by Allison Levy

Created on: May 13, 2009   Last Updated: May 15, 2009

Some consumers may think that all water coming into their home is safe to drink, but that is not always the case. There are certain steps you should take to ensure that the water coming into your home is safe to drink.

Water travels through many miles of pipes and valves before it reaches the end of its journey; your plumbing network. Sometimes, that water may sit stagnant for a while, either before entering your pipes or even after. When the water sits still for long periods of time, there may be a noticeable difference in quality and taste.

The following steps are recommended ensuring the best quality of drinking water:

1. If you have not run your water in over 6 hours (on vacation or away for a few days), you should run the cold water for at least two minutes before consuming for cooking or drinking.

2. You should routinely remove and clean the faucet strainer and aerator removing any debris build up.

3. You should always cook with cold water, since hot water can contain sediments which accumulate in the hot water heater.

4. You should replace your home water filters regularly reducing the bacteria levels and accumulating metal levels.

5. You should annually drain hot water heaters removing the sediment and calcium particles that build up and affect water pressure.

If your drinking water is supplied by your own private well, then you will need to pay close attention and take special care of your private well, if you have had recent flooding in your area. As these high levels of water will present a special risk to your drinking water.

To protect your family and their health, you will need to disinfect your well, if it was flooded during a recent rainstorm, as these high levels of water carry with it parasites and bacteria. These high levels of rainwater can also bring in chemicals such as pesticides or solvents used by neighbors or nearby communities. If not disinfected properly, you and your family run the risk of being infected from such water-borne diseases as giardiasis, dysentery, or hepatitis.

In the home, you can disinfect the drinking water by bringing the water to a rolling boil for at least one minute, then cool before drinking, as recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). In order for the disease-causing organisms to be eliminated, a high level of chlorine must be used, called shock chlorination, which is relatively simple to do.

For more information on safe drinking water and how to treat possible contaminated water, please visit the CDC's website at http://www.cdc.gov.

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