Water is very rarely pure H2O. It tends to grab particles from things it passes and brings them along for the ride. Whether flowing in a mountain stream or pouring out of your faucet, water usually contains more than just oxygen and two hydrogen atoms. Some of these piggybackers are harmless, but many are not.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which oversees the safety of tap water, currently regulates different contaminants. The agency recognizes but does not regulate an additional 51 contaminants.

Water is one of few common resources on which all of us depend for life, so it’s important for us to be responsible stewards. Read on to learn about some of the potential dangers hiding in your tap, what you can do about them, and how you can be drinking in a cleaner, healthier community.

How to Read Your Water Quality Report

The Safe Drinking Water Act amendments of 1996 provide for an annual water quality report. Although these reports are intended to help consumers make informed choices about their drinking water, they can be confusing and full of jargon. Our
How to Read Your Water Quality Report guide is intended to help you understand what your water quality report is and how to interpret what it tells you.

What’s Lurking in Your Soap?

Thanks to the chemical industry, washing your hands in this age of antimicrobial soap could harm your health and our environment. There may be a dangerous chemical your everyday household products that is no more effective than soap and water, persists in the environment, mixes with other chemicals to form more toxic chemicals, contributes to the growing problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, and causes a range of human health problems. Find out more in our fact sheet, What’s Lurking in Your Soap?