Water Works

Information for Older Adults and Family 

Members Who Take Care of Older Adults

January 2007

We all need water to live. 

We use it for drinking, 

cooking, bathing, cleaning, 

and growing crops. 

Some water is not safe. It is polluted. 

It has harmful matter in it that can 

make you sick. 

Harmful matter can be in any water. 

It can be in your drinking water. It 

can be in the water where you swim. 

It can be in water from sewers that 

overflow. You can protect your health 

by learning how to avoid unsafe water. 

Tap Water in the Home: 

Most drinking water is safe. But 

sometimes harmful matter gets in 

it and makes it unsafe to use. This 

section describes some of the ways 

your tap water in your house can 

become polluted. 

Lead 

Lead in your water is bad news. As time 

goes by, lead builds up in your bones. 

It can cause pain in the muscles and 

joints. It can damage your brain and 

your nerves. Some plumbing systems 

have lead in the pipes. Old pipes can 

wear down and let lead into the water. 

Microbes

Microbes are bacteria and other unseen 

matter that are in your drinking water. 

Most microbes will not harm you. But 

some microbes carry disease and can 

make you very sick. Salmonella and 

E. Coli are examples of harmful microbes 

that can cause serious illness. Some 

211 million cases of illness caused by 

harmful microbes occur in the U.S. 

each year1

. 

Arsenic:

If your water comes from a public 

water system, it is tested for arsenic. 

EPA (the Environmental Protection 

Agency) sets the standard for the 

levels of arsenic allowed in the water. 

However, the standard does not cover 

private wells or very small water 

systems. Does your drinking water 

come from a well or from a very small 

system? If so, you may want to test it 

for arsenic. 

Radon: 

Radon gas is the second leading cause 

of lung cancer in the United States. 

You can’t see or smell Radon. It can be 

in the rocks, in the soil, and in water. 

There are many ways that Radon can 

get into the home. One way is through 

well water. When you shower with 

well water, Radon can get into the air. 

But Radon can be in your home no 

matter what water supply you have. 

It’s a good idea to have your home 

tested for Radon.

How Can I Avoid 

Unsafe Water?

Be aware of any announcement by 

your local health department about 

a water problem. Follow the advice 

carefully. Find out if there are any 

ongoing problems with your water.

Fact Sheet

Are you an older 

adult or do you 

have an ongoing 

health problem? 

If so, take extra 

care. You may be 

less able to fight 

off disease than 

others. And you 

may get sick from 

polluted water 

more easily. 

EPA Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791

1 Mead PS, Slutsker L, Dietz V, McCaig LF, Bresee JS, Shapiro C, Griffin PM, Tauxe RV. 

Food-Related Illness and Death in the United States. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 1999; 5(5):607-625
Here are some safety steps you can 

take: 

Learn About Your Water:

If your water comes from a 

public water system, it must 

meet EPA standards. Call your 

water company. Ask if there are 

any problems with your water 

supply. Ask for a copy of the 

annual water quality report. If 

you live in an apartment, ask 

the manager to post the water 

quality report.

If your water comes from a 

well, it is not covered by EPA 

Standards. You must get your 

well water tested at least once 

each year. It’s the only way to 

find out if your well water is 

safe to use.

Follow public notices about 

drinking water: Something 

may happen to make your 

drinking water in your house 

unsafe. Your water company 

will let people know about this 

by TV, radio, newspaper, or 

other means. The notice will 

tell you what to do to be safe. 

Sometimes you will have to 

boil the water for one minute. 

Sometimes you will have to use 

bottled water for a time. To stay 

safe, follow all the directions 

carefully.

See if you should test for 

lead: Call your local health 

department or water company. 

Ask if you need to test your 

water for lead. If so, do not 

boil the water. Boiling will not 

get rid of the lead. It will make 

the problem worse. As the 

water evaporates, the amount 

of lead in the boiled water 

will increase. If you think your 

plumbing system might have 

lead in it, don’t use the hot 

water. Use only cold water for 

drinking and cooking. Run the 

cold water until it becomes as 

cold as it can get. 

To find out more, call the 

National Lead Information 

Center at (800) 424-LEAD.

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2.

3.

Test for Radon in the Air of 

Your Home: There are many 

low-cost, “do-it-yourself” radon 

test kits that you can buy. You 

can get them by mail or at the 

hardware store. You can also 

pay a professional to test your 

home for radon. If you have 

high levels of radon, it may be 

coming from the water. If your 

water comes from a public 

water supply, contact your water 

company. If you have radon in 

your water from a private well, 

call EPA’s Drinking Water Hotline 

at (800) 426-4791.

How Can I Avoid Water 

That Is Unsafe for 

Swimming?

Most beaches are safe for 

swimming. But not all beaches are 

safe all the time. Sometimes beach 

water contains harmful matter that 

can cause problems. Swimming in it 

can give you a sore throat, diarrhea, 

or other illnesses. 

• Beach Closures: Look for 

warning signs posted at the 

beach.

When the water is unsafe, 

agencies will close the beach or 

post warning signs. After storms 

levels of harmful matter in the 

water are most likely to be high. 

How Can I Avoid Health 

Problems from Leaks 

and Floods?

Keep water from seeping indoors 

by making needed home repairs. 

Moisture and water can cause mold 

to grow indoors. And mold can give 

some people skin rash, runny nose, 

and even breathing problems. 

