Drinking water safety is a concern for residents. While municipal water systems rigorously treat water, the journey through a building’s plumbing network can introduce complications. For those living in apartments or other multi-unit residences, the water quality at the tap is influenced by factors beyond the local utility’s control. This article examines the specific risks, common contaminants, and practical steps apartment dwellers can take to ensure their drinking water is safe.
Infrastructure Risks Unique to Multi-Unit Buildings
Apartment buildings present unique water quality challenges because of their shared and often complex plumbing systems. Unlike a single-family home, the water must travel through extensive internal pipe networks, increasing the opportunity for water to interact with aging materials. The age of the building is a significant factor; structures built before the 1970s may contain galvanized steel pipes, which are steel coated with zinc to prevent rust.
Over time, the zinc coating on galvanized pipes deteriorates, allowing the underlying steel to corrode and potentially release heavy metals into the water. Internal corrosion can also restrict the pipe’s diameter, leading to reduced water volume and pressure. The sheer scale of plumbing in a multi-unit building means that a failure or issue in one part of the system can easily impact multiple residents.
Water stagnation is another risk, common when usage is low or unevenly distributed throughout the building. Water that stands still for more than a few hours can lose its protective chlorine residual, warm up, and interact negatively with plumbing materials. In high-rise buildings, water is sometimes pumped to rooftop storage tanks, which must be regularly cleaned and inspected to prevent contamination.
Common Contaminants and Health Concerns
The interaction between aging infrastructure and standing water introduces specific contaminants that pose health risks. Heavy metals, primarily lead and copper, can leach into the water, especially when water sits stagnant in pipes overnight. Lead is a serious concern because it can be found in the zinc coating of older galvanized pipes and in lead solder used at pipe joints. Exposure can lead to developmental and cognitive issues, especially in children.
Biological threats also thrive in the conditions created by building plumbing. Water stagnation encourages the growth of biofilms—a slimy layer on the inside of pipes where microorganisms like Legionella can embed themselves. Legionella bacteria cause Legionnaires’ disease, a severe form of pneumonia, and can multiply in warm, stagnant water sources like storage tanks or complex distribution systems.
The chlorine used by municipal utilities can lead to the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) as it reacts with organic matter in the pipes. While chlorine is necessary to prevent bacterial growth, these byproducts can concentrate in older systems or where water flow is slow. Rust from corroding pipes can also result in discolored water, which is a sign of iron contamination, though the health risk is generally lower than with lead or Legionella.
Landlord Obligations and Tenant Recourse
In a rental property, the responsibility for maintaining the internal plumbing system generally rests with the landlord or property management. Property owners are legally obligated to ensure the premises are habitable, which includes providing safe drinking water. This obligation requires them to address known issues like lead service lines or severely corroded pipes.
Tenants have the right to report concerns about water quality, such as persistent discoloration, unusual taste, or low pressure, to their landlord promptly. If a building owner is aware of a contamination issue, they may be legally required to disclose this information to tenants. Should a landlord fail to address water quality complaints, tenants may have recourse through local housing authorities or health departments to demand testing or necessary repairs.
Many jurisdictions have regulations requiring regular inspection and cleaning of internal systems, such as rooftop water tanks. Tenants should check if their building posts public notices regarding the results of any required inspections, as this information is often made available to residents upon request. Maintaining documentation of all water quality complaints and the landlord’s response is an important step for any tenant pursuing action.
Assessing Water Quality and Mitigation Strategies
Apartment residents can take several straightforward steps to assess and improve the quality of their tap water. A simple action is to flush the taps, especially first thing in the morning or after returning home, as this clears out water that has been sitting stagnant in the pipes. Running the cold water for at least two minutes can help bring in fresh water with a higher residual of disinfectant from the main supply.
Visual checks are also useful; discoloration, sediment, or a metallic taste can indicate corrosion in the plumbing. For a more definitive assessment, tenants can use certified laboratories to test for specific contaminants like lead, copper, and bacteria, which provides a precise measurement of the water quality. While do-it-yourself test strips are available, professional laboratory analysis is generally more accurate and reliable for health-related concerns.
To mitigate known or suspected issues, point-of-use filtration devices are highly effective. Carbon filters, which can be attached to the faucet or used in pitchers, are excellent for removing chlorine, improving taste, and reducing some contaminants like lead. Boiling water is only effective for killing bacteria and other microorganisms, but it does not remove chemical contaminants like lead or copper, and may actually concentrate them.