Is Your Family’s Drinking Water Safe?

***This post was sponsored by Test Assured.  All opinions are my own***
Is Your Family’s Drinking Water Safe?

Is Your Family’s Drinking Water Safe?

Do you ever wonder if your family’s drinking water is safe?  Have you moved into a new house and wonder if the well water is safe?  When we moved into our house it had been empty for a while and the well had been untouched – we tested the water and it was not safe to drink so we had to treat our water and retest.  The test kits were expensive and required being sent back out for results.  If you are looking for an easy and inexpensive way to test your water keep reading and also enter my giveaway for a chance to win a free test kit!

Know What’s in Your Family’s Drinking Water

Are you afraid to drink the water from your tap? Do you wonder what contaminants your water might contain and how they could impact your family’s health?  During the developmental years, it is important to know exactly what factors are impacting your child’s health, and water is often overlooked.

Safe Drinking Water

Safe drinking water is an essential dietary need, especially for children. Our bodies use water to keep our cells, organs, and tissues healthy.  Water helps us to regulate temperature and maintain other bodily functions.

Because water is so important, federal and state governments have attempted to reduce water pollution through the Clean Water Act (1972) and ensure tap water safety through the Safe Drinking Water Act (1974).  However, recent water contamination incidents across the United States highlight the fact that children are at risk of being exposed to contaminated water in their homes and schools.

Risks of Contaminated Water on Children

Poor quality water is an issue for children of all ages, including bottle-fed infants. Babies who are fed powdered formula mixed with tap water consume an especially large amount of water compared to their relative size.  This period of intense exposure lasts until the baby moves on to solid foods, at least four to six months.

As children continue to drink tap water, both at home and at school, they may be exposed to a host of chemicals and contaminants during their critical development years.  This can have serious health effects that continue for a lifetime. Sometimes the effects are delayed, only surfacing years later.

Effects of Common Contaminants

Many of the contaminants that are cause for concern can easily go undetected. They are colorless, odorless, and tasteless.  Some of the most common contaminants that parents should be aware of include:

Bacteria: Bacteria is one of the most common contaminants that can infect our water supply. Certain bacteria, such as coliform, are present in animal feces and the biofilm that can form in water systems.  Children are highly vulnerable when exposed water-born bacteria. Symptoms of contamination include vomiting, fever, nausea, and diarrhea.  

Fluoride: Fluoride occurs naturally in some areas and is sometimes added to municipal water supplies. Although fluoride is helpful in preventing tooth decay, if it is ingested in large quantities it can damage the developing bone tissue of young children. One of the symptoms of excessive fluoride is often seen as tooth discoloration.

Nitrates and nitrites: These inorganic compounds usually result from human activities, but they can also be found naturally in groundwater. They come from the breakdown of nitrogen compounds commonly found in soil fertilizers. When nitrates and nitrites are present at high-levels, they pose a significant risk to infants.  They can cause a condition called “blue baby” syndrome, where oxygen flow in the blood becomes disrupted.

Lead: Despite measures taken by the EPA, lead poisoning is still a serious concern.  Lead can be found in old water taps as well as interior and exterior piping.  As water sits in these pipes, it can absorb lead.  The EPA warns that children exposed to even low levels of lead can suffer from physical and mental developmental and educational problems.

Keeping Your Family Safe

There are many other contaminants that can affect both municipal and private water sources.  However, researchers do not know the effects of their exposure on a child’s development.  The best way to protect your family is to know your water source.  The simplest way to find out what is in your water is with a home testing kit.

Most at-home water testing kits allow you to analyze your water for a variety of contaminants, including those known to have the most adverse effects on children.  Water quality tests allow you to quickly check your water with results in a matter minutes.  Make your child’s health a priority and test your water regularly.

Giveaway Time!

Enter for a chance to win a free water testing kit from Test Assured!  Kits will be shipped directly from the manufacturer – not from Crafty Mama in ME.

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