Discover What’s Really Flowing Through Your Faucet: A Deep Dive into Leesburg’s Municipal Water Additives
When you turn on the tap in Leesburg, Florida, you might think you’re getting pure, clean water. However, like most municipal water systems across the country, the City of Leesburg Water System, established more than a century ago and serving approximately 37,300 residential customers and 2,000 commercial customers, adds various chemicals during the treatment process to ensure safety and compliance with federal regulations.
Common Chemicals Added to Leesburg’s Municipal Water Supply
Municipal water treatment facilities, including Leesburg’s system, use several key chemicals to purify and disinfect water before it reaches your home. Understanding these additives is crucial for making informed decisions about your family’s water consumption.
Chlorine and Chloramine are the primary disinfectants used in water treatment. Common types of chemical disinfectants include chlorine, chloramine, or chlorine dioxide, with treatment plant staff ensuring the water has low levels of the chemical disinfectant when it leaves the treatment plant. While effective at killing harmful bacteria and viruses, these chemicals can create concerning byproducts.
Trihalomethanes (THMs) form when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water. Trihalomethanes are cancer-causing contaminants that form during water treatment with chlorine and other disinfectants, including four chemicals: chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane and bromoform. According to EWG data, the health guideline of 0.15 parts per billion for the group of four trihalomethanes represents a one-in-one-million lifetime cancer risk level.
Aluminum Sulfate (Alum) is commonly used as a coagulant. Alum is a chemical that is used to help remove suspended solids from the water by binding to suspended solids, such as dirt and clay, and causing them to settle out of the water. However, concerns exist about potential health effects from aluminum exposure.
Fluoride is added to prevent tooth decay. Drinking water with the right amount of fluoride keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities. The three most common compounds used to fluoridate water are sodium fluoride, hydrofluosilicic acid, and sodium silicofluoride.
Potential Health Concerns with Municipal Water Additives
While these chemicals serve important purposes in water treatment, they can pose health risks when consumed over time. High levels of disinfectants like chlorine can form harmful byproducts such as trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), with prolonged exposure linked to an increased risk of cancer, particularly bladder cancer, as well as liver and kidney damage.
Research has also shown that nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water and can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Additionally, perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes.
How to Remove These Chemicals from Your Water
Fortunately, several effective filtration methods can remove these concerning additives from your tap water:
Activated Carbon Filtration is one of the most popular and effective methods. Carbon filters are a convenient way to remove trihalomethanes from tap water, using charcoal or activated carbon for filtration, though when purchasing a carbon filter, ensure it is certified to remove THMs.
Reverse Osmosis Systems provide comprehensive filtration. Reverse osmosis water filtration systems are efficient at removing trihalomethanes from water, removing THMs, lead, chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, chloramine, detergents, heavy metals, and organic matter.
Whole House Filtration Systems treat all water entering your home. Whole house filters are installed at the point where water enters a house, so that all taps and appliances receive filtered water, using ion exchange, reverse osmosis or activated carbon technology.
Why Choose Professional Water Treatment Services
Given the complexity of water contamination and the variety of filtration options available, working with a professional water treatment company is essential. Quality Safe Water of Florida is dedicated to ensuring every Florida family has access to clean, safe, and purified water, committed to providing the highest quality, efficient, and affordable water treatment solutions, prioritizing the health and well-being of customers.
For residents concerned about their water quality, professional water filtration leesburg fl services can provide comprehensive testing and customized solutions. Quality Safe Water of Florida offers a variety of services to meet all your water needs, providing custom-designed water purification systems based on water analysis and family water usage and needs.
Take Action for Your Family’s Health
Don’t wait to address your water quality concerns. Prioritizing clean and safe water consumption is essential for maintaining good health, and high levels of trihalomethanes can be minimized or removed from drinking water. Whether you’re dealing with chlorine taste and odor, concerned about THM formation, or want comprehensive protection from multiple contaminants, professional water treatment solutions can provide peace of mind.
Consider scheduling a free water analysis to understand exactly what’s in your tap water and determine the best filtration approach for your specific needs. With the right water treatment system, you can ensure your family has access to clean, safe, and great-tasting water straight from every tap in your home.