NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Do you know what's in your water?
You may have gotten an offer for free water testing to find out. But what will that really tell you?
It depends on who you ask.
Some say the testing gives you important information that will help protect your family. Others say it's just a big sales pitch for things you really don't need.
What comes out of your tap in Nashville is perfectly safe to drink, according to Metro Water Services.
"Everybody throughout our service area gets the same high-quality water regardless of where you live," Sonia Allman, spokesperson for Metro Water, told NewsChannel 5.
But there are companies that are going door to door, offering to test your water and let you know what they find in it.
"They are wanting to sell you either a water softener or a purification system or some other type of equipment to as they say make your water better," Allman explained.
Allman added that it's fine if you want something like that, but in general, she said, despite what a company may tell you, your water doesn't need it.
Metro regularly analyzes its water for more than a hundred different substances and their reporting shows nothing exceeds the standard limits.
"Most companies are focusing on things that are in our water that are not harmful to us," Allman said.
For example, calcium and manganese.
Neither is dangerous in your water. But, if you take it out, she suggested, be aware of what's likely going in.
"Water softeners remove the calcium and the manganese and they are replacing those constituents with sodium. So that also means that your water that you are drinking just got higher levels of sodium which could be harmful to you someone that really has to watch their salt intake," Allman cautioned.
One big reason people turn to water purifiers is chlorine. But, Allman said, you don't need a purifier to get rid of it.
"If chlorine is really your concern in your water and you don’t like to drink water because you can smell that chlorine and it smells like a swimming pool and that is probably the biggest concern that we get. I personally like the smell of chlorine because I know that tells me that that water is disinfected and safe. But if you fill water in a pitcher and put it in the refrigerator by the next morning, all of the chlorine will have dissipated out. It’s nice and cold. And it will taste just like the water coming out of your refrigerator," she explained.
And one more thing you should know, you don't have to wait for one of those companies to come to your door to get your water tested.
"We are more than happy if someone has a concern about their water and they call us and say 'I’m concerned about XYZ,' to come out and check that for them."
If you have a concern about your water, you can call Metro Water Services at 615-862-4600 and they'll send someone out to check it out and even test it for you.
And, as we mentioned, Metro tests its water for 105 different substances and they post the results on their website. If you're interested in checking that data out:
