Clean Water Linked to Child Health: What Every Mom Needs to Know

For over three decades, I’ve dedicated my career to helping families guard against hidden dangers in everyday life. One of the most persistent and underestimated threats I continue to encounter is something as routine as tap water.

While it may seem alarming—especially for those who have been assured their tap water is "safe"—emerging evidence continues to link everyday water exposure to serious health concerns. Rising rates of infertility, early puberty, hormonal imbalances, and even certain cancers are increasingly associated with long-term exposure to environmental toxins. Household tap water is one of the most common and overlooked sources of toxins. It's the same water families use daily—for drinking, cooking, bathing, and caring for their children—often without considering the potential contaminants it may contain.

This message is especially for families. For mothers who take steps to avoid harmful chemicals in food, cleaning products, and personal care items, understanding what’s in the tap water is a critical next step. If you're committed to giving your children the healthiest possible start, it's essential to know the potential risks in your water supply—and what you can do to protect your home.

But first, it’s important to expose the risks that have been concealed from public view.

What’s Really in Your Tap Water? The Risks Few Are Talking About

Although tap water is assumed to be clean and safe, it is not. Most municipal water treatment systems in the United States were built decades ago. They were never engineered to filter out many modern contaminants now found in our water supply. These include toxic PFAS chemicals, pharmaceutical residues, fluoride, and hormone-disrupting compounds. In addition, chlorine-based disinfectants and fluoride are often added during the treatment process, raising further concerns about long-term exposure and health impacts.

Many contaminants in drinking water are not subject to federal regulation and therefore are not routinely tested. Even among those that are monitored, safety standards are often based on outdated guidelines that have not been updated to reflect the latest scientific research on toxicity and long-term health risks.

As a water quality specialist who has reviewed thousands of municipal water reports, I can confirm that it is not uncommon to find traces of contaminants such as lead, arsenic, nitrates, fluoride, radioactive elements, pesticides, and PFAS—commonly known as "forever chemicals"—in water supplies that still meet current EPA standards.

While household tap water may comply with federal regulatory standards, it doesn't necessarily meet the safety expectations of mothers protecting their families. According to research published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), even low levels of certain contaminants within EPA limits can be hundreds of times more toxic than what current regulations account for.

Hormone Disruption and Drinking Water

This is not a distant concern or unproven theory—it’s a trend unfolding in real time. Across the country, clinicians and researchers observe significant shifts in reproductive and hormonal health. Girls are entering puberty years earlier than what was considered normal, while testosterone levels among boys and young men are steadily declining. Increasingly, otherwise healthy young couples are facing unexpected fertility challenges. Diagnoses of hormone-related conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are rising alarmingly. These developments reflect a growing public health issue that demands greater attention and investigation.

Rising hormone-related health issues are often blamed on genetics or stress, but overlooked environmental factors—like tap water—play a major role. Decades of research show that municipal water can contain low levels of hormone-disrupting chemicals from pesticides, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. These contaminants are invisible and tasteless, yet they interfere with the body’s hormone systems, starting as early as fetal development and continuing through childhood. The result is long-term, cumulative exposure with serious health implications.

For Growing Families, Hidden Water Risks Pose Greater Threats

During pregnancy or when trying to conceive, access to clean water is especially critical. A developing baby depends on the mother’s body, including her water consumption. What many don’t realize is that the fetal brain, nervous system, and endocrine system develop rapidly during this time and are highly vulnerable to environmental toxins, even at low levels.

Trace levels of contaminants that may have minimal effects on adults pose a greater risk to developing babies. These small exposures have the potential to impact long-term brain development, immune function, and even future fertility.

Decades of research from toxicologists, medical experts, and water engineers have made one thing clear: clean water is not a luxury; it’s a public health necessity. Safe, contaminant-free water is a foundational requirement for maintaining long-term health.

Bathing May Expose You to More Chemicals Than You Realize

If your primary focus was drinking enough water, that’s completely understandable. However, I always encourage the families I work with to take a broader approach. Your skin is incredibly absorbent and the body’s largest organ.

