Water is perhaps the most important part of your diet. You can go weeks without food, but just a few days without safe drinking water and your body's systems will start to shut down. With more people opting for refillable water bottles over single-use plastic ones, having a high-quality water source in your home is increasingly important. Being proactive and following a few guidelines can ensure you have a safe water supply in your home. 

Have It Tested

The quality of your household water will largely depend on your source of drinking water and where you are located. Consider these common contaminants you might find in your water:

• Microorganisms, including bacteria and parasites

• Heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and uranium

• Particulates like rust, sand and silt

• Minerals and salts

That's a pretty scary list of things that you definitely don't want in your household water supply. Testing can determine if any of it is actually present. 

Contact your local water utility and ask to see a copy of their most recent water quality report. This will have detailed levels from a nearby testing site. If you have a private well, contact a testing company and schedule an appointment to have a sample taken. Once you know what's in the water, you can take steps to remove it. 

Remove Contaminants

If you have decided that a water conditioning and treatment system is the logical next step, you probably have tons of questions. There are all types of filtration systems available. Whole-house units will clean all of your water supply, so hard water in showers or affecting appliances won't be a problem any longer. Point of use filters, such as pitchers or under-sink models, will only purify water at that particular source. The technology used to remove contaminants also varies. Take a few minutes to learn about common systems and how they can work to help make your household water safer. 

Ion Exchange

You have probably heard this type of system referred to as a water softener. The most common set up passes incoming water over resin beads within a treatment tank. There, heavy minerals in the water are replaced with sodium chloride through ion exchange. The beads are recharged with a salt brine solution stored in a second tank. Ion exchange conditioning systems are excellent for treating hard water. They effectively remove minerals like calcium and magnesium that cause scale buildup in your appliances and interfere with detergents. 

Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal filters are inexpensive and accessible, and many require no outside power source. The charcoal acts as a physical barrier to larger particles, trapping them as water flows through the filter. They are one of the most commonly used forms of filtration and can effectively address larger contaminants that affect your water's odor and taste. Most in-bottle, pitcher and faucet-mounted filters use activated charcoal. Its cost-effectiveness makes it a primary filtration method in many whole-home filters.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis systems are ideal when you are concerned about metal contaminants and parasites, or if you are struggling with hard water issues. In this type of filter, the water is forced through a semipermeable membrane. All but the tiniest particles are removed through this process, including potentially dangerous metals like lead. Salts, parasites, and certain chemicals are also removed through reverse osmosis.

These systems can be quite large and expensive. For those reasons, smaller, under-counter or countertop models are popular choices. They provide single-source drinking water at a drastically lower price point. However, they will not resolve hard water issues that are causing problems with appliances or contributing to dry skin. 

Maintain Your Plumbing

Safe water isn't just about whether or not it is contaminated at the source. You could possibly have plumbing situations in your home that are causing concerns, too. If your pipes are older, they may be degraded to a point where they are leeching metals or other damaging chemicals into your supply. Having your pipes inspected can put your mind at ease about this type of situation. 

Regular testing that is performed at a faucet used to supply your water is the best way to stay informed about your water quality. Proper filtration and treatment can help you resolve any issues that show up in the testing.