The Negative Impact of EDCs in Drinking Water
For many of us, protecting our health and the health of our family members are our top priorities. One of the threats that is growing and being researched in greater depth is endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs can be found in drinking water supplies throughout the country, and they can pose serious risks to reproductive health. What does every homeowner need to know about the negative impact of EDCs in drinking water?
What Are Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals?
EDCs can flourish in local water supplies as a result of contamination from many sources. Disinfection byproducts, pesticides, fluorinated compounds, phthalates and estrogens can all cause you to experience the negative impact of EDCs in drinking water. Both animals and humans can take in these EDCs as a result of touching, ingesting or inhaling contaminated water. Exposure to EDCs in water can lead to serious health challenges and negative reproductive outcomes.
What Chemicals of Concern Are Being Found in Maryland Water Supplies?
The Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership is raising awareness about contaminants of emerging concern that can be a potential or real threat to wildlife and human health. While we should all be concerned about the negative impact of EDCs in drinking water, some of the other contaminants present in local water supplies include:
- Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs)
- Organic wastewater contaminants (OWCs)
- Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)
- Microconstituents
- Nanomaterials
- Algal toxins
- Harmful algal blooms (HABs)
What Health Problems Can Occur Due to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals?
The negative impact of EDCs in drinking water is serious, and some of the side effects include:
- Impaired development in children
- Poor or reduced fertility
- Impaired reproductive function
- Cardiac anomalies in animals and mammals
- Adverse pregnancy outcomes (babies with neural tube defects, cardiovascular defects, cleft defects, chromosomal abnormalities, reduced birth weight)
- Low sperm count
Removing EDCs from your water is one way to protect against these serious harmful outcomes.
How Do EDCs Get in Your Water?
The negative impact of EDCs in drinking water can come as a result, ironically, of the water disinfection process. While chlorine can treat water to make it safer, it can also interact with organic and inorganic compounds in water and create water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that are correlated with EDCs. Other causes of high EDC levels include byproducts of livestock and industrial activity, as well as chemical waste entering the water supply. There are hundreds of chemicals that can potentially have endocrine disrupting effects. It’s important to note that EDCs do not need to be present in high levels for you to experience the negative impact of EDCs. Low-level contaminants can impact wildlife, ecological health and human health.
Water testing can help to determine if there are EDCs present in your water and also pinpoint other compounds and chemicals that could be hazardous to your health. We offer a contactless water testing kit so that you can get answers without additional hassle. We can drop off a kit at your home so that you can mail in the sample or bring it directly to our location. If you would rather have us complete it, one of our water specialists can take the water sample at your home. Most results are available within a week, and our experts can make recommendations to purify your water.
How Can Water Treatment Protect Your Home Drinking Water Supply?
At Hague Quality Water of Maryland, we are always concerned about the health and safety of residents throughout our communities. The negative impact of EDCs in drinking water is very serious, and we are here to help educate you, test your water and connect you with cutting-edge filtration solutions to prevent health problems. Hague Quality Water of Maryland’s WaterMax® BEQ System combined with reverse osmosis is a powerful, modern and effective way to remove sediment, salt, dirt and contaminants like those that are present in homes near agricultural developments and experiencing EDCs.
Using our filtration solutions, you will be able to benefit from clean, safe water throughout your home. The WaterMax® BEQ system can be used in conjunction with reverse osmosis technology to create water that is clean and refreshing without any dangerous chemicals or substances. This is a great solution for water in need of additional filtration to prevent the negative impact of EDCs in drinking water.
Our WaterMax® BEQ system includes an industry-leading 25-year Manufacturer’s Limited warranty, so you have the peace of mind that your water will remain clean and safe, and in the rare event that you experience problems with your device, it can be replaced or repaired. If you are concerned about the negative impact of EDCs in drinking water and other contaminants that you could be consuming every day, our water testing and filtration solutions can ease that worry.
Enjoy Safe, Healthy and High-Quality Water with Hague Quality Water of Maryland
If your family lives in Anne Arundel, Montgomery or Prince George’s County and you are concerned about the quality and contents of your water, we are here to help with your water cleanliness and quality. Whether you need the Hague WaterMax® BEQ System or additional filtration beyond that, our team cares deeply about the health and safety of your family. For additional assistance, call Hague Quality Water of Maryland at (410) 757-2992.
