There are many reasons to consider making the switch from tap water to more purified water, such as that you would find from a simple at home ceramic water filter system. Often times, we are unsure of why we should switching drinking different water or stop eating a certain food until we are made aware of the nasty elements that can be contained in it that we were previously unaware of. For example, many fast food burger chains recently had to address the issue of “pink slime” being contained in their meats. After much contention from the general public, a number of meat packers have changed their standards to exclude pink slime. The same can actually be said of tap water. Learn about seven rather disgusting elements that could be contained in yours, found in a list of common tap water contaminates that was created by the U.S. Environmental Services Agency (EPA).

Lead

The CDC (U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention) says that lead is a highly concerning and toxic element found in trace elements in tap water. Over the past few decades, great efforts have been made to reduce or eliminate lead in water. The most common findings purport that most lead found in tap water today is caused by old pipes that deteriorate over time and contaminate the water in your home.

Cryptosporidium/ Giardia
Ingesting either of these two microscopic organisms can result in serious illness. They attack the intestines and the lining of the intestines, causing debilitating diarrhea. While they are filtered by your water treatment center, most well water systems do not filter these nasty cysts out.

Bisphenol-A (BPA)
Shockingly, this is the same chemical that is used in the plastic of the water bottles that you enjoy drinking filtered water from. Think again, however. That’s because it is considered toxic and is thought to contribute to various cancers.

Fluoride
There is an ongoing debate regarding the efficacy and safety of fluoridated water. Many cities are now removing this compound. That’s because fluoride is the byproduct of the creation of aluminum. It is illegal to dump this toxic waste in most places, but somehow legal to add it to our water supply.

Pesticides
The same farms that grow your organic produce also have water runoff that enters our water supply. This runoff often contains harmful and toxic pesticides and herbicides. While most of them are filtered out, trace elements still are found in the water supply.

Drugs
A lot of people flush drugs down the toilet instead of recycling them properly. Most major cities have found trace elements of various prescription and illicit drugs in the tap water supply. The EPA says these elements are minor enough to have no impact, but do you really want drugs in your water?

More Than 2,000 Contaminants
According to various government sources, there are more than 2,000 known contaminates that are found in standard tap water, ranging from lead to prescription drugs and others. An EPA report on dirty water in the U.S. emphasizes these startling findings, making the ceramic water filter for home use seem even more lucrative.