I have a large "pond/lake" behind my house in FL, it seems to me like it would be a good source of water. However my wife is skeptical of watering our plants with it as it does contain runoff from our suburban neighborhood and probably contains road runoff as well as runoff from the things people spray on their yards. Is this a valid concern and am I better off to use the city water that is treated at the water treatment facility and treated with chlorine and fluoride?
I am guessing rain water is my best bet, but with my "garden tower" it will be tough to get enough water pressure from the rain water tank without a pump.
In Nebraska, the U of Nebraska Extension warns people against using runoff water as a source for watering any fruit or vegetable. There are so many unknown contaminates just as you have described that their studies have shown are easily absorbed by the plant and concentrated in the fruit. They have even changed their stance for rain barrel runoff from roofs that it is contaminated by bird and small animal feces. The Extension seems to be on the extreme cautious side, but they have done the studies. They do however say for watering flowers, shrubs and non-fruiting trees, this water source is OK.
Another consideration when you are talking about taking water from waterways is that they may carry water and animal borne diseases like listeria and leptospirosis.
We have some streams and man made lakes that are contaminated because of their proximity to human habitation. Houses built on or near streams attract vermin like rats and pigs that go after the food scraps in peoples yards. People keep pets and livestock near the stream and their feces and urine end up in the stream.
When a person goes hiking and if they have a cut or wound on their legs or hands they can get leptosporosis by wading or swimming in contaminated water.
We have some streams and man made lakes that are contaminated because of their proximity to human habitation. Houses built on or near streams attract vermin like rats and pigs that go after the food scraps in peoples yards. People keep pets and livestock near the stream and their feces and urine end up in the stream.
When a person goes hiking and if they have a cut or wound on their legs or hands they can get leptosporosis by wading or swimming in contaminated water.