Cancer-Causing Chemicals Found in Tap and Bottled Water
Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

November 11, 2024

US Approves GMO Wheat Grown with Neurotoxic Herbicide US Approves GMO Wheat Grown with Neurotoxic Herbicide
Scurvy Is Making a Surprising ComebackScurvy Is Making a Surprising Comeback
cancer causing chemicals tap and bottled water
Story at-a-glance
A study published in PLOS Water found concerning levels of various contaminants in bottled, tap and household-treated water, raising safety concerns for all drinking water sources
Trihalomethanes (THMs) are known carcinogens found in all water sources, with tap water containing the highest concentrations and accounting for 94.5% of its total cumulative toxicity
Heavy metals like lead, arsenic and uranium were also detected in tap and household-treated water samples, posing significant long-term health risks including neurological damage and cancer
Bottled water, while often perceived as a safer choice, is not without risks; 8% of bottled samples exceeded safety limits for THMs, and were found to be contaminated with petroleum-derived compounds
Strategies to ensure safe drinking water are outlined below, including installing a high-quality water filtration system both at the point of entry and at the point of use in your home
Drinking clean, pure water is essential for maintaining optimal health, yet over 2 billion people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water.1 The increasing contamination of tap water with harmful substances has led many to seek alternatives like bottled water and home filtration systems in an effort to protect their well-being.
Yet, despite this shift, there's still a lack of comprehensive scientific data on the safety of these water sources, particularly when it comes to the presence of hazardous chemicals and pollutants. This prompted researchers from California to investigate the safety and aesthetic qualities of three common drinking water options — bottled water, tap water and household-treated tap water.
Recently published in the journal PLOS Water,2 their findings reveal alarming levels of carcinogenic chemicals and other dangerous pollutants across all types of drinking water, raising concerns about what is truly safe to consume.