For most of us in the U.S, the path to good, safe drinking water begins with a sand water filter. This is because most of our municipal water treatment plants employ sand filtration as one of the first steps in water purification. The next steps are often to add chlorine (bleach) to the water to control viral or parasitic infections, and fluoride to reduce tooth decay in children. In this article, we will look at what is added to our water supplies and how safe it is for you 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. Now we will take a closer look and these additives so we understand what is coming out of our taps at home. 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 - You may know fluoride is poisonous, but did you know it is more poisonous than lead, if swallowed, and only slightly less poisonous than arsenic? Water treatment plants can have up to 4,000 parts per billion (ppb) of fluoride in the water, but they are only allowed a maximum of 15 ppb of arsenic and 50 ppb of lead. Does that make any sense to you since fluoride falls between lead and arsenic in toxicity? Have you ever read the warning on the label of a tube of fluoride toothpaste? It tells you a child less than six years old who eats some of the toothpaste, a piece about the size of a single, shelled peanut, likely will have a deadly serious problem! 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. What is our health risk when drinking tap water with this toxic mix? We know the risk of developing cancer is 93% greater for people who drink chlorinated water than for those who do not. And we know drinking chlorinated water leads to heart disease. But, what is the risk when the poisons above combine with one another or with the thousands of other toxic pollutants that have been found in our water supplies throughout the U.S? Who knows? Do we wait for concrete proof of the harm done by each toxin and every combination? After all, we are blessed with common sense, and common sense tells us we will be safer not drinking water containing poisons no matter what their levels. And common sense says we might even be able to flush out some of the toxins already in our systems if our bodies are given good, clean water. We see a sand water filter is a start toward good, safe water but there is more to be done. There is the need to protect ourselves and our families by filtering these toxins out of our water before we or our families drink it or bathe in it. It is just good, common sense.
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