Recent reports of contaminated tap water in the Dallas-Fort Worth area prompted warnings earlier this week not to use water coming from the tap and have raised concerns about public safety.
The city of Grand Prairie, Texas, said it had detected firefighting foam in the water on Tuesday, then later said Thursday the water was safe to drink, according to local reports.
Fox News Digital spoke with experts about the potential risks of unfiltered tap water.
Ask your doctor: “Is it possible to be dehydrated even if you're not thirsty?”
Generally speaking, tap water is safe to drink, according to Dr. Brynna Conner, a board-certified family medicine physician in Frisco, Texas, and an ambassador for Northwestpharmacy.com.
“As long as it's coming from a public water supply and there's no boil water advisory in place from your local board of health or your local water company, it's fine,” Connor told Fox News Digital.
Generally speaking, most experts agree that tap water is safe to drink, although there are some risks. (iStock)
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. public water system is one of the safest in the world, and public system water is guaranteed to meet federal standards for safe consumption.”
But in some cases, Connor said, drinking unfiltered tap water could pose risks, including a range of illnesses that affect the gastrointestinal, neurological and reproductive systems.
Olympic Games postponed, concerns over Seine's water quality
“Furthermore, drinking unfiltered tap water poses potential risks such as nitrate contamination and fluoride exposure, as well as lead poisoning and hepatitis,” she added.
Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to the potential risks posed by drinking unfiltered tap water, doctors said.
In some cases, drinking unfiltered tap water can affect the gastrointestinal, nervous and reproductive systems, doctors warned. (iStock)
Jennifer Dunphy, a public health physician and co-founder of the WIN Network in Los Angeles, said: Most tap water is considered safe to drink because it is regulated by standards that require it to keep harmful chemicals to a minimum, but that doesn't mean it's completely risk-free.
“Just because tap water doesn't cause immediate health problems doesn't mean there aren't long-term health effects to be concerned about,” she told Fox News Digital.
“The U.S. public water system is one of the safest in the world.”
Doctors warned that tap water may contain traces of chemicals such as chlorine and arsenic.
“These chemicals can build up in the body over time and there is conflicting evidence about whether they pose long-term health risks,” Dunphy said.
“If you choose to drink well water, always check with the owner beforehand to see if they are monitoring it for contaminants,” the doctor advised. (iStock)
Dr. Sherilyn Davis of Elliston Children's Hospital in New York reiterated that tap water is generally safe to drink in the United States, but noted the regulations do not apply to private wells.
“If you choose to drink well water, be sure to check with the owner beforehand to see if they monitor it for contaminants,” she advised.
'Forever Chemicals' Found in US Drinking Water, Map Shows Highest Levels 'Hot Spots'
Davis warned that if unfiltered tap water contains contaminants, drinking it could cause health problems, including stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea.
Other symptoms include headache and fever.
One way to combat potential chemical exposure is to use a home filtration system, experts say. (iStock)
“High levels of lead in unfiltered water can lead to learning disabilities in children,” she said.
“Chemicals and contaminants may get into water simply because they are naturally present in the environment, or they may be the result of land management practices or failures in nearby sewer or wastewater treatment systems.”
Removal of contaminants
One way to combat potential chemical exposure is to use a home filtration system.
“There are many affordable filtration systems available that can filter or reduce the amount of chemicals remaining in your drinking water,” Dunphy said.
When selecting a system, it's important to make sure it can effectively filter out the chemicals of concern, she stressed.
“If you don't want to install an entire filtration system, you can use a faucet-mounted filter, a point-of-use filter, or a pitcher filter,” one doctor said. (iStock)
“For example, only certain filters will filter out arsenic, while some specific filtration systems focus on chlorine,” she noted.
Experts agreed that filtration is especially important for people who use well water.
“If you get your water from a private well, it's important to have your water tested regularly to make sure it's safe,” Connor advised.
Healthy Aging and Drinking Water: Exciting Findings from New Study
“Well water can easily become contaminated by heavy metals, bacteria, parasites, pesticides and herbicides, or other contaminants such as plutonium, uranium, and radium.”
Doctors advise that people who live in areas known for high levels of water contamination or who have lead water pipes should also consider a filtration system.
Doctors say filtration is especially important for people with health concerns, those with weakened immune systems and young children. (iStock)
“If you don't want to install an entire filtration system, you can use a faucet-mounted filter, a point-of-use filter or a pitcher filter,” she added.
Study finds most US states fail to protect school water from lead contaminants
Dr. Joseph Mercola, a board-certified family medicine osteopath in Florida, agrees that using a home filtration system is a “smart move” that improves taste and provides “peace of mind.”
Doctors say filtration is especially important for people with health concerns, those with weakened immune systems and young children.
Experts recommend having your tap water tested regularly, which will help you choose the filter that's best suited to the contaminants in your area. (iStock)
“My understanding is that reverse osmosis systems are very effective, removing up to 99% of contaminants,” he told Fox News Digital. “If that's not possible, activated carbon filters with ion exchange can also be effective.”
Mercola recommends choosing filters certified by NSF International to guarantee effectiveness.
Click here to get the FOX News app
Davis noted that using a filtration system isn't strictly necessary, but it can help filter out additional bacteria and contaminants.
“There are also substances in tap water that you can drink, like fluoride, which helps keep your teeth healthy,” she noted.
“Look for a filter that only removes the unwanted components of tap water.”
Experts say testing is key
Mercola stressed the importance of being proactive and understanding what's in your water.
Experts have warned that if unfiltered tap water contains contaminants, drinking it could cause health problems including stomach upset, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea. (iStock)
“Drinking pure water is very important as it supports bodily function and health.”
Doctors recommend having your tap water tested regularly, which can help you choose the filter that best suits the contaminants in your area.
Click here to sign up for our Health Newsletter
Homeowners can also read local water quality reports to get a better understanding of what's in their tap water, he advised.
“Drinking pure water is very important as it supports bodily function and health.”
Mercola added that it's important to follow local water safety recommendations in the event of an emergency or when traveling in areas where water quality is questionable.
For more health related articles, health
To check the water quality in your area, many experts recommend visiting the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Tap Water Database (https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/) and entering your zip code.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Dallas Water Authority for comment.
