Good, safe drinking water in the U.S. starts with a sand water filter. I say this because using sand as a filter medium is often used as one of the first steps in purifying the water produced by our water treatments plants. Bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc, are controlled in the next step by the addition of chlorine and, usually, fluoride is then added to aid in controlling tooth decay in children. We will look at what is being added to our water supplies in these treatment plants and how safe the resulting water is for us to drink.
Many of the water treatment plants use a sand water filter to remove the larger particulate debris from the water. In order to aid in the removal of some of the smaller particles during this procedure, flocculants are often added, these are polyexectrolytes that entice the smaller debris to cling together.
Well, we know how the water utilities start to clean our water and what they add to it, so, let's see what comes into our homes.
1. Chlorine - A deadly poison to start with, but it morphs into even more deadly forms by the time it reaches our homes. These chlorine byproducts are called THMs (trihalomethanes) and they are formed when chlorine combines with organic matter in the water. Some treatment plants are now using less chlorine by adding ammonia to the mix, claiming it is safer. While it is true, there are fewer THMs produced with the chlorine- ammonia mix, new chemicals compounds are being produced as well, having, as yet, unknown toxicities.
2. Fluoride - Fluoride is also a poison and I suspect few realize that fluoride lies between lead and arsenic in toxicity. It is more poisonous than lead, when ingested, and just slightly less poisonous than arsenic. However, the EPA allows as much as 4,000 ppb (parts per billion) of fluoride to be present in our drinking water, but only 50 ppb of lead and 15 ppb of arsenic are allowed. This is strange, but true. Also, if you have a tube of fluoride toothpaste handy, read the warning on the label. If a child under six were to swallow all the toothpaste along the top of their toothbrush, it could lead to a very tragic result, even death!
3. Polyelectrolytes - Some of these flocculants have been banned in other countries because of evidence showing they can lead to genetic mutations. In the U.S, the EPA has noted they are likely human carcinogens, but their use is still permitted.
So little testing has been done that no one really knows the effects of these three additives on our health risk. Drinking chlorinated water does cause heart disease, we do know that. And, drinking chlorinated water will increase your cancer risk over those who do not drink chlorinated water (it will be 93% higher). But, what happens when we consume all three at once? When they combine with each other or end up in combination with the host of other pollutants that are gaining access to our water supplies. What is our health risk then?
No one knows. We can only rely on our common sense, and common sense tells us we will likely be healthier if we reduce our health risk by not ingesting, or bathing in, these toxins. Common sense also tells us we can likely reduce our body's toxic load by flushing out any existing toxins by drinking good, safe water.
As you can see the sand water filter starts us on our path to good, safe water but there is a ways to go yet and common sense, that gut feeling, says "Why take the risk?" Why not protect yourself and your family. Filter your tap water before you drink it or bathe in it.
Many of the water treatment plants use a sand water filter to remove the larger particulate debris from the water. In order to aid in the removal of some of the smaller particles during this procedure, flocculants are often added, these are polyexectrolytes that entice the smaller debris to cling together.
Well, we know how the water utilities start to clean our water and what they add to it, so, let's see what comes into our homes.
1. Chlorine - A deadly poison to start with, but it morphs into even more deadly forms by the time it reaches our homes. These chlorine byproducts are called THMs (trihalomethanes) and they are formed when chlorine combines with organic matter in the water. Some treatment plants are now using less chlorine by adding ammonia to the mix, claiming it is safer. While it is true, there are fewer THMs produced with the chlorine- ammonia mix, new chemicals compounds are being produced as well, having, as yet, unknown toxicities.
2. Fluoride - Fluoride is also a poison and I suspect few realize that fluoride lies between lead and arsenic in toxicity. It is more poisonous than lead, when ingested, and just slightly less poisonous than arsenic. However, the EPA allows as much as 4,000 ppb (parts per billion) of fluoride to be present in our drinking water, but only 50 ppb of lead and 15 ppb of arsenic are allowed. This is strange, but true. Also, if you have a tube of fluoride toothpaste handy, read the warning on the label. If a child under six were to swallow all the toothpaste along the top of their toothbrush, it could lead to a very tragic result, even death!
3. Polyelectrolytes - Some of these flocculants have been banned in other countries because of evidence showing they can lead to genetic mutations. In the U.S, the EPA has noted they are likely human carcinogens, but their use is still permitted.
So little testing has been done that no one really knows the effects of these three additives on our health risk. Drinking chlorinated water does cause heart disease, we do know that. And, drinking chlorinated water will increase your cancer risk over those who do not drink chlorinated water (it will be 93% higher). But, what happens when we consume all three at once? When they combine with each other or end up in combination with the host of other pollutants that are gaining access to our water supplies. What is our health risk then?
No one knows. We can only rely on our common sense, and common sense tells us we will likely be healthier if we reduce our health risk by not ingesting, or bathing in, these toxins. Common sense also tells us we can likely reduce our body's toxic load by flushing out any existing toxins by drinking good, safe water.
As you can see the sand water filter starts us on our path to good, safe water but there is a ways to go yet and common sense, that gut feeling, says "Why take the risk?" Why not protect yourself and your family. Filter your tap water before you drink it or bathe in it.
About the Author:
David Eastham has done extensive research on such subjects as fluoridated water to discover the best technique to get good, clean drinking water. Here are his best dollar for dollar buys, and the best products overall, in home water filtration systems.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment