I have to tell you that there is a big difference between doing research about drinking water contamination and actually seeing a detailed accounting of the water I, and people I know and love, are drinking.

The overall conclusion of this drinking water treatment report indicates that all is well with the water that comes into my mom's home. But seeing the list of contaminants, the explanation of where they come from, and the way they are rated in terms of acceptable levels, made me very uneasy.

All drinking water contamination was organized into a table that was divided up into sections titled: "Disinfectants & Disinfection By-Products"; "Inorganic Contaminants"; "Radioactive Contaminants" and "Inorganic Contaminants."

The list of drinking water contaminants included: chlorine, haloacetic acids, triihalomethanes, nitrate, flouride, arsenic, barium, chromium, alpha emitters, combined radium, uranium and copper.

Some of the sources of these contaminants included:"additive used to control microbes," "by-product of drinking water chlorination,"runoff from fertilizer use," "leaching from septic tanks," "sewage," erosion of natural deposits," "discharge from fertilizer and aluminum factories," "discharge from drilling wastes," "discharge from metal refineries," "discharge from steel and pulp mills" and "leaching from wood preservatives."

And if that wasn't enough to raise the hair on the back of one's head, this drinking water treatment report rated the contaminants under the headings, "MCLG (Maximum Contaminant Level Goal) or MRDLG (Maximum Residual Disinfection Goal) and MCL (Maximum Contaminant Level) or MRLD (Maximum Residual Disinfection Level). Numbers appeared under these headings, but there wasn't a legend that explained what the numbers meant.

Don't get me wrong. I think it's great that this company keeps its customers informed. However, I do think they could do a little better in the explanation department because seeing those contaminants at ANY level is enough to cause alarm.

The good news, however, is that this drinking water treatment report reinforced my belief that relying on municipal or private drinking water purification systems continues to have major drawbacks. And because there are some wonderful, healthy alternatives to this "iffy" water, there is no reason why anyone has to feel scared or uneasy about taking a drink of water.

Anyone can do their own drinking water treatment. Drinking water filters or whole house water filters are, by far, the cheapest and most convenient way to filter and purify water. In addition to selling some great drinking water treatment systems, there are companies out there that also offer fantastic customer service.

And if you're not sure what kind of water filter system you should buy, my recommendation is to look for a filter system that uses a multi-stage filtration process. This way you will be able to safeguard against chlorine (disinfectant), lead (inorganic contaminant), and VOCs (volatile organic chemicals).

Oh...FYI...as an added bonus to a whole house water filter system, the water that will leave your home and go back in the sewers will be free of chemicals and bacteria further protecting the environment. That is sure to help make any drinking water treatment report less scary.

Olivia Romero is a life-long water drinking enthusiast who has devoted much time to finding the best drinking water treatment systems. Visit Clean Cool Water to discover the recommendations that resulted from her extensive research.