Understanding Your Water Quality
What's in your water matters. Here's what you need to know about Utah water quality and how to protect your health and home.
Whether you're on municipal water or a private well, understanding what's in your water is the first step toward making informed decisions about filtration and treatment.
Check your local water quality: Use the EWG Tap Water Database to see what contaminants have been detected in your area.
What’s In Tap Water?
Municipal water is treated to meet regulatory standards, but it can still contain substances that affect both water quality and your home.
Because water is used for showering, bathing, cooking, and cleaning, contact happens throughout the day through both skin exposure and steam from hot water use. Minerals in the water can also leave scale on fixtures, glass, plumbing, and appliances over time.
Common water quality concerns include:
• Disinfectant byproducts formed during treatment
• Heavy metals such as lead and copper from aging infrastructure
• PFAS and other industrial contaminants
• Hard water minerals that cause scale and buildup
Common Water Contaminants
PFAS (Forever Chemicals)
What they are: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are synthetic chemicals used in products like non-stick cookware, water-resistant fabrics, and firefighting foam.
Where they come from: Industrial discharge, landfills, wastewater treatment plants, and firefighting training sites.
Health effects: Linked to cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, immune system suppression, reproductive issues, and developmental delays in children.
How to remove them: Reverse osmosis filtration and activated carbon (depending on carbon type and contact time). Standard filters and water softeners do not remove PFAS.
Chromium-6
What it is: A heavy metal used in industrial processes, made famous by the Erin Brockovich case.
Where it comes from: Industrial pollution, steel manufacturing, chrome plating, and natural deposits.
Health effects: Known carcinogen. Linked to lung cancer, gastrointestinal issues, and liver damage.
How to remove it: Reverse osmosis and ion exchange systems.
Chlorine & Chloramines
What they are: Disinfectants added to municipal water to kill bacteria and pathogens.
Where they come from: Water treatment facilities.
Health effects: While generally safe at regulated levels, chlorine can dry out skin and hair, irritate eyes and respiratory systems, and create disinfection byproducts (THMs and HAAs) that are linked to cancer.
How to remove them: Activated carbon filtration removes chlorine effectively. Chloramines require catalytic carbon or longer contact time.
Nitrates
What they are: Nitrogen compounds that dissolve easily in water.
Where they come from: Agricultural fertilizers, animal waste, septic systems, and sewage.
Health effects: Particularly dangerous for infants—can cause "blue baby syndrome" (methemoglobinemia). Also linked to thyroid problems and certain cancers.
How to remove them: Reverse osmosis, ion exchange, and distillation.
Microplastics
What they are: Tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size.
Where they come from: Breakdown of plastic products, synthetic clothing fibers, tire wear, and industrial processes.
Health effects: Emerging research suggests potential hormone disruption, inflammation, and accumulation in organs. Long-term effects are still being studied.
How to remove them: Reverse osmosis and sub-micron filtration.
Bacteria & Viruses
What they are: Microorganisms that can cause illness.
Where they come from: Sewage, animal waste, aging infrastructure, and contaminated wells.
Health effects: Gastrointestinal illness, infections, and serious disease in immunocompromised individuals.
How to remove them: UV disinfection, reverse osmosis, and sub-micron filtration.
Lead
What it is: A toxic heavy metal that can leach into water from old pipes, solder, and plumbing fixtures.
Where it comes from: Corrosion of lead service lines, brass fixtures, and solder in homes built before 1986.
Health effects: Neurological damage, especially in children. Can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, reduced IQ, behavioral problems, and kidney damage.
How to remove it: Reverse osmosis, activated carbon filtration, and distillation.
Arsenic
What it is: A naturally occurring element found in rocks and soil that can dissolve into groundwater.
Where it comes from: Natural geological deposits, agricultural runoff, and industrial contamination.
Health effects: Long-term exposure increases risk of cancer (skin, bladder, lung), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurological problems.
How to remove it: Reverse osmosis is most effective. Whole-home systems with specialized media can also reduce arsenic.
Disinfection Byproducts (THMs & HAAs)
What they are: Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAAs) form when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water.
Where they come from: Water treatment process.
Health effects: Linked to bladder cancer, kidney issues, and reproductive problems.
How to remove them: Activated carbon and reverse osmosis.
Pharmaceuticals
What they are: Prescription and over-the-counter medications that enter water systems through human excretion and improper disposal.
Where they come from: Wastewater treatment plants (which are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals), hospitals, and agriculture.
Health effects: Chronic low-level exposure effects are not fully understood, but concerns include hormone disruption, antibiotic resistance, and developmental issues.
How to remove them: Reverse osmosis and advanced activated carbon systems.
VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
What they are: Carbon-based chemicals that evaporate easily, including industrial solvents, gasoline components, and pesticides.
Where they come from: Industrial discharge, gas stations, dry cleaners, agricultural chemicals, and landfills.
Health effects: Liver and kidney damage, nervous system effects, and increased cancer risk.
How to remove them: Activated carbon filtration and reverse osmosis.
Pesticides & Herbicides
What they are: Chemicals used to control pests and weeds in agriculture and landscaping.
Where they come from: Agricultural runoff, lawn treatments, and groundwater contamination.
Health effects: Hormone disruption, neurological damage, cancer risk, and reproductive issues.
How to remove them: Reverse osmosis and activated carbon.
Utah has some of the hardest water in the United States.
Utah's water comes primarily from mountain snowmelt that flows through limestone and mineral-rich rock formations, picking up calcium and magnesium along the way.
Effects of Hard Water
On Your Home:
• White scale buildup on faucets, showerheads, and fixtures
• Reduced efficiency and lifespan of water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines
• Clogged pipes over time
• Spots on dishes and glassware
• Soap scum in showers and bathtubs
On Your Body:
• Dry, itchy skin
• Dull, brittle hair
• Scalp irritation
• Eczema and skin sensitivity
On Your Budget:
• Higher energy bills (scale buildup makes appliances work harder)
• Frequent appliance repairs and replacements
• More soap and detergent needed (hard water prevents proper lathering)
