VOCs in Drinking Water
VOCs, Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemicals commonly found throughout our daily lives. From paints and stains to cleaning products and objects found in and around our homes like carpeting and plastics, they are among the most widespread chemical contaminants in the environment.
These chemicals are volatile because they can be easily vaporized in the air, ready to be breathed in, and also because they dissolve in water readily, often making contamination quick. As a result, VOCs are nearly ubiquitous environmental pollutants.
VOCs in Your Orange County Drinking Water
Almost 20% of the nation’s aquifers contained at least one of the 55 known water-soluble VOCs, and in general, well water supplies are more likely to contain one or more of these contaminants. The most common VOCs found in water supplies tend to be trihalomethanes (THMs), especially chloroform, and MtBEs, an additive that was common in gasoline in the late 90s to mid 2000s.
Many VOCs are regulated in public drinking water. Federal and California rules set enforceable limits (MCLs) for dozens of individual VOCs, and California’s limits are sometimes stricter than the federal ones. Your utility reports any detected VOCs in its annual Consumer Confidence Report, and a test of your own tap is how you find out what is reaching your fixtures.
Because VOCs evaporate easily, they can also move from water into indoor air during showering and other household water use. If you have health questions, talk to your doctor or your county health department.
Removing VOCs from Drinking Water
Because VOCs are mostly organic material, activated carbon filtration is commonly used to reduce them in drinking water; check a system’s performance data sheet for which VOCs it is certified to reduce. The best way to find out if you have VOCs in your drinking water is with a water test. VOCs are measured by a certified laboratory rather than a standard in-home water test, so ask us about arranging a lab test if you want VOC results.
A Culligan expert can than recommend the right carbon filtration system to reduce them for you based on your individual needs. For example, our precision Cullar® Activated Carbon filters are designed to reduce chlorine taste and odor and certain organic compounds throughout your home.
If you have any other questions about VOCs in your drinking water, or how Culligan can help, schedule a free water test today!
