What’s in Your Water? Understanding Chemicals in the Twin Cities Water Supply.

By Predictable Plumbing – Serving the Twin Cities Metro

When you turn on the tap, you probably expect clean, safe water. But have you ever wondered what’s actually in your water? Municipal water treatment plants add a variety of chemicals to ensure safety, but some of these chemicals have potential health concerns that many homeowners don’t think about. At Predictable Plumbing, we believe that understanding what’s in your water is the first step toward making informed decisions about your home’s plumbing and water quality.

Common Chemicals Found in the Water Supply

Water treatment facilities in the Twin Cities add certain chemicals to disinfect and protect the public from harmful bacteria and contaminants. While these chemicals serve a purpose, they also come with some potential risks.

1. Chlorine & Chloramines

🔹 Why It’s Added: Chlorine is used to disinfect water, killing bacteria and viruses before they reach your tap. Some areas use chloramines (a combination of chlorine and ammonia) for longer-lasting disinfection.

🔹 Health Concerns:

• Can cause dry skin and irritation for those with sensitive skin conditions.

• Can react with organic matter in water to create disinfection byproducts (DBPs), some of which are linked to health concerns over long-term exposure.

• Leaves a chemical taste and smell in drinking water.

How Chlorine Affects Hair and Skin

• Hair Damage: Chlorine strips natural oils from the hair, leading to dryness, brittleness, and breakage. Over time, it can cause fading in color-treated hair and make it more prone to damage.

• Scalp Irritation: Many people experience itchy, dry scalps from prolonged exposure to chlorinated water. This can lead to dandruff and increased hair shedding.

• Absorption During Showers: The skin absorbs up to 8 times more chlorine in a 10-minute shower than drinking a full liter of tap water. This is because warm water opens pores, allowing chlorine to enter the bloodstream more easily.

2. Fluoride

🔹 Why It’s Added: Fluoride is added to municipal water supplies to help prevent tooth decay, a practice recommended by the CDC.

🔹 Health Concerns:

• IQ Concerns & Neurotoxicity: Fluoride is classified as a neurotoxin, and studies have linked excessive fluoride exposure to lower IQ scores in children. Some research suggests that prenatal and early childhood exposure to fluoride may negatively impact cognitive development and brain function.

• Controversial among health professionals—some studies suggest excessive fluoride exposure may contribute to dental and skeletal fluorosis (a condition that weakens bones and teeth).

• Can interfere with thyroid function in high doses.

• Unnecessary for most adults, as fluoride toothpaste provides enough protection for teeth.

3. PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances)

🔹 Why It’s in the Water: PFAS are not added intentionally, but they leach into water supplies from industrial sources, including past contamination from companies like 3M in Minnesota.

🔹 Health Concerns:

• Highly persistent in the body and environment, leading to long-term accumulation.

• Linked to cancer, hormone disruption, immune system suppression, and developmental issues.

• Difficult to remove without specialized filtration.

. Microplastics

🔹 Why They’re in the Water: Microplastics are tiny plastic particles that enter the water supply through industrial waste, broken-down plastic products, and even synthetic fibers from clothing. These particles are too small to be fully filtered out by traditional water treatment plants.

🔹 Health Concerns:

• Microplastics can carry harmful chemicals, including endocrine disruptors and carcinogens.

• Research suggests they may accumulate in organs, with unknown long-term health effects.

• Ingesting microplastics may contribute to inflammation and disrupt hormone function.

How to Protect Your Home’s Water Quality

If you’re concerned about the chemicals in your water, there are several filtration options that can help reduce or eliminate unwanted contaminants.

✔ Carbon Filtration: Removes chlorine, chloramines, and organic compounds that cause bad taste and odors.

✔ Reverse Osmosis Systems: Filters out fluoride, PFAS, heavy metals, and other harmful chemicals.

✔ Whole-House Water Filtration: Provides protection at every tap, ensuring clean water for drinking, bathing, and cooking.

✔ Water Softeners: Helps remove excess minerals and reduces scale buildup in plumbing fixtures and appliances.

At Predictable Plumbing, we offer water testing, filtration system installations, and plumbing solutions to keep your water safe and clean.

Get Cleaner, safer Water Today with Predictable Plumbing

Your home’s water quality matters. If you want to know exactly what’s in your tap water, or if you’re ready to upgrade your water filtration system, our team at Predictable Plumbing is here to help.

📍 Serving the entire Twin Cities Metro – Clean water starts with better plumbing!