A sewer backflow can bring 

polluted water into your home. This 

can happen if a water drainage pipe 

to your sewer or septic system is 

blocked. Sewage backflow often 

occurs during heavy rains that cause 

flooding.

4. Dehydration 

Older adults can suffer 

from not drinking enough 

water. This is called 

dehydration. The feeling of 

being thirsty declines with 

age. You may not feel the 

urge to drink as often as 

when you were younger. 

You may take medicines 

that reduce the water in 

your body. You may have 

a physical problem that 

makes it hard to drink. 

Diarrhea and other health 

problems may rob your 

body of needed water.

Signs of dehydration 

include:

• Dry or sticky mouth

• Low or no urine output 

(urine without much 

water in it appears dark 

yellow)

• Lack of tear drops

• Sunken eyes

• Tired all the time

Your body needs a lot 

of water. Dehydration is 

life threatening. If you 

don’t drink enough water 

because you don’t like the 

taste of your tap water:

• Filter the water

• Get bottled water

But don’t ignore the 

dangers of dehydration. 

Give your body the water 

it needs to keep alive and 

healthy.
• Inspect Your Home for Leaks:

Establish a regular program 

to inspect your home for 

leaks. Check the bathrooms, 

the laundry, and around the 

windows and doors. Do not 

neglect the roof gutters and 

eaves. Fix all leaks as soon as 

possible. 

• Get Rid of Mold: Scrub mold 

off hard surfaces with soap 

and water or with a cleaner 

designed to kill mold. Dry the 

area completely. Make sure 

the water cannot return to that 

surface. 

• After a Flood, Clean Damaged 

Areas: Standing water and 

wet material are a health 

risk. They can breed disease. 

Remove all standing water 

and wet material. Dry out your 

home. Clean and disinfect the 

damaged area. You may need 

to replace rugs, curtains, and 

furniture if sewage came into 

your home.

How Can I Be Sure My 

Well Water Is Safe?

Well water users can take these 

safety steps:

Become Aware of any Local 

Problems

Talk with a local expert. This 

could be--

• your local health department

• an agricultural extension 

agent

• a nearby public water system

• a water expert at your local 

university

Ask them about problems with 

well water in your area. 

Test Your Well Water Every 

Year

A well is a private source of 

water. No one will inspect your 

well water. You have to get 

it tested yourself. Often you 

cannot see or smell harmful 

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2.

What Should I Do If I 

Can’t Drink My Water?

Sometimes there is a 

problem with treating the 

water. When this happens, 

you may not be able to 

drink your water for a short 

time. 

Do you have special health 

needs? Do you live in an 

area with low water quality? 

In either case, you may 

want to switch to another 

water source for the long term. 

• Follow Public Notices on Drinking Water: You 

will be notified on TV, radio or in the newspaper if 

there is a problem with your water. The notice will 

tell you what to do during this time. It may tell you 

to boil the water or to use bottled water. Boiling 

your water for one minute will usually kill microbes. 

Boiling will not take out lead or chemicals.

• Drink Bottled Water: Some companies sell or 

lease a water service. They provide water dispensers 

and deliver large bottles of water to homes and 

businesses. Some brands of bottled water are better 

than others. If you are an older adult or if you have 

health problems, you may want to get bottled water 

that is purified. Read bottled water labels. Look for 

special treatment such as filtration or distillation. 

For information on the standards for bottled water, 

check with NSF International: 

(http://www.nsf.org/consumer/bottled_water/ or 

call 877-8-NSF-HELP). 

• Install a Home Treatment System: If you have a 

long-term water problem, home treatment may be 

necessary. A home treatment system can include 

filters of different kinds. If radon is a problem, home 

treatment may be a solution.
matter that is in the water. The well water must 

be tested by an expert. Get it tested every year. 

Also test the water any time there may be a 

problem: 

• Test it if someone in your family is sick and 

you don’t know why.

• Test it if your neighbors find something 

harmful in their water.

• Test it if you see a change in your water. (The 

water isn’t clear or there is a change in its 

taste, odor, or color).

• Test it if there is a spill of chemicals or fuels 

into or near your well.

• Test it if you replace or repair any part of your 

well system.

Prevent Problems

• Keep things that can poison the water away 

from your well. Keep materials such as 

fertilizers, pesticides and fuels far away from 

your well.

• Take care when working or mowing grass 

around your well.

• Do not put paints, thinners, waste oils, 

poisons or other unsafe materials in your 

septic system.

• Find out how often you should pump and 

inspect your septic system. Ask your local 

health department.

How Can I Learn More about 

Aging and Health? 

EPA’s Aging Initiative is working to protect older 

adults from health risks in the environment. For 

more information, go to www.epa.gov/aging. 

3.

How Can I Get More Information?

These EPA websites can help you solve your water 

problems: 

Water on Tap: What You Need to Know

www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/index.html

Arsenic in Drinking Water

www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic.html

Beaches

www.epa.gov/beaches

Consumer’s Guide to Radon Protection

www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/consguid.html#howenters

Emergency Disinfection of 

Drinking Water

www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/emerg.html

Floods

www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/flood.html

Guidance for people with Severely 

Weakened Immune Systems 

www.epa.gov/safewater/crypto.html

Information for Private Well Owners

www.epa.gov/safewater/privatewells/whatdo.html

Mold Resources

www.epa.gov/mold/moldresources.html

Safe Drinking Water

www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo/index.html

Low Literacy version of Water Works

Publication Number EPA 100-F-07-004

 EPA Drinking Water Hotline (800) 426-4791