Problems We Found In Henderson, Nevada Drinking Water

Emma Schultz, M.S.  |  Scientific Contributor
**Updated May 28, 2021 to include current data

For our city of Henderson water quality report, we aggregated water quality test data from the City of Henderson and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, a water provider for Henderson, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as from samples that we collect and analyze. We cross reference these data with toxicity studies in the scientific and medical literature, and look at upcoming regulatory changes. The water filters that we sell in Henderson are optimized with these issues in mind.

Source Of Henderson Drinking Water

Henderson’s tap water is primarily surface water-based and originates in the Colorado River, before reaching Lake Mead. The City of Henderson’s Water Treatment Plant accounts for 15% of the city’s drinking water. The remaining water comes from the Southern Nevada Water Authority, from either the Alfred Merritt Smith Water Treatment Facility or the River Mountains Water Treatment Facility. 10% of the water sourced each year comes from a deep groundwater aquifer located below the Las Vegas Valley.

Arsenic In Henderson Drinking Water

Arsenic is a hazardous heavy metal known to cause cancer, and other health problems. Arsenic originates in source water. While Henderson is in compliance with EPA water quality standards, consumers should know that the EPA's standard balances toxicity against the costs of removing arsenic from drinking water. Henderson’s most recent tap water quality report listed average arsenic concentrations of 2 parts per billion. We highly recommend that tap water with more than 1 part per billion be treated to remove arsenic, especially in homes with children.

Lead In Henderson Drinking Water

Lead enters tap water through old lead service pipes and lead-containing plumbing. When corrosion control measures fail (such as recently happened in Flint, Michigan), lead leaches into drinking water, and reaches toxic levels. A recent city of Henderson water quality report revealed a 90th percentile concentration of 1.6 parts per billion, with samples ranging up to 3.7 ppb. EPA and CDC recognize that there is no such thing as a safe level of lead. And of course, federal regulations cannot take into account levels measured at an individual tap.

Chromium 6 In Henderson Drinking Water

Chromium 6 is a very toxic metal that is not highly regulated by the EPA. Henderson’s tap water recently averaged 57 parts per trillion for chromium 6. These levels are nearly 3 times higher than the concentration determined to have a negligible impact on cancer risk.

Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs) In Henderson Drinking Water

DBPs are a category of emerging contaminants that are created when chlorine-based disinfectants are added to the water supply to protect it, but then subsequently combine with naturally-occurring organic matter. Although these chemicals are not fully regulated, EPA has explicitly stated that they are linked to an increased risk of bladder cancer, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system problems. Henderson’s tap water has recently had moderately high levels of DBPs, with a 2020 average of 99 parts per billion.

Use Of Chlorine In Henderson Tap Water

As with many cities in the United States, Henderson adds chlorine to its water supply to keep consumers safe from waterborne illness. While not considered exceedingly harmful, many people find that when they remove the chlorine from their water supply, they quickly notice an improvement in taste and odor. When you choose to filter your tap water, we believe you will notice an immediate taste enhancement.

Still Have Questions About Henderson's Tap Water?

Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each city’s water. The chemicals that we list above are what we consider to be “points of emphasis” so we can build the best water filter for Henderson tap water, but all of our water filters provide broad protection against other contaminants commonly found in drinking water (e.g. VOCs, heavy metals [including lead], pharmaceuticals, solvents, pesticides, mercury).

If you’re interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for the City of Henderson tap water, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email (hello@hydroviv.com) or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on Twitter or Facebook.

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