Recent reports of contaminated water supplies in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — which led to residents being warned not to use water from their taps earlier this week — have sparked widespread safety concerns.
The city of Grand Prairie, Texas, announced that firefighting foam was detected in the water on Tuesday, then announced Thursday that the water was safe to drink, according to local reports.
Fox News Digital spoke to experts about the potential risks of unfiltered tap water.
ASK A DOCTOR: “CAN I BE DEHYDRATED EVEN IF I’M NOT THIRSTY?”
Generally speaking, tap water is safe to drink, according to Dr. Brynna Connor, a board-certified family physician in Frisco, Texas, and an ambassador for Northwestpharmacy.com — “as long as it comes from a public water supply and there are no boil water advisories in effect from local boards of health and/or water companies.”
Generally speaking, most experts agree that tap water is safe to drink, although it does carry some level of risk. (iStock)
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States public water system is one of the safest in the world, ensuring that water from public systems meets federal standards for safe consumption,” Connor told Fox News Digital.
In some cases, however, drinking unfiltered tap water could carry risks, including various diseases affecting the gastrointestinal system, neurological system and reproductive system, according to Connor.
WITH THE POSTPONEMENT OF SOME OLYMPIC EVENTS, THE QUALITY OF THE SEINE RIVER WATER IS A REASON FOR CONCERN
“In addition, lead poisoning and hepatitis are potential risks from drinking unfiltered tap water, as are nitrate contamination and fluoride exposure,” she added.
Infants, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to the potential risks of drinking unfiltered tap water, the doctor said.
In some cases, drinking unfiltered tap water could impact the gastrointestinal, neurological and reproductive systems, a doctor warns. (iStock)
Jennifer Dunphy, a public health doctor and co-founder of the WIN Network in Los Angeles, California, agreed that Most tap water is considered safe to drink because it’s regulated by standards that require harmful chemicals to be kept to a minimum — but that doesn’t mean there’s no risk at all.
“Just because tap water doesn’t cause immediate health problems doesn’t mean there aren’t risks of long-term health consequences,” she told Fox News Digital.
“The United States public water system is one of the safest in the world.”
Tap water may contain traces of chemicals such as chlorine and arsenic, the doctor warns.
“These chemicals can build up in the body over time, and there is conflicting evidence about whether they pose long-term health risks,” Dunphy said.
“If you drink well water, be sure to check with the owner to make sure they monitor for contaminants…
