Triad residents were dismayed this week to discover that traces of a chemical solvent known as 1,4-dioxane have been found in the Cape Fear River system. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified 1,4-dioxane as a “probable human carcinogen” when it is ingested in high dosages. The level of the chemical found in the Randleman Regional Reservoir is relatively low—less that two parts per billion—but it raises concerns about what other chemicals might be lurking in the region’s supply of drinking water.

The EPA regulates physical, chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants that are on the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). Currently, 1,4-dioxane is not one of the hundreds of regulated chemicals, but this fact just highlights the level of uncertainty about the quality of the nation’s drinking water. As the lead poisoning in Flint, Michigan, and the coal ash spill from Duke Energy show, our water supply is uniquely vulnerable to contamination.

The EPA also identifies Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) that are increasingly appearing in water supplies. These contaminants are often the remains of pharmaceuticals and personal care products that end up in the water when they get flushed or washed out of homes or businesses. People sometimes forget that what we put into the water, as a society, is what we get out of the water. And in the case of CECs, these are chemicals and other substances that may have detrimental effects to both aquatic animals and humans. In particular, the EPA is concerned about endocrine disruptors, which can affect reproductive health and cause some cancers.

Do you know what is in your water? Dr. Johns H2O can do a free in-home water analysis to make sure that your family’s water is safe. And with our charcoal and reverse osmosis filters, we can reduce known contaminants for your health and peace of mind. Contact us today to make sure that when you’re drinking water, you’re only drinking water.