Water is the universal solvent. It wants to absorb whatever it comes in contact with, whether minerals in the earth or man-made contaminants improperly discharged to the environment. Many of the naturally occurring contaminants can really only be called contaminants when they exceed certain levels in water. Otherwise, many of the inorganic chemicals and metals that can be found in water are essential to the every day diet of people. Things like calcium, fluoride, selenium, zinc and even arsenic can be found on the ingredient labels of many vitamin supplements, or in your drinking water.

The categories of contaminants are: inorganic chemicals, minerals, metals, radionuclides, physical parameters, microbiological, disinfection by-products (DBPs) and man-made contaminants like volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) and synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs).

For a full listing of regulated chemicals (there are almost 100), check the DOHS web site at www.dhs.cahwnet.gov/ps/ddwem. You can also check EPA, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water at www.epa.gov/OGWDW.