What's in Ashburn's Tap Water? Facts You Need to Know

It is imperative to test the drinking water regularly to detect possible contaminants. Understanding the makeup of the water will aid in developing the right filter to treat the water. By gaining information that applies directly to Ashburn, VA residents, the right steps will be taken to safeguard yourself and your family, making the water a source of health and energy.

As reported by the Loudoun Water Company which distributes drinking water to the residents of Loudoun County, there appear to be two immediate sources of water to the Ashburn community: the Potomac River and Goose Creek . Additionally, the community also receives water from reservoirs in Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia.

Loudoun Water directly treats the water from Goose Creek, while the water from the Potomac River can be treated either by Loudoun Water or Fairfax Water.

The water from Ashburn receives various treatments involving:

• Chemical coagulation: Chemicals known as coagulants are added to allow the fine particles to coalesce into larger ones called “flocs”.
• Flocculation: The water is stirred in order to create larger clumps of the materials that can be filtered out.
• Sedimentation: The clumps will fall to the bottom of the solution so they can be extracted.
• Filtration: The additional contaminants are filtered to obtain the finer particles left behind from the sedimentation step.
• Disinfection: The water receives a treatment of chlorine to eliminate viral and bacterial problems and to inhibit the growth of bacteria along the way.

Studies confirm that the level of this particular contaminant has been found to be above the health level of safety. Bromodichloromethane is a class of contaminants known as trihalomethanes (TTHMs). Bromodichloromethanes are produced through the chlorination process used for water treatment.

Risks: Cancer. Kidney and liver injury. There has been liver and kidney injury caused by high doses of bromodichloromethane in animal studies.

According to independent tests, this level of water also far exceeds the health guidelines regarding this particular contaminant. A TTHM known as chloroform is also found in the waste of various industries and sewage treatment facilities when chlorine is added to the drinking water.

Risks: Cancer and injury to the brain, liver, and kidneys. Liver and kidney cancer has been observed in animal studies. The U.S. Department of Health has found that chloroform can be considered a possible carcinogen.

According to independent testing, this water has levels of this contaminant that exceed health guidelines. Chromium-6 has been linked to the infamous water contamination case at Hinkley, California. This carcinogenic contaminant has been found in many water sources due to industrial waste.

Risks: Cancer. Chromium-6 has been shown to cause cancer in animals when it's found in their water. It's believed to cause cancer in people as well.

Click here if you want to learn more about 5 Surprising Contaminants Found in Your Tap Water: How to Remove Them: Expert Insight.

According to independent testing, the level of this contaminant exceeds health guidelines. This compound is a type of haloacetic acid which results from the chlorination of drinking water.

Risks: Cancer risk and reproductive problems. Exposure to haloacetic acids has been found to increase cancer risk.

Independent testing has found this water contains elevated levels of this contaminant above health guidelines. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry of the US government, dibromochloromethane is a TTHM that was used in various chemicals such as fire extinguisher fluids and pesticides and also occurs in water and as a gas in air.

Risks: Damages the liver and kidneys. In animal studies, prolonged exposure leads to the development of liver and renal cancers.

Independent testing has revealed that this water has levels of this contaminant above the health guidelines. Dichloroacetic acid can form through the chlorination of water and through the inappropriate disposal of pharmaceuticals.

Risks: Cancer, reproductive problems, child development problems. It can cause problems in the liver and kidneys, nerves, and cancer.

According to independent tests, this water has been found to be above health standards concerning this particular contaminant. The haloacetic acids are known to be a byproduct of chlorination treatment. They occur when the natural organics in the water react with the chlorine.

Risks: Cancer. Exposure to high concentrations of HAAs over a prolonged period can cause cancer.

Independently available tests confirm that this water contains levels of this pollutant that exceed health guidelines. Nitrate contaminants are caused by fertilizer runoff, animal waste, and wastewater treatment. This particular pollutant can be found in groundwater in many rural communities.

Risks: Cancer and developmental problems in infants. Nitrate contamination has been shown to cause bladder cancer and development problems in infants whose mothers ingested contaminated drinking water during pregnancy.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) filter systems work efficiently in removing various contaminants, but they also have many limitations. The first five limitations of RO filter systems are:

RO units are costly when compared to the price of the carbon-block filter because they require replacement of at least 4 to 6 filters yearly. RO filters are estimated to be at least 2 to 3 times pricier than the price of the carbon-block filter.

The RO water filters waste a lot of water in the process, which takes approximately 5 to 6 gallons of water for each gallon of drinking water produced.

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The RO filter eliminates vital trace minerals like calcium, manganese, and iron that are advantageous to the body. The absence of vital nutrients can cause harm through the consumption of this type of water.

Some RO units come equipped with a remineralization cartridge that helps restore the missing minerals. The cartridges may be imported from abroad and may also fail to provide the natural proportions of the minerals.

The safety of drinking water in Ashburn remains a priority because of the contaminants that might be found in the water. These contaminants include bromodichloromethane, chloroform, hexavalent chromium, and nitrates. Although the treatment process involves multiple steps through the care of Loudoun Water, the contaminants might be harmful to the consumer's health.

To guard against this risk, there are additional options available concerning additional filtration. RO filters can eliminate many of the above substances but also have several drawbacks, such as being expensive to buy and requiring maintenance and waste generation. They also eliminate needed substances such as calcium and iron. However, there are remineralization filters available to counter this effect. However, the filters might not be able to perfectly restore the natural levels of the substances found in the water.