Recent reports of a contaminated water supply in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — leading to residents being warned not to use water from their faucets earlier this week — have sparked general safety concerns.

The city of Grand Prairie, Texas, announced that firefighting foam was detected in the water on Tuesday, then announced on Thursday that the water is safe to drink, per local reports.

Fox News Digital spoke to experts about potential risks with unfiltered tap water.

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Generally speaking, it’s safe to drink tap water, according to Dr. Brynna Connor, a board-certified family medicine physician in Frisco, Texas, and an ambassador for Northwestpharmacy.com — “as long as it’s from a public water system and there aren’t any active boil water advisories issued by local health committees and/or water companies.”

“According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the public water system in the United States is one of the safest in the world, ensuring that water in the public systems meets federal standards for safe consumption,” Connor told Fox News Digital.

In some cases, however, there could be risks associated with drinking unfiltered tap water, including various illnesses impacting the gastrointestinal system, neurological system and reproductive system, according to Connor. 

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“Additionally, lead poisoning and hepatitis are potential risks that come with drinking unfiltered tap water, along with nitrate contamination and fluoride exposure,” she added. 

Infants, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to the potential risks that come with drinking unfiltered tap water, the doctor said.

In some cases, drinking unfiltered tap water could impact the gastrointestinal system, neurological system and reproductive system, a doctor warned. (iStock)

Jennifer Dunphy, a doctor of public health and co-founder of the WIN Network in Los Angeles, California, agreed that most tap water is regarded as safe to drink, as it is regulated by standards that require harmful chemicals to be limited to a minimum — but that doesn’t mean there’s no risk at all.

“Just because tap water does not cause immediate health issues doesn’t mean there isn’t a concern for long-term health consequences,” she told Fox News Digital.

“The public water system in the United States is one of the safest in the world.”

Tap water may contain trace amounts of chemicals like chlorine and arsenic, the doctor warned.

“These chemicals may accumulate in the body over time, and there is conflicting evidence on whether they pose long-term health risks,” Dunphy said.

“If you’re drinking well water, be sure to check with the owner that they’re monitoring for any contaminants beforehand,” a doctor advised. (iStock)

Cherilyn Davis, MD, a physician with Elliston Pediatrics in New York, reiterated that in the U.S., it’s generally safe to drink tap water, but noted that the regulations do not apply to wells that are privately owned.

“If you’re drinking well water, be sure to check with the owner that they’re monitoring for any contaminants beforehand,” she advised.

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If unfiltered tap water has contaminants in it, drinking it may lead to certain health issues like upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea, Davis warned.

Other symptoms may include headaches or even fever.

One way to combat potential chemicals is to use a home filtration system, according to experts. (iStock)

“If the unfiltered water contains high levels of lead, it can lead to learning problems for children,” she said. 

“Chemicals and contaminants may end up in water simply because they’re naturally occurring in the environment, or it could be from the way land is operated on or nearby sewers or wastewater treatment systems that malfunction.”

Filtering out contaminants

One way to combat potential chemicals is to use a home filtration system.

“There are many affordable filtration systems that can filter out or mitigate the amount of chemicals left in your drinking water,” Dunphy said.

When choosing a system, she emphasized the importance of making sure it is proficient at filtering the chemicals of concern.

“If you don’t want to install an entire filtration system, you can use a faucet-mounted filter, a point-of-use filter or a pitcher filter,” one doctor said. (iStock)

“For example, only certain filters filter out arsenic, while some specific filtration systems are focused on chlorine,” she noted.

Filtration is especially important for those who use well water, the experts agreed.

“If you’re getting your tap water from a private well, it’s important to test the water regularly to ensure it’s safe,” Connor advised. 

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“Well water can easily be contaminated by substances like heavy metals, bacteria, parasites, and pesticides and/or herbicides, or other contaminants, such as plutonium, uranium or radium.”

Those who live in an area where the water is known to have high levels of contaminants or have a lead service line should also consider a filtration system, the doctor advised.

