| With the cost of water filtration systems and bottled | | | | Inorganic compounds are heavy metals and other |
| water, many people often wonder if water filtration | | | | toxic sources that usually come from industrial |
| is necessary at all, or if it is indeed safe to drink | | | | sources. These metals can include arsenic, barium, |
| water directly from the tap. State and city | | | | chromium, lead, mercury, nitrates, silver, and trace |
| jurisdictions throughout the United States are | | | | amounts of other metals that are harmful when |
| required to monitor sources for quality and | | | | ingested. Long-term exposure to these chemicals can |
| contaminants to comply with federal environmental | | | | cause cancer. |
| and safety standards. However, even with these | | | | Organic Compounds |
| mandatory quality checks, some chemicals in the | | | | Organic chemicals often come from household and |
| water supply go unmonitored. In fact, even if a | | | | industrial chemicals and agricultural runoff waste, |
| water supplier detects an unsafe amount of a certain | | | | including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. |
| chemical in the water supply does not mean that | | | | Exposure to these chemicals can lead to internal |
| they have the financial means or the ability to resolve | | | | organ damage, nervous system damage, |
| the issue in a timely manner. | | | | reproductive issues, and cancer. |
| Water sources in different locations around the | | | | Radioactive Waste |
| United States contain different chemicals in varying | | | | Radioactive waste comes from emissions from |
| quantities, usually dependent on the area's industrial or | | | | power plants or from buried sources of waste that |
| agricultural production sources. Water contaminants | | | | later leak into water sources. Exposure to harmful |
| can be divided into different categories depending on | | | | amounts of radioactive material can cause cancer. |
| the nature and source of the contaminant. | | | | It is important to know the environmental hazards |
| Microbial Pathogens | | | | that exist in your area so that you may protect |
| Microbial pathogens are small living organisms such as | | | | yourself and your loved ones from sickness and |
| bacteria, parasites, and viruses that come from | | | | medical complications. Everyone deserves the right to |
| improperly sealed or malfunctioning sewer or septic | | | | live in a safe and healthy environment. If you are |
| systems as well as runoff sources of animal waste, | | | | concerned about the chemicals and contaminants in |
| such as dog parks or farms. These pathogens can | | | | your water, contact your local water supplier and |
| cause a number of illnesses, many the same as those | | | | learn about water monitoring programs and |
| that come as a result of food poisoning. These | | | | contaminants in your area. For more information |
| complications can include salmonella, dysentery, | | | | about environmental hazards and legal issues, visit the |
| gastroenteritis, shigellosis, hepatitis,and giardiasis. | | | | website of New York City personal injury lawyers |
| Inorganic Compounds | | | | Orlow, Orlow & Orlow. |