation. Visit NaplesWaterFilter.com.