Filtration is especially important for people with health concerns, those with weakened immune systems and young children, according to a doctor. (iStock)

“If you don’t want to install an entire filtration system, you can use a faucet-mounted filter, a point-of-use filter or a pitcher filter,” she added.

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Dr. Joseph Mercola, a board-certified family medicine osteopathic physician in Florida, agrees that using a home filtration system is a “smart move” that can help improve taste and provide “peace of mind.”

Filtration is especially important for people with health concerns, those with weakened immune systems and young children, according to the doctor.

Experts recommend testing tap water regularly, which will help you choose the best filter for the contaminants in your area. (iStock)

“From my understanding, reverse osmosis systems are very effective, removing up to 99% of contaminants,” he told Fox News Digital. “If that’s not an option, activated carbon filters with ion exchange can also work well.” 

Mercola recommends choosing a filter certified by NSF International to ensure that it’s effective. 

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Davis noted that while it’s not absolutely necessary to use a filtration system, it can help to further filter out any germs or contaminants.

“Some substances in tap water are good to drink, like fluoride, which keeps your teeth healthy,” she noted. 

“Look for filters that eliminate only the unwanted components of the tap water.”

Testing is key, experts say

It’s crucial to be proactive about understanding what’s in your water, Mercola emphasized.

If unfiltered tap water has contaminants in it, drinking it may lead to certain health issues like upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea, an expert warned. (iStock)

“Drinking pure water is vital, as it supports your body’s functions and health.”

The doctor recommends testing your tap water regularly, which will help you choose the best filter for the contaminants in your area.

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Homeowners can also read their local water quality report to better understand what’s in their tap water, he advised. 

“Drinking pure water is vital, as it supports your body’s functions and health.”

It’s important to follow local advisories about water safety in emergencies or when traveling to areas with questionable water quality, Mercola added.

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To check the quality of water in your area, several experts recommend visiting the Environmental Working Group (EWG) tap water database at https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ and entering your zip code.

Fox News Digital reached out to Dallas Water Utilities requesting comment.

Three senior citizens have died after contracting Legionnaires’ disease — a form of pneumonia that can spread via water — at an assisted living facility in Albany, New York, according to reports.

The Albany County Department of Health was first notified of a “cluster of cases” at Peregrine Senior Living on Aug. 30, according to a statement sent to Fox News Digital.

“We began an immediate investigation and the assisted living facility was placed on water restrictions,” a spokesperson said in the statement. 

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A total of 20 people have been hospitalized since Aug. 30. 

Half of those tested positive for Legionnaires’, according to the health department.

“Three who tested positive have died; two of the people who died were hospitalized for other health issues,” the statement continued. 

The New York State Health Department and Albany County Department of Health have tested water samples taken from the facility. 

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“Legionella bacteria was present in some samples and further testing is being done on those samples,” the Albany health department told Fox News Digital. 

“Peregrine has installed water filters so that some showers and bathrooms are available for use.”

When contacted by Fox News Digital, the New York State Department of Health said it is working closely with the Albany County Department of Health and Peregrine Senior Living to investigate and respond to the outbreak.

A total of 20 people have been hospitalized since Aug. 30, according to the local health department.

“State and county health officials have been on site to collect environmental water samples, which are being tested at the State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center, and Peregrine has posted signage, implemented water restrictions and installed shower filters at the facility,” the spokesperson said.

“We will continue to work with the facility and county health officials to protect the health and safety of the residents living at Peregrine.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Peregrine Senior Living requesting comment.

What is Legionnaires’ disease?

Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. 

The bacteria is usually found in lakes, streams and other freshwater environments.

However, it can grow and spread indoors via shower heads, sink faucets, hot tubs, water features/fountains, plumbing systems and other water systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill with the disease. “Legionellosis is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person.” (iStock)

When people swallow or breathe in droplets of water that contain Legionella, they can potentially become ill with Legionnaires’ disease.

