Water is essential to our planet and our lives. But do you know what's really in your drinking water?

You might be surprised to see that your hometown has been identified as one of the best or worst cities in the country for water quality, or to learn about the significant difference in costs of filtering your own water versus buying bottled water.

Filtrete Brand, the maker of do-it-yourself plumbed-in water filtration products, took a closer look at some of the issues faced when it comes to America's drinking water. Take a closer look at the graphic below that illustrates some of the key areas Americans should be aware of when it comes to their water.