Why do I need a domestic filtration unit if my utility is required to deliver clean water?

Question

The domestic water filtration business is built on the concern that tap water requires further filtering not facilitated at the municipal water plant.  If this is so, why not?

Maxime de Cazotte · Answer

Hello Tia,
The simple truth is that you do not need further treatment on utilities-provided water. In the UK, where I believe you are located, the domestic tap water supply is of an excellent quality. The only possible cases where you may want to add some form of treatment is in old buildings where you may still find lead pipes (I have no data on this, it's possible there are still some out there), and if the taste of chlorine is too unpleasant for you.
Another important point: some commercial buildings and some housing buildings occasionally use drinking water storage tanks as a buffer to ensure continued supply to the taps. This can have detrimental effects, particularly if the tank is oversised compared to usage. This can lead to bacterial issues. See Legionella Control Association's Approved Code of Practice - L8 for guidance in this case. For most UK housing though, this is not the case.

Julien CONSTANT · Answer

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Kira Chatterton · Answer

Answer
Here is a little info from my personal blog. For further information, go to http://www.gogreenwaterfilter.com/apps/blog/
 
Americans consider their water supply safe because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors drinking water quality. However, the EPA has established standards for less than 100 contaminants found in drinking water supplies.
Federal law requires the public water utilities to provide consumers with a “consumer-confidence report.” The water companies are required to tell consumers whether their water measures up to the established EPA standards. If standards have not been established, the water company is not required to monitor and report on those contaminants. Also, while certain contaminants found in your drinking water may be within “allowable” limits, that level of contamination may not be safe for vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, pregnant women and individuals with compromised immune systems.
 
The report may indicate that your water had safe levels of a contaminant, when it actually experienced potentially harmful spikes. The water utility’s report is usually based on an annual average measurement, not on individual water samples.
A water quality report can’t tell you about contaminants that can be introduced into the drinking water as it flows through the distribution pipes or in your own home - such as lead from lead solder on pipes, asbestos used in distribution pipes, or harmful byproducts of chlorination.
 
 
What About Industry Standards?
Although the EPA oversees the safety of public drinking water supplies, it does not regulate the drinking water treatment industry. The EPA refers consumers seeking assistance in evaluating water treatment devices to NSF International, a not-for-profit organization which tests and certifies that products meet the requirements of its strict public health standards. NSF's standards and testing criteria are used internationally for consumer products and services including drinking water treatment units. The end result for the consumer is the assurance that the certified drinking water treatment system will do what its manufacturer claims it will do.
 
 
NSF Certified vs. Tested to NSF Standards There is a difference.
Only if a product is NSF-certified can the consumer be certain that the product meets strict standards for design and performance. Many products claim they are "tested to NSF Standards;" however, these products haven't passed the rigorous NSF testing and certification process. For more information, go to http://www.nsf.org/
 
In addition to NSF certification, some states have established certification or registration requirements for drinking water treatment devices for which health claims are made. To date the states of California, Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin have established some form of regulation for drinking water treatment devices.
 
 
 
What Are the Concerns?
The most widespread contamination problems causing consumers concern are:
Disinfection Byproducts: (DBPs) Disinfectants, such as chlorine and chloramines, which are used to kill microbes, form harmful byproducts (DBPs). Many of the DBPs have been found to cause potential health risks, including human cancers and birth and developmental defects. Some 600 DBPs have been identified since 1974; however, scientists believe that represents only 50% of all DBPs that occur in chlorine- treated water and 17% of those occurring in chloramine treated water. Of the identified DBPs, the toxicity is known for maybe 30%. More than 90% of the population drink water that has been disinfected. The DBPs enter the water supply as it moves from the treatment plant through the distribution system to the kitchen tap.
 
Chemicals / Pesticides: More than 75,000 chemicals have been introduced to the environment over the past 60 years And, the EPA has established national standards for fewer than 60 chemicals. Chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides have been linked to many diseases, including: cancers in humans; nervous system damage; liver problems; and reproductive problems.
 
Cryptosporidium & Giardia (Cysts): These parasitic cysts are generally more resistant to disinfectants and are particularly harmful to persons with compromised immune systems. Cysts can be killed by boiling water or removed by filtration.
 
Lead: Water can pick up lead almost anywhere along the way from the treatment plant to the tap. Lead enters tap water through corrosion of plumbing materials. Lead in drinking water can cause a variety of adverse health effects when people are exposed to it at levels above the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 15 ppb. In babies and children, exposure to lead in drinking water can result in delays in physical and mental development; slight deficits in attention span; hearing problems, and learning disabilities. Adults who drink water contaminated with lead could develop high blood pressure.
 
Arsenic V: This naturally occurring toxin has been linked to several cancers and has been found to harm nerves, heart, and skin. Currently the EPA Standard for Arsenic V is 50 ppb. Water utilities have until 2006 to comply with EPA’s new standard of 10 ppb.
 
 
What Are The Industry Standards?
NSF International tests and certifies drinking water treatment devices to the standard appropriate for the technology of the product. NSF does not "rate" or "rank" water treatment systems, rather each system is tested against its own claims. For filtering devices, NSF may certify the product to improve the aesthetics of the water, the health effects of the water or both.
 
Aesthetic Effects (NSF Standard No. 42) A drinking water treatment system may be certified under Standard 42 if the system aesthetically improves the water. This includes the reduction of chlorine, chloramine, and particulate reduction.
 
Chlorine Reduction: A device can be certified for chlorine reduction by meeting the minimum level of reduction required by the NSF standard, which is only 10%. Be sure to check the literature to determine how much chlorine is reduced by the device.
 
Particulate Reduction : Several classes are used to define the level of particulate reduction, ranging from Class VI for those devices removing coarse particulates of 50 micrometers and larger to Class I for drinking water treatment units that reduce the smallest (sub-micron) particles (0.5 to 1.0 micron).

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