Although human transmission is possible in rare cases, the disease is not typically spread from person to person, per the CDC.

“Legionellosis is not contagious and cannot be spread from person to person,” the New York State Department of Health confirmed to Fox News Digital. “It is not a communicable disease and there is no threat to the community at large.”

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Individuals at highest risk include smokers and those with coexisting pulmonary disease, according to Dr. Nathan Goodyear, medical director of Brio-Medical in Arizona, previously told Fox News Digital. 

“Other risk factors include advancing age, cardiovascular disease, obesity and compromised immune systems,” Goodyear previously told Fox News Digital.

Symptoms of the infection

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease usually show up between two and 14 days after exposure. 

The signs are similar to other types of pneumonia, and include the following:

• Cough
• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle aches and headaches

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease include cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches and headaches. (iStock)

Some patients may also experience nausea, diarrhea and confusion, the CDC noted. 

“The nature of the symptoms is not necessarily what differentiate Legionella from other causes, but history of exposure from ‘human-made reservoirs,’ though this may be hard to discern early on in infection and/or in an outbreak,” said Goodyear.

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“Cancer is also a comorbidity of Legionnaires’ disease,” the doctor added.

Those who have any of these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately, the CDC advises.

Diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease is made via chest X-ray, urine test and lab analysis of a phlegm sample.

Most people with the disease will recover with a course of antibiotics.

In some patients, however, serious illness can lead to lung failure or death, per the CDC.

Diagnosis of Legionnaires’ disease is made via chest X-ray, urine test and lab analysis of a phlegm sample. (iStock)

Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from those complications — and the mortality risk rises to 25% for those who get Legionnaires’ while staying in a health care facility, according to the CDC.

“Treatment needs to be early and aggressive,” Goodyear told Fox News Digital. “Legionella infection is an intracellular infection that requires antibiotic treatment.”

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Antibiotics that are appropriate for Legionella infection include Levofloxacin and Azithromycin. 

“Therapy can be prescribed orally in healthy individuals … but intravenous antibiotics often prove to be the initial option for treatment secondary to the pathogenicity of the disease,” Goodyear said.

Around 10% of people who contract Legionnaires’ disease will die from complications, according to the CDC.

Currently, there are no vaccines for the disease. 

The best strategy to prevent infection is to reduce the growth and spread of the Legionella bacteria.

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The CDC recommends that building owners and managers use a water management program to reduce the risk.

Most people with the disease will recover with a course of antibiotics. (iStock)

To prevent serious illness from Legionnaires’, Goodyear recommends that all smokers kick the habit, and also emphasizes the need to “aggressively support” chronic pulmonary disease.

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“Advancing age is a given in life, and immune dysfunction correlates with advancing age,” added Goodyear. 

“Increasing immune support (vitamin D3, vitamin C, Zinc) is required to counter the immune dysfunction associated with advancing age.”

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Obesity is another foundational risk factor for all chronic inflammatory diseases, Goodyear noted.

Anyone who has questions about legionella can visit the Albany County Department of Health’s website at www.albanycountyny.gov/departments/health/legionnaires-disease-legionellosis. 

A drug called ribociclib, currently used to treat breast cancer, could slow the progression of certain pediatric high-grade gliomas, an aggressive type of childhood brain cancer, a new study has found.

Ribociclib (brand name Kisqali) is a CDK4/6 inhibitor, a type of drug that targets specific enzymes — including the protein CDK6 — to stop cancer cells from growing.

In the study, which was published in the journal Cancer Cell, a 10-year-old patient who had experienced a second relapse of pediatric high-grade glioma — and had no other treatment options — experienced 17 months of “progression-free survival” after taking ribociclib.

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The patient had a diffuse hemispheric glioma (DHG), which typically develops in the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of the brain.

“These very early results are remarkable given the typically poor prognosis for children diagnosed with these aggressive brain tumors,” according to a press release from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London.

