Residential City Water -
Issues and Treatment Choices
What is City Water?
City water means any water that has already been treated by a municipal facility, before being delivered to your home. In Boulder County and surrounding areas, this can include water from Boulder, Left Hand Water, Lafayette, Denver, etc. This local water, even though it is relatively good quality for municipally treated water, does have some issues; hence many people want to treat city water further before they use it for either drinking or showering/bathing.
Much of the city water in the Front Range area is treated surface water, typically from mountain streams and reservoirs. However, there are some local systems and many municipalities elsewhere in the United States that use well water for public water supplies (adding well water issues to your city water). You can find out by calling your supplier or finding them on the internet.
Additional Information and Links
- For information on Boulder's drinking water program and source water, go to the Water Quality page at the City of Boulder website, and click on the Water Quality Report.
- For information on water conservation (we at Colorado Water Wizard support it!) go to the Boulder Water Conservation Office webpage.
- More information on water contaminants in general can be found at USEPAs website.
- Colorado Water Wizard's approach to Treating Drinking Water
- Colorado Water Wizard's approach to Treating Whole House Water
- Colorado Water Wizard's FAQs provides answers to additional questions not addressed here.
The Issues With City Water
| Chlorine | A necessary additive used by municipal treatment plants to supply water that is as free as possible of harmful bacteria and viruses. Some cities use chloramine. The problem with both is that they make water smell and taste objectionable. Some people react adversely (dry skin and hair, for example). |
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| Chlorination Byproducts | Formed by a reaction of chlorine with organic contaminants in the water when chlorine is added to the water. Exposure occurs both by consuming the water, and by bathing or showering in it. These byproducts are carcinogenic compounds regulated by the EPA and the Safe Drinking Water Act, though many health providers think that the limits allowed are inadequate. |
| Fluoride | Added to most Front Range water supplies and most large city supplies throughout the country, in spite of the controversy around it. Fluoride use is endorsed by the American Dental Association, yet its use is condemned by a number of respected researchers and health care providers who cite evidence of carcinogenicity, central nervous system effects, and human enzyme disruption. There are health providers and dentists who are now concerned that many children are getting too much fluoride. An excellent book on fluoride is The Fluoride Deception by Christopher Bryson. A review of the book is at the NRDC website. |
| Heavy Metals | Lead - A major source for very toxic lead compounds are the pipes and fixtures in your house and possibly those leading from the treatment plant to your house. Mercury, Cadmium, Radium and other metals - Not likely to be found in the Boulder/Denver area in municipal waters. In other parts of the country any one or combination of heavy metals can be found depending on the area. If the municipal treatment company draws water from a ground source (well), the possibility increases. Radiologial Contaminants - If your municipality (such as around Boulder, CO) draws water from surface sources (lakes, streams), the water is unlikely to have radiological contaminants (metals and radon). The wells in the foothills and mountains surrounding Boulder often have such contaminants and water from municipalities that draw water from wells (ground water) may also have radiological contaminants. |
| Large Microorganisms | Giardia and cryptosporidium are the best known of this group. All Front Range surface water supply sources can potentially contain these organisms. They are resistant to chlorine. They have been blamed for major outbreaks of disease and many deaths such as the Milwaukee outbreak in 1993. |
| Other Contaminants | Depends on geographical location and water treatment and delivery protocols of your municipal water supply. This list can include pesticides, nitrates, fertilizers, organic chemicals, radioactive compounds,bacteria, viruses, and pharmaceutical drugs. Hardness can be a problem in some of the treated water supplies in and around Boulder, but for most residents, the hardness at about 2-3 grains/gallon should not be a concern. Aluminum from the municipal treatment system is usually present in most city water supplies. |
Water Treatment Alternatives for City Water
Drinking Water Only, or Whole House System
Note: Households with local Front Range city water hardly ever need softeners or complex treatment systems despite what some sales people will tell you. (If you live in an area of the state or country that has high hardness or iron, you may very well want to explore getting a softener.) Most people will treat only their drinking water, and sometimes their shower water. Some people, especially those who are immune compromised or sensitive to chlorine, decide to treat all the water going into their house (but not the water going to their yards).
Why you might want a Whole House System
- You are concerned about chlorine in the water in your bath and shower.
- Some individuals' skin is very sensitive to chlorine and a rash-type reaction occurs.
- Some people just don't like the smell while they're bathing or showering.
- Chlorine can cause dry skin and flakey scalps in some individuals.
- You are concerned about chlorination byproducts in your bath and shower.
- Exposure to these byproducts increases an individual's risk of certain cancers.
Note: Installing a whole house system will not completely take care of your drinking water. A drinking water unit installed under the kitchen sink is still recommended as a final treatment of the water. A whole house system has to be designed to handle large flow rates as opposed to a drinking water system at the sink which can do a more complete job of treatment while flowing at a much lower flow rate.
Why you might want a Drinking Water System
- You are concerned about the quality of water you drink.
- You've heard that there are occasional failures of the municipal water treatment system and you want to provide a level of protection for your family.
- You don't like the taste or smell of city water.
- You currently have bottled water and are tired of the high cost, bottle storage, and moving bottles around.
Note: More info found at Why Treat Your Household Water?
First Decision - Treatment for Drinking Water and/or Whole House Water
