Residents in El Paso County often notice subtle water quality differences in their household fixtures but may wonder what role perchlorate plays in these changes. Understanding perchlorate’s presence in the water supply and treatment choices can clarify decisions about home water care.
Myth: Plumbing Materials or Age Cause Perchlorate Detection at the Tap
While older plumbing or specific materials influence some water quality characteristics, perchlorate is unrelated to household plumbing. Government monitoring by the EPA for the SECURITY WSD public water system—which uses surface water and serves roughly 20,000 people across 7,519 connections—shows perchlorate levels below EPA reporting thresholds. These findings reflect source and treatment system conditions, not factors from pipes or fixtures inside homes.
Myth: All Treatment Methods Remove Perchlorate Equally
Not all water systems or devices target perchlorate effectively. The documented C-Series Perchlorate Filter employs specific technology designed to reduce perchlorate concentrations by addressing it chemically or physically within the water flow. This approach differs from general filtration or softening and offers a way for households weighing options to consider perchlorate-specific removal versus broader treatment strategies.
Myth: Commercial and Industrial Perchlorate Concerns Match Residential Priorities
Businesses and large operators often assess perchlorate with stricter criteria due to volume, usage, and regulatory frameworks differing from households. Residential users focus on smaller-scale treatment capacity, daily water use, and fixture impact, while commercial concerns may include higher throughput and compliance with industrial standards beyond those seen in the SECURITY WSD records.
Myth: Treatment Advice Can Proceed Without Detailed Water Data
Before choosing any perchlorate treatment, households should obtain a recent water test specific to their own supply since system-wide records do not reveal individual tap concentrations. Documenting water source type, test results for perchlorate and other constituents, and water use habits forms the foundation for informed decisions and discussions about treatment technologies.
Myth: Public Water System Monitoring Is the Same as Private Well Testing
Monitoring of the SECURITY WSD system reflects data from a large surface water source serving thousands, showing perchlorate never above the reporting limit of 4.0 micrograms per liter during the 2001-2005 EPA survey. Private wells, however, can experience very different conditions depending on local geology, depth, and nearby activities. Homeowners relying on private sources should test their water independently for perchlorate and other constituents.
Myth: Perchlorate Originates Mainly From Plumbing or Pipes in El Paso County
Perchlorate in this region originates primarily from environmental sources such as soil and surface water influenced by past agricultural and industrial activities rather than household plumbing systems. Surface water sources, like those feeding SECURITY WSD, are subject to state and federal monitoring programs that track perchlorate to inform public health and infrastructure decisions.
In conclusion, area data from the SECURITY WSD public water system does not indicate perchlorate above reporting levels and carries no health-based violations. Households should not assume this means their specific water is free of perchlorate without testing. Considering the documented C-Series Perchlorate Filter offers a targeted treatment option for those seeking to address perchlorate concerns identified in their own water analysis.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2001-10-17. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA UCMR1 monitoring (2001-2005) for SECURITY WSD (CO0121775), CO: 33 results across 1 listed contaminants, 0 detections above the reporting level; nothing detected above the method reporting level