Consumer Resources

Many people assume that municipal “treated” water is the purest and safest option available, equating treatment with optimal quality. However, water treatment and water filtration serve distinct purposes in the drinking water supply chain. Confusing the two can lead to misconceptions about what comes out of the tap. What Is Water Treatment? Water treatment refers to the comprehensive processes used by municipalities and utilities to make raw water (from rivers, lakes, reservo

Microplastics: tiny plastic particles less than 5 mm in size, including nanoplastics—are pervasive environmental contaminants found in freshwater sources, tap water, and bottled water. This article reviews key pathways of contamination, including UV-induced degradation of plastic packaging, the release of microplastics from plastic tea bags, and accumulation in the human body, with emphasis on recent findings in male reproductive tissues. While concentrations in drinking wate

Pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs) and their metabolites enter aquatic environments primarily through human excretion and wastewater discharges. Conventional water and wastewater treatment processes often fail to fully remove these trace contaminants, leading to their detection in surface waters, groundwater, and finished drinking water. This article examines the pathways of pharmaceutical pollution, the limitations of current treatment technologies for small-molecule c

Community water fluoridation represents one of the most significant public health interventions of the 20th century, credited with substantial reductions in dental caries. This review synthesizes epidemiological, toxicological, and regulatory evidence regarding the long-term effects of fluoride exposure, primarily through drinking water, while addressing both established benefits and potential risks at varying exposure levels. Historical Background and Dental Benefits Observa

Historical Context: A Public Health Triumph Chlorination of drinking water, pioneered in the early 20th century (e.g., Jersey City, NJ, in 1908), stands as one of the greatest public health achievements of the modern era. Before widespread disinfection, waterborne diseases like cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery caused massive outbreaks and high mortality, especially in growing urban areas. In the US, typhoid fever rates plummeted from ~100 cases per 100,000 people in 1900

At Velora Water Systems Inc., we believe informed decisions start with credible science. Today we launch the first in a three-part educational series examining common water additives and their potential impacts. Sodium Silicate – What It Is and Why It’s Added Sodium silicate is widely used by municipalities as a corrosion inhibitor. It forms a protective lining inside aging water distribution pipes to reduce leaching of metals such as lead and copper. While effective for infr