Although measures are taken to ensure that public drinking water is safe for consumption, it can contain trace amounts of contaminations that could negatively impact health. For instance, the heavy metals lead and copper are extremely toxic to health. They can cause stomach distress and lead to brain damage when ingested over time.

These heavy metals have been known to leach in to drinking water, even in countries where public water sources are closely regulated. By using in home water filters or drinking purified bottled water, drinking water undergoes another level of purification that can remove metals, chemicals and other contaminants, depending on the type of purification system used. Water purification systems like charcoal filters remove chlorine, a common chemical added to the public water supply as a disinfectant.

Several studies have linked chlorinated water to an increased risk of certain cancers, including colorectal cancer. Another benefit of water purification is that it removes unpleasant tastes associated with chemical treatments, organic matter or metal plumbing, leaving you with fresh, pure-tasting drinking water.