Why You Should Worry About The Quality of Your Drinking Water
Inadequate measures taken by mining companies, inadequate clean up by said mining companies and inadequate governmental enforcement measures have left the community with water that sometimes registers high levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, chromium and manganese. But even if we weren’t confronted by potentially contaminated drinking water (levels change with the seasons), I would still filter my family’s drinking, cooking and bathing water.
Live Near the Mountains? Heavy Metals
If you live in the mountains or in an area of new (or old) mines, you should be concerned about heavy metals. Indeed, our family’s concern with regard to our water supply is the presence of heavy metals like arsenic, cobalt, cadmium and manganese. While many of these are essential in health, in excess they can cause toxicity. Excessive levels of cobalt, for example, can lead to pernicious anaemia. Excessive cadmium can damage the kidneys. Heavy metal toxicity, in general, is implicated in autoimmune conditions like thyroid disease.
Live Near Industrial Agriculture? Herbicide, Pesticide and Insecticide Residue
Pesticides, insecticides and the residue of other agricultural inputs can leach from the fields into the ground water supply, ending up in your water pitcher. Indeed, the National Academy of Sciences found the residue of 39 pesticides in the groundwater of 34 US states. Of course, you don’t have to live in the hub of industrial agriculture for your water to register unsafe levels of pesticides and weed killers. According to the Environmental Working Group, herbicides in tap water exceeded federal standards for months at a time. Atrazine, cyanazine and other herbicides have been found at levels 34 times in excess of the LHA (lifetime health advisory level) in some municipal water supplies. These herbicides are known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors and have also been implicated in birth defects.
Live in an Old House? Lead
While lead is rarely found in source water, except as it relates to overall heavy metal contamination, it often enters your drinking water through old, corroded plumbing. Older homes (those built before 1986) are more likely to have lead plumbing, fixtures and solder. While even certified “lead-free” pipes might actually contain up to 8% lead. Indeed, according to the EPA, lead in drinking water contributes to 480,000 cases of learning disabilities in children. The EPA also estimates that lead is the number one environmental health threat to children. And if you think the problems of lead in our drinking water affect only children, you’re wrong: excessive lead can also contribute to kidney disease and hypertension in adults.
Live in a City? Fluoride and Pharmaceuticals
The CDC estimates that almost half of Americans take prescription drugs (and many Americans have multiple subscriptions) and over 80% of us take a pill (either over the counter or prescribed) every single day. Much of this is excreted in urine and flushed down the toilet where it ends up in your water supply. This means that mood stabilizers, hormones from oral contraceptives, antibiotics and anticonvulsants are landing in your drinking water. While the levels of these drugs are far below what could be considered a medical dose, one must consider what the cumulative effect is.
Most municipal water, though not all – especially in rural areas, is fluoridated. Fluoridation is inexpensive and was undertaken to mitigate the prevalence of tooth decay. Of course, there’s more to dental health than fluoride, and some question the efficacy of fluoride in the first place. For instance, tooth decay is still very high in low-income areas where the water is fluoridated. Tooth decay doesn’t typically increase when fluoridation is stopped, and many populations exhibit beautiful oral health free from dental cavities without fluoridation (see the Teeth Tell the Tale). Further, there is an association between exposure to fluoride and reduced IQ and fluoride may negatively affect the endocrine system – particularly the thyroid. Due to concerns over fluoridation’s effect on systemic health, many municipalities are voting to eliminate the fluoridation of their drinking supply.
Everywhere! Chlorine
Chlorine is typically added to all drinking water in an effort to disinfect it; that is, to kill off microorganisms than can make us seriously ill. Unclean drinking water kills an estimated 5,000 children a day – most of whom live in developing nations. Yet, the chlorine added to drinking water not only kills microorganisms, but it also can create a host of other problems. It combines with other organic matter in drinking water to form organochlorines which can be potentially toxic (many are safe, others are not). According to the World Health Organization, chlorinated water is implicated in bladder cancer and there’s also further suspicion that chlorine is implicated in elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. Chlorinated drinking water is also implicated in miscarriage, stillbirth and birth defects.
The Solution? Reverse Osmosis
The only water system that will remove all contamination from water is a reverse osmosis process. We always suggest a 5 stage reverse osmosis water purification system for consumable drinking water and a whole house water filter to filter all incoming water. Contact us for more information about installing a reverse osmosis water purification system in your home or work place