| Water
companies add and create dangerous contaminants when treating
your water. Water testing identifies the contaminants so you
can install the right filter to remove them.
Most people know that clean water plays a pivotal role in
maintaining good health. But do you know what water companies
do to the water that comes out of your tap and enters your
system when you shower, cook, clean and brush your teeth?
Most water companies pump your water from lakes, rivers and
wells. The larger ones attempt to treat the water or strip
out the environmental contamination that occurs every day.
They often make decisions knowing that certain treatment processes
may pose health risks.
The ABCs of Water Treatment
Water providers use a variety of treatment processes to remove
or neutralize unwanted contaminants commonly found in the
water supply. The most common of these processes are filtration,
flocculation and disinfection.
Filtration
Though many water treatment facilities use filtration to remove
remaining particles from the water supply, these ‘filters’
are not what you might think. The process in most public systems
involves millions of gallons of water passing through pits
containing layers of gravel, sand and charcoal, similar to
the way in which a private well relies on rock and soil to
screen out some larger organic material and other potentially
harmful contaminants. It is a fact that some organic material,
natural particles and bacteria do get through the filtration
process.
Flocculation
This process involves adding chemicals, such as alum, iron
salts or synthetic organic polymers into the water to promote
this coagulation. Aluminum salts have been used for centuries
and alum (also known as potassium aluminum sulfate) has been
used in the United States for commercial water treatment for
over 100 years. These chemicals cause small particles in the
water to bind together into larger clumps so they can be removed.
The downside is that these added chemicals can stay in the
water and pass through the treatment system into your drinking
water.
A number of reputable medical experts, including Dr. Joseph
Mercola, have explained the link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s
disease. Aluminum compounds enter the body primarily by ingestion
of food, and water; both inhalation and dermal exposure can
contribute to the total body burden. Despite the risks, Alum
is the coagulant preferred by many water utilities because
of its history, effectiveness, availability and cost.
Many utilities add fluoride to drinking water. Because aluminum
forms strong soluble complexes with fluoride, utilities that
utilize both flocculation and fluoridation must be careful
to choose the point of fluoride application to avoid increasing
soluble aluminum levels, which are toxic!
Disinfection
Finally, public water is usually disinfected before it reaches
the distribution system to kill dangerous microorganisms.
Chemicals like chlorine are often used because they are cheap;
they are effective disinfectants; and they remain in the water
throughout the distribution system and into the home. Unfortunately,
the use of these chemicals causes dangerous disinfection by-products,
or DBPs, which we’ll talk about a little later.
After all this water is treated, it is pumped through a system
of underground mains and pipes to your home. These pipe systems
are often very old and are upgraded only when major breaks
occur. In addition, many home pipes consist of copper, iron
or PVC pipes that are assembled and connected using lead-based
joint compounds. If the pH level in the water is too low,
the water will leach copper, iron, lead and other materials
found in pipe materials as it enters your home’s water
supply.
As the water flows toward your home, the chlorine and disinfection
chemicals in the water interact with organic matter and natural
particles that that passed thru the water company’s
filters. The combination of the two causes dangerous DBPs,
such as trihalomethanes (TTHMs).
The Dark Side of Public Water Treatment
Some of these DBPs have been proven to be carcinogenic and
many health experts believe that they could be the most serious
health threat found in our public water supply. Long-term
exposure to DBPs may increase the risk of cancer or result
in other health problems, including liver, nervous system
and reproductive issues.
As the vast majority of the U.S. population continues to receive
and consume disinfected or chlorinated drinking water, we
can assume that Americans are consuming disinfection by-products
every day and the number of related cancer cases could be
substantial.
How Can You Protect Yourself?
Never assume that someone else will take care of your water.
Your family’s health is not worth the gamble. Whether
you receive your water from a well or public supply system,
we strongly urge you to test your own home’s drinking
water each year.
If a problem is found, you can select the right treatment
option to protect you.
Note to Private Well Owners: Although your
water isn’t treated by a water company, you are relying
solely on rocks and dirt to keep your drinking water safe.
In light of the tons of chemicals pumped into the environment
each year, it’s no wonder that even the EPA, Center
for Disease Control and every federal, state and local health
department in the country strongly urge annual well water
testing.
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