Is Your Tap Water Safe To Drink?

You turn on the tap, fill a glass, and drink. It looks clear. It smells fine. But as a chemical engineer, I can tell you that “clear” doesn’t always mean “clean.”

While municipal water treatment does a heavy lift, our water faces two major hurdles before it hits your glass: aging infrastructure and modern chemistry.

1. The Real Estate Problem: Aging Pipes

In the real estate world, we love “vintage” charm, but not when it comes to plumbing. Many older homes and city service lines still rely on lead pipes. As these pipes corrode, lead—a neurotoxin you can’t taste or smell—leaches into the water supply. If you are buying or renovating a home built before 1986, inspecting the plumbing is non-negotiable.

2. The Science Problem: Emerging Contaminants

Then there are the modern pollutants. You may have heard of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), often called “forever chemicals.” These industrial byproducts are incredibly durable—great for non-stick pans, terrible for our bodies. Because they don’t break down easily, they are accumulating in groundwater globally. Most standard municipal treatment plants simply weren’t designed to filter out these microscopic, complex molecules.

The Solution: Filter with Purpose

Don’t panic—prepare.

• Test, Don’t Guess: Before buying a fancy system, get a certified lab report of your tap water.
• Match the Filter to the Toxin: A basic fridge filter handles chlorine taste, but you’ll likely need a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system or a high-quality carbon block to tackle lead and PFAS.

Water is the lifeblood of a healthy home. Take control of what flows through yours.