 

Many people take hot showers as a way to relax, but what often goes unnoticed is the hidden exposure to harmful toxins. Showers and baths can introduce more contaminants into your body than drinking a glass of tap water. Your pores open when warm water touches your skin, making it easier for chemicals to be absorbed. The steam you breathe isn’t just harmless vapor—it can carry chlorine and chemical byproducts like chloroform and trihalomethanes, which are carcinogens. These substances have been linked to a range of health concerns, from skin and eye irritation to more serious long-term effects. In just ten minutes, your body can absorb more volatile chemicals through your skin and lungs than from drinking unfiltered water—yet most people never stop to consider it.

That’s why I often say: if you’re not filtering your shower water, you’re only addressing half the problem.

For children and babies with sensitive skin, this becomes even more important. Elevated levels of chemicals in bathwater worsen skin conditions such as eczema, rashes, and scalp irritation.

Shower filters can effectively reduce chlorine, but they fall short in removing more harmful chemicals such as trihalomethanes. One of the most overlooked yet impactful upgrades is installing a whole-house filtration system. In my own home—and in every system I design for clients—the guiding principle is simple: if you wouldn’t drink the water, you shouldn’t bathe in it either.

My Top 5 Water Safety Tips Every Mom Should Know

If I had the chance to sit down with every mom reading this and share a water safety game plan, here’s exactly where I’d recommend starting:

     1. Don’t judge your water by its appearance or taste.

Clear water doesn’t always mean clean water. Harmful contaminants like lead, nitrates, and PFAS are often invisible—they have no color, taste, or smell. To better understand what’s in your water, request a copy of your local water quality report and consult a Water Specialist to help interpret the results.

     2. Start by filtering at the point of use—it's the first step toward cleaner, safer water.

Install a high-quality multistage filter where you drink, cook, and wash vegetables—starting with your kitchen sink and showers. If your budget permits, add a whole-house filtration system on your main water line. This eliminates harmful chemicals and reduces heavy metals throughout your entire home, protecting showers, baths, sinks, and all other fixtures.

     3. Beware of “Off-the-Shelf” Generic Filters

With the rise of more hazardous PFAS chemicals in public water supplies, generic “off-the-shelf” filters are no longer enough for thoroughly clean water. That’s why we continuously upgrade the filtration technology in our systems, effectively removing toxic contaminants from your water source.

     4. Schedule filter replacements

Filters that aren’t properly maintained lose their effectiveness and eventually stop working altogether. Be sure to follow the recommended replacement schedule, set reminders, and never skip this important step.

     5. Don’t overlook the water your kids drink at school or daycare.

Ask about the quality of water your children are drinking when they’re in public places. Providing a reusable filtered water bottle can make a significant difference.

How to Select the Best Water Filter for Your Family

With numerous options available, choosing the right water filter can be overwhelming. It comes down to answering three questions:

     1. Which contaminants do you need to eliminate?

If you live in an agricultural area, nitrates and herbicides may be your primary concern. In older homes, lead contamination is often a major issue. Urban areas commonly face PFAS, chloramine, heavy metals, and even radioactivity. Understanding your local water quality is the crucial first step. We can help you identify the right filtration system by reviewing your area’s Water Quality Report or, if you use well water, by providing a test kit for accurate analysis.

     2. What fits realistically into your lifestyle?

Every home needs an effective filtration system to safeguard the health of its family. If you live in an apartment or condominium, begin with a high-quality sink filter and a shower filter. Ultimately, the ideal solution combines a custom-designed triple filter or Reverse Osmosis system with a whole-house filtration tank for protection.

I’ve evaluated nearly every type of filter on the market—there are hundreds of options—but most are not specifically engineered to remove the wide range of toxic contaminants found in your water.

That’s why I developed my line of CWR Environmental filtration systems designed to target the contaminants found in your water, while keeping the process straightforward and effective.

Clean water isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. You have the right to know what’s in your water and how to ensure it’s safe.

I’ve dedicated my career to helping families achieve just that—and I’m here to help you as well. Because when it comes to your home, nothing is more important than the health of your loved ones.

Dr. Roy Speiser, Vice President
CWR Environmental Products
800-444-3563
www.cwrenviro.com

Related: How to Choose the Best Water Filter for Every Home and Budget