How is City Water Treated?

City water is treated many different ways depending on the area of the country and the water source for treatment.  The most common way to treat city water is with Chlorination where as water that has been treated with chlorine to kill living organisms.  Chloramines are becoming more commonly used as a substitute for chlorine as chloramines are less expensive.  Some cities in New York for example are adding UV Disinfection Units, as well as chlorine, to kill any living organisms in the water supply.  The common misconception is that water that leaves the water treatment plant is safe to drink so why is my water not necessarily safe to drink?  The reason for concern is the pipes that deliver the water are often very old and outdated.  Water tests are done at the water treatment plant and not at the consumer’s home. 

In some major cities the water pipes are located in the same ditch as the sewer pipes.  The older pipes often have cracks in them allowing for water to leak out and if water can leak out then water can leak into the pipes.  Water mains have been known to rupture causing many problems for the surrounding homes.  Boil water alerts are also common in cities across the nation. Installing a water filter and or UV disinfection system can decrease you risk and concern of being effected by boil water alerts and other contaminates found in your water.  The quality of the drinking water in you home can vary in quality thus the need for a good filter is an ever increasing necessity.  More and more people are taking water quality into their own hands by purchasing some type of water filtration device.