Home Filtering Systems Provide Best Drinking Water Protection

New York Times study shows one in 10 Americans potentially exposed

Lisle, IL /PRNewswire/ -- Following a comprehensive New York Times study revealing that ten percent of Americans face dangerous drinking water, the Water Quality Association today urges consumers to consider installing final contaminant barriers in their homes.

On Sunday, the newspaper reported results of its research in the second part of a major series on "toxic waters." Among its findings:

Ten percent of Americans "have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways."
Wells are more likely than municipal water systems to contain contaminants.
An estimated 19.5 million Americans "fall ill" every year to contaminated water.

The New York Times report follows in the wake of Associated Press studies last year showing that up to one in six Americans might be ingesting some level of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water.

Filtering systems in the home provide the highest technology available to treat drinking water, said Peter J. Censky, executive director of WQA. Less than two percent of all water consumed is ingested by humans, making these "point-of-use" systems the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly available. While utilities are required to meet safety standards set by the U.S. EPA, the New York Times reported more than half a million violations of the Clean Water Act since 2004.

Home filtering systems act as a final contaminant barrier and can further purify water for drinking, Censky emphasized.

WQA provides Gold Seal certification for products that remove a variety of contaminants. These products are tested according to independently developed standards of the highly respected ANSI (the American National Standards Institute).

In addition, consumers can find locally certified dealers by visiting the WQA's Find A Professional feature. Dealers are certified though rigorous study and testing. More information about contaminants is also available at WQA's Water Information Library, which includes a search function.

Visit wqa.org to take advantage of these features.

WQA is a non-profit association that provides public information about water treatment issues and also trains and certifies professionals to better serve consumers. WQA has more than 2,500 members nationwide.

SOURCE Water Quality Association