Your SoCal Tap Water member agencies know you have probably heard the benefits of limiting plastic use for our planet and our bodies. Bonus points if you’ve taken steps to reduce usage in the past few years! However, you may not have heard that there are different forms of harmful plastic, including one you may not be able to even detect…microplastics. We’re going to tap into this topic and learn how microplastics affect our life. 
 
What are microplastics and where do they exist?  

Let’s begin with the easy stuff, learning what microplastics are and where they’re found. Microplastics are very tiny pieces of plastic, less than five millimeters long (0.2 inches) to be exact. For comparison, that is smaller than an eraser on a wooden pencil. Microplastics come in two forms, primary and secondary. Small plastic particles that come from commercial use (i.e. makeup, microfibers from clothing, varying textiles) are known as primary microplastics, while secondary microplastics come from bigger pieces of plastic that decompose through sun radiation and the ocean. Overall, both types do not properly decompose and can take several years (we’re talking over thousands of years) to break down, making both a problem to solve for our long-term water quality and safety.  

But, trust us. We’re on it.  

Microplastics can develop from a variety of items, but synthetic textiles, rubber tires and city dust make up a high percentage of the microplastics we have today. The clothing you’re wearing is probably made up of microplastics because synthetic textile fibers such as polyester, nylon, acrylic and many more, are all technically forms of microplastic.  

And here’s how your clothes’ fiber content affect water supplies.  

Each time someone washes an article of clothing, the fibers are released through the abrasion and shedding in the washing machine, and those microfibers become suspended in the water that enters our sewer systems once the washing cycle is completed. The complication is that some fibers are so small that they cannot be easily filtered. This results in a proverbial “snowball effect” where one tiny piece of plastic can become a bigger problem to resolve.  

Do microplastics impact drinking water?  

Your SoCal Tap Water members agencies are well aware of microplastics and continue to keep the topic on their radar to produce and provide safe drinking water to its service areas. The impact of microplastics in drinking water is still a relatively new discovery and it’s still in its research phase. Currently, researchers are working to identify analytical methods and determine advisory limits for microplastics in drinking water. No need to worry, because Your SoCal Tap Water members agencies are staying up-to-date on the newest technology and recommendations to keep your water safe. * Queue sigh of relief.  

How are Your SoCal Tap Water member agencies treating our drinking water?  

Now, what are some of these water treatment systems you’re hearing all about? Well, let’s review some water treatment infrastructure our member agencies have created and are currently using to clean our delicious tap water.  

Groundwater Replenishment System: Orange County Water District, in partnership with Orange County Sanitation District, uses the world’s largest water purification system to take highly treated wastewater and purify it through an advanced three-step treatment process that includes microfiltration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light with hydrogen peroxide. Water that undergoes this process becomes high quality water that meets all state and federal drinking water standards.  

Water System Pipeline Cleaning program: Western Water implements a water system pipeline cleaning program. This program allows Western Water to repeatedly clean its water systems to preserve tap water that is safe and of high quality. This water system can help remove sediment and mineral build-up that can potentially enter the water pipelines. By inserting additional procedures to clean water systems, Western Water is demonstrating their dedication to delivering the best that tap water has to offer.   

Watershed Connect: San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District contributes to achieving a reliable water supply by participating in the Watershed Connect infrastructure program which is governed by the Upper Santa Ana River Watershed Infrastructure Financing Authority. The program works on various projects that include restoring aging infrastructure to help provide reliable and safe drinking water, designing and maintaining water-related facilities and much more. Your SoCal Tap Water member agencies encourage you to learn more about these specific projects by visiting the Watershed Connect projects page. Watershed Connect program is forward-thinking in its efforts to secure water supply reliability.  

 
Understand how you can help decrease microplastics in your daily life  

Now it’s your turn! While Your SoCal Tap Water member agencies do their part to thoroughly treat water, there are ways you can help reduce microplastics in your life. Here are some quick tips you can begin today.  
 

• Leave the single-use plastic alone: Reducing your use of single-use plastic is a fast way to decrease your microplastic footprint. First, you should continue with the basics, reduce, reuse and recycle! Other ways of minimizing single-use plastic include using metal, glass or bamboo straws, paper or reusable shopping bags, purchasing supplies at zero-waste grocery stores, and our favorite, having a reusable water bottle handy. No shame here on purchasing that big Stanley cup! 
• Switch up the laundry game: As previously mentioned, washing and drying clothing can produce thousands of microplastic pieces in the form of microfibers, and dryers produce even more microfibers than washers. Consider air-drying your clothing, installing filters that capture microfibers, avoiding the ‘delicate’ setting (this setting uses additional water than a normal load) and limiting your purchase of new clothes because they produce more microfibers than clothes that have gone through the wash multiple times.  
• Incorporate a broader range of transportation options: Car tires contribute to a percentage of microplastics due to wear and tear of the rubber, which releases small particles into the environment. When possible, take the train, bus or another form of public transportation to reduce the number of cars on the road. You can also walk or bike to nearby destinations rather than driving. You’ll save gas money this way too! 

• Keep your living space clean: Though it may not seem like it, dust contributes to the development of microplastic. Establish a regular dusting and vacuuming routine for your living area at least once per week to effectively trap and remove dust before it circulates in the air. You can also purchase an air filter or purifier that is designed to catch microplastics. Lastly, switching from carpet to hard flooring can help decrease the production of microplastics in the air. 

We’re not saying that microplastics will completely disappear from the environment, but as Your SoCal Tap Water member agencies do their part in cleaning and treating water, you can help reduce microplastics from entering our waterways by making a few simple changes. Everyone has a role when it comes to keeping our water safe for drinking, and it starts with you. Together, we can make a difference when it comes to working as a team to combat microplastics.  

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