THE TRUTH ABOUT WATER

Water is our most precious resource -- and we are quickly depleting our limited supplies. Water is the key to life as it controls every function from circulation to body temperature. Your body is approximately 70% water. It is sad that the purity of potable water has become a national issue of frightening proportions. We all take our drinking water for granted, until we travel to Mexico, China or India where the maxim is “don’t drink the water.” Although the dangers of water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery have been eradicated in our country, there is a more serious threat to contend with now --carcinogenic organic and inorganic compounds that pollute our water.

Every substance that falls on the ground seeps into our water. Substances such as asbestos, pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, lead, cadmium, arsenic, nitrites and many other chemicals, known to be carcinogenic, are tainting our water. Recent studies show that chlorination has been found to interact with decomposed vegetation to form trihalomethanes (THM), a strong carcinogenic agent. By-products of chlorination, such as chloroform and bromoform, are known to be causative agents of atherosclerosis that can lead to cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Local water treatment facilities also add ammonia to disinfect the water that creates chloramines – which are carcinogenic. Besides the natural organic substances found in water and man’s fruitless efforts to treat the water, there are over 63,000 synthetic organic chemicals that find their way into our water supply as a result of the toxic waste dumps, and industry’s illegal dumping and the public’s lack of concern. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states “in large amounts some of these chemicals found in drinking water could cause cancer, mutations, and birth deformities.” One last fact to consider: these chemicals are shown to cause problems when studied alone, what disasters are brewing when they are combined? Remember the Love Canal.

Consider, too, that even if you live a community with a good quality water supply it still must get to your faucet. What is the quality of the pipes that carries the water from the source? What is the quality of the pipes in your house? If you live in an old house with old pipes there is a good chance the pipes were soldered with lead -- creating a likely source of contamination.

It is apparent that the solution lies with some type of in-home purification system. There are many types on the market, some more effective than others. The safest and purest water available can be obtained through a combination of three processes: a prefilter to remove sediment, rust, algae and other small particles; a reverse osmosis membrane which removes bacteria, turbidity, colloidal matter, asbestos, arsenic, radioactive compounds, hydrocarbons, heavy metals, fluoride, sodium and other dissolved solids; and a catalytic activated carbon filter to remove chloramines, pesticides, herbicides, organic chemicals, chloro-organics and THMS. Together these processes improve the taste, color and smell of the water, as well as making it safe for human consumption. In many areas the reverse osmosis filter may not be necessary.

Let’s examine the alternatives. You can buy bottled water, but the standard for bottled water is no better than your tap water. In fact, there are no regulations regarding bottled water. Boiling water kills the bacteria, but only concentrates the pollutants you want to remove. You can distill water, but it may not remove volatile pollutants and leaves the water tasting flat. You can filter with carbon alone, but this will not remove dissolved solids. In addition, the filter may become a breeding ground for bacteria. You can use reverse osmosis alone, but that will not remove sediment or hydrocarbons.

Whole house filtration also provides the benefit of filtering water you use to brush your teeth, bathe or shower. You absorb toxins from the water there as well.

How can you know the quality of your drinking water?

• Does your water foam as it splashes into a glass?
• Does your water look murky? • Does your water have any color?
• Does your water have a peculiar taste or odor?
• Does white dust accumulate in your pots and pans?
• Do your ice cubes look cloudy?
• Do your faucets have crusty deposits?
• Are your sinks and bathtub stained where water drips?

If you answer “yes” to any of these questions it indicates that something is in your water besides water. There’s no longer any reason to expose yourself and your family to the potential dangers of tap water. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee -- and taste better coffee (if you drink coffee). It’s not too late to start drinking safe water.