AWWA WQTC58843

Several toxicological and epidemiological studies have established a relationship between disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in tap water and human health outcomes including cancer and adverse reproductive outcomes. DBP exposure is multi-route and its degree will vary according to individuals' water use habits and location of consumers' taps within the distribution system. Because DBPs can be ingested from a variety of sources including directly as tap water, from filtered water and bottled water, or in prepared beverages and food, a more thorough investigation of home filtration systems, bottled water, and water preparation is necessary for more accurate exposure assignment. This study examined bottled water brands consumed and filtration systems employed by a cohort of women enrolled in a study linking tap water and reproductive outcomes. Four different filtration units were evaluated in a home serviced by the same municipal water as the cohort. Each filter removed greater than 80% of trihalomethanes (THMs) at all times when used according to manufacturers' direction. However, some filters only removed between 30 and 60% of total organic halides (TOX) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). The HAAs and THMs consumed from filtered water can account for 50% of a consumer's exposure through the ingestion pathway. Includes 20 references, tables, figures.