Washington, DC Water Quality - To Drink Tap Water or Bottled Water

The city of Washington, DC is the capital of the United States of America and a great place to live, work or visit. The city has a resident population of 588,292; which can swell to over one million people during workweeks as commuters from surrounding suburbs come into the District. However, although Washington, DC is the national capital and sometimes referred to as "the most powerful city in the world" not all is perfect. When it comes to local water quality the city has had some significant problems including issues with lead, pollutants and outdated pipes.

During the period of 2000-2004 Washington, DC tap water was shown to have lead levels that exceeded normal levels and that prompted EPA investigation. The primary source of the lead was attributed to the presence of lead service lines (LSLs) in the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DCWASA) service area. Consumption of lead can cause irreversible neurological damage as well as renal disease, cardiovascular effects, and reproductive toxicity.

Another issue with Washington, DC tap water has been the presence of pollutants including unknown pollutants. In September 2006 the Washington Post featured an article that unknown pollutants in the Potomac River were causing estrogen mimicking effects in small mouth bass.

The Potomac River is the source of water for Washington, DC tap water and since the DCWASA does not use reverse osmosis to purify the drinking water there is the potential for these endocrine disruptor and unknown pollutants to make it into Washington, DC tap water. Furthermore additional studies have shown that Washington, DC as one of the cities whose tap water could contain pharmaceuticals and perchlorate (a component of jet fuel).

What Washington, DC Residents/Workers/Visitors Can Do

If you are working or living in Washington, DC then the best option to avoid the numerous tap water issues is to find ultra-purified bottled water. Ultra-purified water is water that has been purified through reverse osmosis, micron sediment filtration, ion exchange, granular activated carbon filtration, micron carbon filtration, ultraviolet disinfection and ozonation.

These purification processes are critical because used in conjunction they eliminate the possibility of pollutants such as lead, pharmaceuticals and endocrine disruptor from making it into the water. This will ensure that you are consuming the purest water possible with the absolute minimum amount of contaminants possible. Ultra-purified bottled water should not be confused with spring water or filtered water. Spring water and filtered water typically undergo minimum filtration that will only remove some basic impurities but leave many contaminants still in the water.

Washington DC Water Delivery Service

Ultra-purified bottled water can be found in a variety of sizes with 5 gallon and 3 gallon water bottles being ideal for water consumption in homes and offices. The large bottles can be put on a dispenser and the bottles are reusable/refillable and also offer the best value based on the amount of water.

For easy acquisition you can also find a water company to deliver the water bottles directly to your Washington, DC home or office. It is best to find a Washington, DC Water Delivery Company that has ultra-purified water, local customer service, responsible/friendly delivery drivers and is locally owned and operated. Once you have found a great water delivery company then you will be able to enjoy pure healthy water that is free of contaminants.

Bottled Water Delivery Washington, DC
If you live or work in Washington, DC you should strongly consider bottled water delivery for your health.