So, your tap water is crystal clear. No funky smell. Tastes fine. You’re good, right? Well... maybe not.

A lot of people assume if their water looks okay, it is okay. But harmful contaminants can lurk in drinking water without any obvious signs. And some of these are a lot more common than you'd expect.

Let’s break down a few of the biggest offenders:

• Lead: This one’s scary. It can sneak in through old pipes and is especially dangerous for kids and pregnant women. Even small amounts can cause serious developmental issues.

• Chlorine: Used to disinfect water, but too much of it can give your tap water a pool-like smell and taste. Long-term exposure isn’t ideal.

• Bacteria: Yep, even with modern water systems, nasty stuff like E. coli or coliforms can still show up. These can cause digestive issues and serious illness if consumed.

• Nitrates: These are usually from agricultural run-off and fertilizers. They’re especially harmful to infants and pregnant women.

• PFAS (aka forever chemicals): These synthetic compounds are everywhere now. And we mean everywhere like food packaging, rainwater, your favorite nonstick pan. More on these below.

Alright, now that we’ve thoroughly freaked you out (sorry), let’s talk about what you can do.

How Do You Know If Your Water Is Safe?

1. Start with your water quality report – If you’re on city water, you’re legally entitled to a yearly report. Most cities post them online. It’ll show levels of various contaminants and whether your water meets federal safety standards.

2. Try a home test kit – Available online or at hardware stores. These kits can give you a basic read on things like lead, chlorine, and bacteria. It’s not as precise as lab testing, but it’s a helpful snapshot.

3. Trust your senses – Smell chlorine? See cloudy water? Metallic taste? These aren’t just quirks. They might mean something’s off.

4. Consider your plumbing – Old pipes (especially in homes built before 1986) can contain lead. If that’s the case, you might want to test water from different faucets.

5. Check your bottled water too – It’s easy to assume bottled = clean, but that’s not always true. Some bottled waters are just tap water in a shiny label. Look for brands that are transparent about their testing and sources.

So What Should You Drink?

If you’re not confident in your tap water and you want something better than mystery-in-a-bottle, look for brands that go above and beyond.

Cascade Mountain Water, for example, is sourced from protected springs, goes through regular third-party testing, and is bottled responsibly. It’s water that tells you where it’s been, and what’s not in it.

Water is one of the simplest parts of our daily routine, but it’s also one of the most important. With a little awareness and some smart choices, you can feel better about every sip.