This type of tumor usually progresses within 3½ months of recurrence.

It has been four years since the female patient received her diagnosis. She is currently receiving further treatment, the release stated.

“We are finally starting to see more targeted therapies come out for different forms of brain cancer.”

“Ribociclib was chosen based on the genetic profile of the patient’s tumor, which demonstrated relevant markers,” said Dr. Gregory Nalesnik, a pediatric oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, who was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings.

The drug was also shown to be effective in mice — 100% of the mice treated with ribociclib survived for 110 days after treatment, compared to only 25% of the mice who received a placebo.

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive tumors in the brain and spinal cord that can occur in children and adults. (iStock)

The study, which was led by ICR and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, was partly funded by The Brain Tumour Charity and Cancer Research UK.

“We are finally starting to see more targeted therapies come out for different forms of brain cancer,” says senior author Mariella Filbin, M.D., PhD, co-director of the Brain Tumor Center of Excellence at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, in the press release.

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“Our patients really need these new treatment options.”

Ribociclib was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2017 for the treatment of certain types of advanced or metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

What to know about high-grade gliomas

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive tumors in the brain and spinal cord that can occur in children and adults.

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This type of tumor makes up some 10% of pediatric brain tumors, according to the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).

They are generally difficult to treat because they often grow into the tissue of the central nervous system.

A 10-year-old patient (not pictured) who had experienced a second relapse of pediatric high-grade glioma — and had no other treatment options — experienced 17 months of “progression-free survival” after taking ribociclib. (iStock)

In children who are diagnosed with a high-grade glioma, the overall survival rate is less than two years, with less than 30% of patients surviving for five years.

Current treatments include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, although these drugs have proven more effective for adults than children, noted the ABTA.

Results show promise, more research is needed

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, was not involved in the study but shared his opinions on the drug’s potential.

“This is a targeted therapy that has been used in breast cancer to attack growth factors on the surface of the cancer,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“It is now showing some promise in slowing progression of several months in a rare but deadly childhood glioma (malignancy in support cells of the brain).” 

“This research helps us have a better understanding of what is driving this devastating disease in children.”

On a wider scale, the drug could target more growth factor proteins on cancer cells, Siegel noted.

“This approach may be combined with other treatments, including surgery and radiation, to help prolong life,” he added.

In children diagnosed with a high-grade glioma, the overall survival rate is less than two years, with less than 30% of patients surviving for five years. (iStock)

The study highlights the growing prevalence of targeted therapy, Nalesnik commented.

“The use of therapy guided by molecular tumor markers is becoming more and more prevalent in the world of oncology,” he told Fox News Digital. 

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“Sometimes called ‘targeted therapies,’ these treatments are much more specific than traditional chemotherapies, which are globally cytotoxic (toxic to living cells) in general.” 

“This research helps us have a better understanding of what is driving this devastating disease in children,” a scientist said. (iStock)

Targeted therapies like ribociclib, which are designed to address the root cause of a cancer cell’s harmful behavior, often have fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy, according to Nalesnik.

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While targeted therapies show promise in treating aggressive cancers, experts agree that more research is needed.

“Although more clinical trials are needed to lend evidence to efficacy and information about side effects (both short-term and long-term), I applaud the authors in their application of translational research and the use of targeted therapy for pediatric high-grade glioma,” Nalesnik added.

Looking ahead, the researchers hope that this study will pave the way to clinical trials that include more patients. (iStock)

Looking ahead, the researchers hope that this study will pave the way to clinical trials that include more patients.

“This research helps us have a better understanding of what is driving this devastating disease in children,” said Dr. Simon Newman, chief scientific officer at The Brain Tumour Charity, in the press release. 

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“We know that current treatments are not effective and that finding vulnerabilities in cancer cells could lead to new, targeted treatments to help children live longer and better lives. Although this is very early days, we hope that it will provide some data to inform clinical trials in the future.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers and to ABTA for comment.