In most “developed” countries, water quality standards are pretty high, and it is easy to come by. We don’t spend our days gathering water for our family, and we don’t really worry much about diseases caused by water born pathogens like dysentery. In developing countries, however, over 3 million deaths a year are caused by water-related diarrhea, and most of those deaths are children.So, in comparison to many places in the world, water in the US looks darn good. High standards don’t guarantee risk-free water. We use chlorine, so we don’t worry that what comes out of the tap will subject us to dysentery and other pathogens. But ironically, though it helps us in many ways, chlorine poses different kinds of risks. The chlorine we add to our water system interacts with organic compounds already in the water, and creates disinfectant by-products such as THMs. Not good. This combination has been shown to increase miscarriage rates, birth defects, and cancers.
Chlorine isn’t the only addition to our water that may have dangerous side effects. In recent years, studies have shown the presence of antibiotics,other pharmaceutical, and personal care ingredients in our water supplies. According to a report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), more than one BILLION pounds of chemicals were dumped by manufacturers into common water bodies between 1990 and 1994. That stuff had to go somewhere, and our water treatment facilities aren’t really designed to take all that gunk out!
Short-term Solutions
So, what can we do to protect our families from unwanted chemicals? The first thing I suggest is to put a quality filter between your faucet and your body. Whether it’s drinking water, or bathing water, both need to be filtered before they have the chance to affect us—and particularly our children.
You may have already focused on drinking water, but our skin is our biggest organ, so chemicals can become bio-available via that route. And when we shower and bathe, chemical-filled steam can enter our bodies through our lungs. Depending on whose study you believe, you can receive between 6 to 100 times more chemical exposure from breathing versus drinking unfiltered water. (As long ago as 1986, the American Chemical Society told us, “Taking a long hot shower is a health risk.”)
I have found no financially acceptable system that removes every bit of contamination from water. For the most part, though, activated charcoal and reverse osmosis are two good treatment options. We need to conserve water. Reverse osmosis wastes up to three quarters of the water that it puts through. Plus it removes the beneficial minerals that our bodies need. So it really is not an economical,environmentally friendly, or healthy choice.
When researching what will work best for you, look for a filter that can handle the things your municipal water company apparently can not, like THMs. Your water company should send out reports annually. You can also use filters on showerheads and bath faucets. There are choices available for every budget.
Long-term Solutions
Protecting ourselves in our own homes really isn’t the whole solution. We need to look upstream, literally, and figure out how to keep water free from these contaminants in the first place. One important way we can do that is to support organic foods. Pesticide run-off from crops is a big source of our contaminated water supplies. By supporting sustainability of harvested crops, we also support cleaner natural resources—like water—for our future.
If your water is supplied by a well, it could be affected by contaminants in the ground water. Only you will be treating the well water for those contaminants.
"Residues of 39 pesticides and their degradation products have been detected in the groundwater of 34 states." National Academy of Sciences
If your water is supplied through a municipal water treatment facility, there are many contaminants that may slip through. Some aren’t considered harmful – they only do things like stain your teeth, or give your water an unpleasant odor, taste or appearance.
"Drinking water plants are old and out of date, and water supplies are increasingly threatened and contaminated by chemicals and micro-organisms." Natural Resources Defense Council
The very chemicals that we put in our water to kill harmful bacteria leave traces in the water, and make it unhealthy or unpleasant for bathing or drinking.
"Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is as much as 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine." U.S. Council of Environmental Quality
A home water filter may be one of the best and most important investments that you ever make. Aquasana has a filter for any budget!
- FACT: The Environmental Protection Agency only requires testing of municipal water sources for about 80 of more than 75,000 known contaminants.
- FACT: The standards for safe drinking water are safe for a 175 pound healthy adult. Those standards may not be safe for children, pregnant and nursing mothers and adults with compromised immune systems.
