By Richard Mesquita, AquaMD

Water filter companies have done an excellent job hammering home the fact that a lot of water is contaminated. We regularly find city and well water contaminated with hazardous toxins in cities and towns across the United States.

However, there's one thing water filter companies don't mention. Even if their filter removes contaminants from the water you drink, you're still exposed to contaminated water when you:

• Inhale steam from a shower
• Bathe
• Wash your hands
• Wear laundry washed in contaminated water
• Eat and drink from plates, glasses and utensils washed in contaminated water

That's why it's so important to make sure your water supply is safe.

Relying on the way your water looks, tastes or smells is a mistake. Dangerous levels of contaminants that damage your health are measured in parts per million or billion, something that the human senses of taste, smell and sight cannot detect. A case in point: In some states, the FDA recently reported the widespread tainting of milk and lettuce with rocket fuel. But the contaminated milk and lettuce regulators examined looks, tastes and smells perfectly fine.

To protect your family's good health, find out what's in your water. If it's currently safe, then having a small point-of-use filter is a nice added level of protection. But if you find contamination, you should seek expert advice as to what treatment system can remove it.