For example, an article talks about how California's Central Valley water system contains DBCP, a banned pesticide that causes testicular malfunction and cancer, at 100 times the safe adult dose. JF Dear JF, There are many factors that can affect the safety of one's home water supply. For those that live in an industrial area, there may be a risk of contaminants. If you live in an agricultural area, agricultural chemicals may indeed be seeping into the ground water. And even if the water coming into your house is pure, lead in your pipes or faucets could be releasing that dangerous heavy metal into the water you use.
Chlorine is another potential cause for concern.
For more than 75 years, chlorine has been used to disinfect public water supplies. There's a possibility, however, that the chlorine itself may pose a health risk. Not only does chlorine kill the bacteria, it reacts with natural material and man-made pollutants to form compounds, such as chloroform, that are known carcinogens. There are plenty of home water treatment devices on the market ranging in price from the tens to the thousands of dollars. But only after you have found out more about the quality of your water supply can you decide if any purification is advised and, if so, which system would be best suited to your needs.