Concerned about lead in your water? Follow these steps for safer drinking water:

Lead contamination is at the forefront of our mind these days, and it should be.

According to the New York Times:

The Environmental Protection Agency says streams tapped by water utilities serving a third of the population are not yet covered by clean-water laws that limit levels of toxic pollutants.

To make matters worse, “more than 18 million Americans are getting their drinking water from systems that have violated federal lead rules.”

According to a report by CNN, more than 5,000 water systems are in violation for multiple reasons:

• Failure to properly test water
• Failure to report contamination
• Failure to treat water properly

However with any health crisis, it’s important to know and understand the facts, and fortunately the facts are easy to find with a water test.

If you suspect or are concerned that you have lead present in your water, here’s what to do:

1. Get your water tested. Contact us at Culligan of Brazosport and we’ll test your water for free.
2. If lead is detected, we’ll send your water to our EPA-certified laboratory to test for a more detailed analysis.
3. We’ll help you interpret your results so you can make an educated decision about what to do next.

If you have lead present in your water the best way to treat it is with reverse osmosis. A Culligan Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System reduces lead by 98.1% so you can feel confident in trusting Culligan with your family’s drinking water.

If you’re not sure if you should get your water tested, here are a few red flags:

• Appearance – Water has a brown or red tint or has started staining sinks and fixtures.
• Odor – Water smells dirty, metallic, or has any noticeable odor.
• Taste – Water tastes metallic, dirty, or “off” in any way.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about why lead leaches into water, its health effects, or how to treat it, we’re happy to discuss this with you.