Most people in Mississippi aren’t thinking about what’s in their tap water. You turn on the faucet, fill a glass, and move on with your day. The water looks clear, and no one has told you it was dangerous, so there’s really no reason for you to think more about it.
But clear doesn’t mean clean, and safe doesn’t always mean everything you’d want it to mean.
Municipal water systems do their job. They treat water with chlorine and other disinfectants to kill bacteria before it reaches your tap. However, what that process doesn’t do is remove everything. Contaminants like lead, chlorine byproducts, PFAS, and microplastics can still make their way into household water even after treatment. And once water leaves the plant, it travels through miles of pipes – some of them pretty old – before it gets to you.
Jackson’s water troubles have made statewide headlines for years. But infrastructure challenges aren’t unique to one city. Older plumbing and distribution lines are a reality across all Central Mississippi communities, and they can affect what ends up in your glass regardless of what your utility’s annual report says.
What Treatment Does and Doesn’t Do
Chlorine disinfection is necessary and effective. Without it, waterborne illness would be a much bigger problem. The catch is that chlorine can leave behind byproducts called trihalomethanes, which have been associated with certain health risks when exposure is prolonged. That chemical taste some people notice in their tap water? Usually residual chlorine.
Beyond that, a 2023 USGS study found that at least 45% of the nation’s tap water contains one or more PFAS – synthetic “forever chemicals” that standard municipal treatment wasn’t built to handle.
The point isn’t that your water is making you sick. It’s that there’s a real difference between water that meets minimum standards and water that’s genuinely clean.
What Filtration Actually Removes
A good point-of-use system goes further than municipal treatment. Depending on the setup, it can reduce chlorine and its byproducts, lead from older pipes, sediment and rust, and PFAS or volatile organic compounds that slip through standard treatment.
Water that looks, smells, and tastes better also encourages you to drink more of it, which matters more than people realize. Fix the taste, and hydration tends to follow naturally. Filtered water is also easier on appliances; mineral buildup from hard water wears down water heaters and dishwashers faster than most people expect.
A Few Signs Worth Paying Attention To
You don’t have to wait for an obvious problem to begin your clean water journey! A chlorine smell when you fill a glass, discoloration first thing in the morning, scale buildup around your faucets, or an older home with pipes you’ve never thought about – any of these can point to water quality issues a filtration system is built to address. But even if none of these factors apply to you, you can (and should!) still take steps to ensure the safety of your water quality.
That’s exactly what a Home Filtration System from Exell is for. Our team tests your water before recommending anything, so you know what’s actually there and exactly what needs to be addressed. From there, we decide on the solution that is best to support you and your household.
Finding the Right Fit
Not every system does the same thing. Exell offers kitchen sink filtration, countertop units, UV systems, and freestanding setups – and helps you figure out which one makes sense based on your unique needs.
For commercial office buildings in the Jackson, Brandon, Madison, and Hattiesburg areas, a bottleless filtration dispenser is often the most practical option. No bottles to store, no deliveries to coordinate – just clean water whenever you need.
If you’ve been curious about your water quality but haven’t done anything about it yet, Exell makes it easy to get started.