Turns out, our water isn’t as safe as we’d like it to be. The AP just came out with results of a water study they did across the country, which found a vast amount and variety of prescription drugs in the tap water that comes into our homes. Disturbing, yes… But it’s important to note that they’re trace amounts, not enough to do any immediate damage or interfere with the meds you currently take by drinking just one glass of tap water. However, the buildup of all these drugs in our bodies over time is dangerous, but no one really knows to what extent since there haven’t been any official long term studies. (Read the full AP report here .)

To many people out there, especially moms like me, this raises a big concern about my child’s safety. I don’t care if they are trace amounts, I don’t like the idea of my son getting small doses of Viagra (among other things). Doesn’t it seem like everything these days is a potential health risk for our kids? From cancerous chemicals in their shampoo to toxins in the plastics used to make their bottles & sippy cups to dangerous chemicals that cause reproductive harm in the absorbent material of their disposable diapers, there are numerous new health scares today that previous generations didn’t have to face. All we can do is try to be well-informed parents and make the best choices we can for our kids.

One change I’m going to implement (that I’ve been meaning to do for a while) is to get a water filtration system for my sink. Besides making the water from your tap taste great, they filter out all the nasty stuff -like sediment, lead, chlorine, and unwanted pharmaceuticals, to name a few. I especially like Brita filters because unlike others, theirs don’t filter out fluoride which is essential for good dental health, especially for kids, and also very important for expectant moms and developing babies. They make a variety to choose from, including one that features a lever to control when you use the filter or not, so you can turn it off when you need to wash dishes or the dog.

Whether you want to cut down on using plastic water bottles or save a bundle on your grocery bill, I think these on tap water filtration systems are the way to go. Especially if you’re currently mixing baby formula and cooking with tap water. Kinda makes you think twice about every time you turn on the faucet for something, doesn’t it?