The Dangers of Childhood Exposure to Common Drinking Water Contaminants

Children’s immune systems and developing metabolic, immune and neurological systems are all more easily affected by even minimal, short term exposure to many common water contaminants. It often takes lesser amounts of potentially harmful chemicals and other contaminants to affect children as well, due to their smaller body mass and still developing bodies. Early exposure to chemicals in drinking water, like pesticides and herbicides, can have very serious implications. Young children whose reproductive, digestive, central nervous system and other organs and body systems are still developing for years after birth can have key developmental processes disrupted by toxins in the water supply. Physical development can be severely affected by chemical toxins and behavioral and intellectual development can be as well. Children can be exposed to herbicides and pesticides from a variety of sources, with potentially contaminated drinking water being only one among a long list. Residual amounts of these chemicals can be found in foods and beverages. Children may also be exposed to these chemicals at school, at home, and even in public parks where they may be used to treat lawns and prevent elevated insect populations and building infestations. Surface and ground water supplies can also be compromised by herbicides and pesticides, particularly in heavy agricultural areas. Well water can easily be contaminated with these chemicals as the source water that feeds the well is often affected. Because children are already potentially exposed to chemicals from many other sources, the consumption of even small quantities of the same or similar chemicals in home drinking water only compounds the issue. Many parents feel their children are bombarded with chemicals at every turn. While immediate action cannot be taken to prevent exposure to herbicides and pesticides in many ways, given that parents don’t have full control over public places like parks and schools, there are ways to limit children’s exposure overall. These include controlling the use of chemicals on their own property, the purchase of safer and less chemical-rich food sources, and the use of home water filtration systems that remove chemicals from drinking water. More than 4 billion pounds of pesticides are used in the United States each year, including residential and commercial applications. Of all the pesticides and herbicides used commercially over the years, those which contained atrazine are among the most dangerous and have had the most lasting effects on the environment. Atrazine is a chemical common in agricultural herbicides. It is used to prevent the growth of invasive plants in corn, wheat, soybean and other field crops. For this reason, the highest concentrations of atrazine are often found in rural areas. Atrazine gets into the surface water and ground water supplies through run off from fields on which the chemical is used. Those water sources are what feed many rural wells and local creeks, streams and rivers as well. The same water sources are often involved in feeding water to town and city water systems, making the affects of chemical usage far reaching. Prolonged exposure to atrazine in contaminated drinking water can cause problems for children and adults, including reproductive issues and cardiovascular problems. Because children are still developing, even short term exposure can have lasting health implications. Using home water filters capable of eliminating chemicals from drinking water is the best method for reducing health risks associated with atrazine and other similar herbicides and pesticides.