By the Clarity Water Co. Team · Los Angeles, CA
Most LA homeowners assume their tap water is safe. It passes regulatory standards, it looks clean, and it comes from a municipal system. But passing a legal threshold and being truly clean are two very different things. We test water in homes across the San Fernando Valley every day, and what we find surprises people every time.
Here's what we're actually testing for — and what the science says about long-term exposure.
Health risks: Congenital abnormalities, bladder cancer, rectal cancer
LADWP uses chlorine and chloramines to disinfect your water supply. While that process kills harmful bacteria, the byproducts it creates — called disinfection byproducts (DBPs) — are a different story. Long-term exposure to chlorine and its byproducts has been linked to bladder and rectal cancer, and studies have raised concerns about congenital abnormalities in children born to mothers with high chloramine exposure during pregnancy.
Health risks: Scale buildup, appliance damage, skin and hair issues
LA water is notoriously hard. Hardness refers to the concentration of calcium and magnesium minerals dissolved in your water. While not acutely toxic, chronically hard water contributes to scale buildup in your pipes, water heater, and appliances — dramatically shortening their lifespan. High alkalinity compounds the problem, accelerating hard water scaling throughout your entire plumbing system.
Health risks: Thyroid disease, birth defects, Blue Baby Syndrome (MetHb)
Nitrates enter the water supply through agricultural runoff, fertilizers, and septic systems. At elevated levels, nitrates convert to nitrites in the body — interfering with the blood's ability to carry oxygen. In infants, this causes a potentially fatal condition called methemoglobinemia, or Blue Baby Syndrome. In adults, chronic exposure has been linked to thyroid dysfunction and increased risk of birth defects.
Health risks: Skeletal fluorosis of teeth and bones
Fluoride is intentionally added to municipal water supplies at low levels. However, in areas where natural fluoride levels are already elevated, or where filtration is minimal, cumulative exposure can lead to dental and skeletal fluorosis — a condition that causes mottling of teeth and weakening of bones over time.
Health risks: Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite
High carbonate and bicarbonate levels are a marker of hard, alkaline water. At elevated concentrations they can cause gastrointestinal discomfort — nausea, vomiting, and reduced appetite — particularly in sensitive individuals and young children.
Health risks: Liver, heart and pancreas damage; gastrointestinal distress, anemia, kidney failure
Iron and copper typically enter drinking water not from the source, but from your own plumbing. Older pipes corrode over time, leaching these metals directly into the water at your tap. Elevated iron contributes to liver, heart, and pancreas damage with chronic exposure. Copper at high levels causes gastrointestinal distress, anemia, and in severe cases, liver and kidney failure.
Health risks: Contributes to water hardness; leaching of metals from pipes
Calcium is the primary driver of hard water. Beyond scale and appliance wear, calcium-heavy water throws off your water's pH balance. Low pH water is acidic and actively leaches metals — including lead and copper — from your pipes directly into your drinking water. High pH water, while not toxic, causes unpleasant taste and odor.
Health risks: Delayed development in children, cancer in adults
There is no safe level of lead in drinking water. Lead enters your water through corroding pipes and plumbing fixtures — particularly in older homes. In children, even low-level lead exposure causes irreversible developmental delays, learning disabilities, and behavioral issues. In adults, long-term exposure is linked to cancer, kidney damage, and cardiovascular disease.
Health risks: Stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea
Coliform bacteria in drinking water signals a breakdown in the treatment or distribution system. While total coliform isn't always directly harmful, its presence indicates a pathway for more dangerous pathogens to enter your water supply. Symptoms of exposure include stomach cramps, nausea, and diarrhea.
We test for all 14 of these parameters — 302 total tests — in every home we visit, at no cost to you. You'll see your actual results on the spot, and we'll walk you through exactly what they mean for your family.
Schedule your free in-home water test today.
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