I was enraged after reading about this.According to an article in the ONearth Online Literary Journal, traces of eighty two different contaminants were found in surface water all across the country. Different types of prescription drugs such as hormones, narcotics, and high blood pressure medication were found as well as fertilizers and other chemicals. These tests were conducted using highly sensitive testing equipment.
This was rather alarming to me so I decided to do some more research about the chemicals that may be in the water we drink, cook, and shower in every day. My findings led me to believe we need to seriously consider water filtration systems for our homes to protect us from the health hazards these chemicals could possibly cause. We should also think about the harm we are doing to the environment as a whole.
I found documented information on the internet about these chemicals, prescription drugs, fertilizers, and more in connection with our drinking water supply. The question is what is this free flow of toxins going into our ground water doing to the environment? If it continues, what problems will we have in the future?
They have already found mutations in frogs and fish that live in our waters. These creatures that live in and around our waters are indicators of how safe our water is and what it can do to harm us. Not only do we drink this water, but we also consume the fish and plant life that has absorbed whatever the water contains.
You may wonder, all this time, for decades mankind has been taking pharmaceuticals and using chemicals, there wasn’t a problem before, why now? The answer is, it was only recently that the technology was available to even detect a few of these contaminates. Those responsible for the discovery include researchers form Europe, water testing facilities in the U.S. and students at a university who alerted the media and officials about their findings.
Lower levels of the following chemicals were found in the water; hormones, birth control, antibiotics, mood stabilizers, calcium blockers and other prescription drugs, pain killers, and over the counter drugs.
Our bodies do not always absorb all the medicines we take, the rest is flushed down the toilet and makes its way back into our water supply. In addition to these, mercury, arsenic, PCB’s, DDT, and DES are found with many new ones being discovered every year.
The frustrating thing about it is that they can all be removed; however the water plants either don’t want to do it or do not have the money to do so. Our sewer water is filtered and treated with chemicals to make it safe to drink. The drugs, pesticides and other contaminates remain, in addition to the chemicals used to treat it.
The water is then, either pumped into the environment where we draw it up form water sheds in wells and farms, or it is piped back to us at the municipal water supply. This water is piped into our homes or to water bottling plants where little, if any further filtration is done before it is bottled back up and sent to us to drink.
The only solution to this growing problem is to protect yourself at the only water source you can control. In addition to safely disposing of unused medication in other ways, you can also filter the water you use in your home and garden.
Several water filtration systems are on the market today filter out 99% or more of the contaminants in our water. These water filtration systems can be installed in whole home systems and at the source such as shower heads, drinking water faucets, and other inlets.
The water filtration systems recommended that remove the most contaminate include reverse osmosis, nano-filtration, activated carbon, and home distillation followed by membrane filters. However, to be effective, the filters on these must be installed properly and replaced according to the manufacturers directions. All too often the filters are installed improperly or used past their lifespan, which renders them ineffective.
If you want to know what is really in the water you’re drinking, have it tested. Take it to a place that tests water, you can find out from your local health department where to take it. Having it tested will also show you how well your filter is working.
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
