How Chicago Water Filters Can Fix the City’s Lead Problem

Here’s Why Chicago Water Filters Are Essential!

Chicago residents have a reason to be concerned about their water. Every other week it seems like there’s another news story about Chicagoans having their health threatened by lead contamination. It’s enough to make anyone want to never turn on their tap again and purchase bottled water for the rest of their life. (We wouldn’t recommend this strategy, by the way.)

Of course, some Chicagoans are also skeptical of all this hubbub about polluted drinking water. Is this the truth or just the sensationalist media conjuring up another story to scare us?

It’s important to know the truth. After all, if the local government isn’t doing enough to keep Chicago water clean, concerned citizens will have to pick up the slack.

One way to pick up the slack is by investing in Chicago water filters. But filters cost money. So, residents want to know why filters are necessary and worthwhile before making a purchase.

That’s what this blog is for! In this post, we will examine the problem with lead and other contaminants in Chicago water. Then we will explain how Chicago water filters address these problems and give you some expert advice on picking the right filter.

What is the Truth About Lead in Chicago Water?

Everyone has heard that Chicago has lead in its drinking water. But is this true, and what are the facts about this problem? Let’s take a closer look at the issue.

A Brief History of Chicago’s Lead Problem

Chicago’s lead problem began back in the mid-1800s when the city was building its plumbing system. The builders chose lead because of its strength and flexibility. They liked how easily the pipes could bend to fit them in tight spaces and assumed, rightly, that they would last a long time without needing repair.

Of course, back then, they didn’t know lead was harmful. But it wasn’t long before many Chicagoans started experiencing lead poisoning. And while other cities saw these results and banned the use of lead plumbing, Chicago refused. In fact, it wasn’t until 1986 that the city stopped using lead service lines, and that was only because the federal government banned it.

Why did it take the city so long? In short, Chicago’s politicians didn’t want to anger the plumber’s unions, who preferred using lead because they knew it would cost them votes.

Why Lead Contamination is Still Happening

Even though the government banned lead service lines in 1986, this ban did little to fix the damage already done. After all, the city already had nearly 400,000 lead service lines. So, it would take a lot of work to get rid of all that lead.

But in the years since 1986, the city hasn’t done much to address the issue. In fact, a 1991 federal law called the Lead and Copper Rule gave Chicago officials the excuse they needed not to act.

The law required the city to test a portion of its households for lead every three years, and if the levels were too high, they would have to replace the service lines. Unfortunately, it has been extremely easy for the city to pass these tests even as the lead problem has persisted. Critics say the reason for this is the tests aren’t thorough enough, and the law doesn’t require the city to test a large enough sample size.

And even though the city hasn’t installed lead service lines since 1986, its new installation practices have made the problem worse. The city frequently performs something called a partial lead service line replacement. They only replace a portion of the lead service line with copper piping. As it turns out, this practice causes a corrosive effect when the copper is combined with the lead, causing even more of the lead to leach into the water!

So, clearly, full lead service line replacement is the only way to fix this problem. And while the city has indicated that it’s moving in that direction, getting rid of all that lead will likely take multiple decades.

In other words, Chicago’s lead problem isn’t going away anytime soon.

What Other Contaminants are In Chicago Water?

The threat of lead poisoning is enough to make Chicago water filters necessary. But here’s the thing: Studies show that many more contaminants are lurking in Chicago water, including chromium-6, mercury, radium and other emerging contaminants!

You may recognize the name chromium-6 (a.k.a. hexavalent chromium) from the 2000 film Erin Brokovich. This contaminant is just as dangerous in real life as portrayed in the movie, as it can cause cancer and other health defects. And, unfortunately, Chicago water contains a lot of it since it frequently gets into Lake Michigan water through industrial runoff.