Most Common Rural vs. Urban Water Contaminants
Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common rural vs. urban water contaminants:
- Pathogens like E. Coli
- Chemicals like nitrates, phosphorus, and ammonia
- Harmful weeds and algae
- Growth hormones
- Antibiotics
- Heavy metals like zinc and copper
- Lead
- Mercury
- Other heavy metals like zinc and copper
- Oil
- Grease
- Pathogens like E. Coli
- Nutrients, such as phosphorus, nitrate and nitrogen
- Chemicals from pharmaceuticals, fire retardants, fragrances, and insecticides
- Sediments, such as tiny particles of soil, silt, clay, or sand
3 Factors Contributing to Urban Water Contamination
Living in a big city or other urban areas comes with a lot of perks, like more restaurants, entertainment, and quality job opportunities.
At the same time, the quality of your drinking water can suffer.
While the tap water in most U.S. cities won’t make you sick immediately, exposure to dangerous contaminants may still threaten your long-term health.
Most big cities are hubs for manufacturing and industrial facilities.
These are notorious for leaking waste, including heavy metals and other toxic chemicals into local waterways.
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are artificial chemicals used to make non-stick cookware.
They’re a great example of a pollutant that enters source water from manufacturing facilities.
In fact, a recent study from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shed light on some shocking information…
The number of Americans exposed to PFAS IN contaminated tap water may have been seriously underestimated in previous studies.
Another contaminant is nuclear waste produced in medical, industrial, and scientific research processes.
Nuclear waste can linger in the environment for centuries and has detrimental effects on human health and the environment.
2. Commercial Facilities and Construction Sites
Commercial businesses are next on the list of culprits of urban water contamination.
The most common offenders here are airports, gas stations, auto repair shops, and construction sites.
The daily operational runoff from these businesses can include oils and chemicals, as well as fuel, sediment, and other pollutants.
Many of these can easily leach into the groundwater and sewer systems, and of course eventually to our drinking water sources.
Did you know that residential areas release hundreds of thousands of chemicals every single day?
These include cleaning products, solvents, paints, pesticides, personal care products, and pharmaceuticals.
Many of them end up in nearby water sources. Yuck!
Other Possible Factors of Urban Water Pollution
But wait, that’s not all!
There’s a few more factors that may contribute to water contamination in urban areas…
Significant contributors include…
- Everyday waste collected in stormwater pipes
- Road de-icing chemicals in winter
- Illegal garbage dumping
Problems like these vary depending on the area’s weather patterns and waste disposal standards.
These toxic materials often wash to underground water sources that municipalities often rely on for drinking water.
What About Contamination In the Good Ol’ Countryside?
Do you live far away from the hustle and bustle of the big city?
While the air may be cleaner, there could still be dangers lurking in your pipes!
In rural areas, much of the pollution originates from commercial fertilizers, household garbage, and animal waste.
Sure, there aren’t as many people in the country, but there are significantly more farm animals, and animals like to poop!
Unfortunately, that poop ends up in local drinking water supplies.
To make matters worse, things like garbage and liquid waste are often disposed of inappropriately in rural areas.
These can cause serious water contamination over time.
3 Factors Contributing to Rural Water Contamination
Nearby agricultural facilities pose a great risk to the quality of your drinking water.
In fact, did you know that farming accounts for around 70% of the water used in the world today?
While this isn’t an issue in and of itself, the problem is that bad farming practices can contaminate source water.
Anything from excess nutrients, herbicides, pesticides, animal waste, and other pollutants easily leach into the surface and source waters.
Many smaller communities get their drinking water solely from their own water wells.
In fact, around 15% of people in the United States are on individual water supply systems.
Special safety precautions must be taken to ensure that the well water is safe to drink.
That’s because public water systems are taken care of by the local government and private wells aren’t.
Public water supplies use water treatment and monitoring to protect consumers from chemical and biological contaminants.
Private wells, on the other hand, generally do not receive the same safety measures.
That’s because the well owners themselves are responsible for keeping their own drinking water clean and safe.
The usual suspects found in well water are microorganism, nitrate, heavy metals, and the organic fertilizers used widely in agriculture.
How clean is your source water?
One of the first things you should consider is the distance between your water source and potential sources of contamination.
You should always keep a minimum distance from possible contamination sources, but if you live on or near a farm, this isn’t always possible.
The EPA has a great list that details some of the sources of contamination and gives minimum distance recommendations as well.
In addition, keep in mind that you should also determine the quality you need for the intended purpose.
After all, there is a big difference between the water coming out of your hose in the garden and your drinking water.
Finally, test the water for bacteriologic and chemical quality,especially if you intend to use it as drinking water, and use an in-home filter to be safe.
What Else Can Happen with Urban vs. Rural Drinking Water Contaminants?
Backflow is something to consider as well if you live in both urban and rural areas.
Backflow is any unwanted flow of unsafe water getting into your drinking water system.
It is caused by many different factors, such as incorrect water pressure or poor plumbing installation.
If you’re not careful, your water can quickly be contaminated through your very own home water system!
Drinking Water Should Be More Than Just Safe
Water should not only be safe to drink, it should also be delicious and refreshing!
There are many things that can affect the taste of your drinking water, including water hardness, acidity, and the amount of dissolved iron.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could ensure that your drinking water is safe and tasty with a single device?
Don’t worry, we got you covered!
Should You Get a Water Filter Installed In Your Home?
Regardless of where you live, installing a home water filter will make your water clean as a jelly bean!
Cloud Water Filters feature the latest sediment and carbon filters, as well as reverse osmosis technology that removes up to 99.9% of all contaminants.
That means that even tiniest heavy metal particles, pesticides, and VOCs don’t stand a chance of getting through!
