Why you should install a water filter
Unfortunately we can no longer be guaranteed clean drinking water.
This is an enormous problem since our bodies need clean water to
maintain healthy lives. It used to be that the lack of clean and safe
drinking water was only a problem in third world countries, certainly
not in the U.S. However, clean, safe drinking water is now difficult to
find even in affluent countries such as the U.S.
Current research has shown that most tap water and well water in the
U.S. is no longer safe to drink because of industrial and environmental
pollution. Some level of contamination is found in virtually all sources
of drinking water, including city water systems, wells, rivers, lakes
and surprisingly, glaciers. These contaminants may be natural or
man-made chemicals and industrial by-products. Although most
contaminants are not prevalent enough to make us sick, but with
continuous use over time, they may, in fact, cause severe illnesses.
These ailments may include liver damage, cancer and other diseases. We
are not exempt from the chemicals that are used to treat our water
systems either, as those chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride may
have detrimental effects on the human body.
Another alarming statistic is that more than 35,000 pesticides contain
600 chemical compounds, and many municipal water systems must only test
for six. These chemicals may, in fact, cause birth defects, sterility,
nerve damage and even cancer. Many of the 65,000 water systems in the
U.S. cannot even meet the minimum standards which were set by the Safe
Drinking Water Act.
There have been more than 700 organic chemicals found in drinking water,
some of which may cause cancer. Studies have indicated that over
one-quarter of large public water systems in the U.S. are plagued with
at least one, usually more, toxic materials. Many public water systems
don't even test for carcinogens and other dangerous chemicals.
If you think that bottled water is the answer to this problem, you are wrong. Bottled water does not undergo rigorous testing as some people may believe. Some of the brands of water do not filter their water, and therefore, the bottled water may not be safer or cleaner than regular tap water. Although, most bottled water is of high quality, some brands are incredibly contaminated.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) tested more than 1,000
bottles of water and nearly one-third contained levels of contaminants.
Some of those contaminants included bacteria, arsenic, and synthetic
organic
chemicals. Therefore, you should conclude that the best way to protect
yourself from water contaminants is to use a high quality water filter.
It
may be the only solution.
You may install and care for the filters yourself. Remember you
will be
protecting yourself and your family against unsafe water. Utilize a
filter
that removes most of the contaminants. In order to assure yourself of
this,
use a professional filtration system that is a 4 to 5 stage water
purifier
system. In this type of system, each stage removes certain kinds of
contaminants. By combining all stages, you should be protected from
nearly
all contaminants.
The most thorough and inexpensive means of purifying your drinking water
is to use a reverse osmosis water filter with activated carbon
pre-filters and
an ultraviolet light. This type of filtering system may last 10-15
years, and should pay for itself within 18 months. It is well worth the
investment to ensure that you and your family will be protected from
harmful contaminants in the water you consume.
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