All living things need water to survive. Without it, our lives would be cut short by five days. Hydration is more than 50% of our bodies. It helps maintain body temperature, lubricates joints, and allows the body to eliminate waste through sweat, urine, and bowel movements. Doctors recommend that we drink eight 8 oz. Studies have shown that women will drink approximately 91 ounces of water per day. Men will consume about 125 oz. daily water intake. Water is consumed mainly from fruits and vegetables. Although it seems obvious why water is important for our health, understanding the various risks of contamination and how to protect drinking water can be more complex.
Is Tap Water Safe for Drinking?
Tap water is safe to drink if it comes out of a municipal water system. The quality standards for drinking water must meet strict safety standards when it leaves a treatment facility and reaches your home. Despite these safety measures, this does not guarantee that water is safe. However, the contaminants must be low enough to not pose a health risk. Accidents can happen. If the water supply is contaminated with something that could cause illness, the supplier must notify consumers within 24 hours to provide safe drinking water alternatives.
Types Of Contaminations
Water can be contaminated in a number of ways. Water can be contaminated by bacteria and parasites that have been added from animal or human feces. It can also be contaminated by industrial waste, such as chemicals and nitrates that are used in fertilizers. Natural deposits can sometimes contain minerals such as lead and mercury, which can be transferred to the water supply. Old lead pipes can also carry lead to water sources. Even pipes that are “lead-free”, can still contain up to 8% lead. Use cold water and let it run for one minute before you use it.
THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM
Many consumers believe that boiling water will remove contaminants. Boiling water can kill germs. However, contaminants like lead, nitrates, and pesticides cannot be eliminated by boiling. Boiling water will result in a reduction of water volume when evaporated, which can make the concentration of the contaminants even higher. There are four types of water filters that can be more effective in removing contaminants:
- Activated carbon filters – These filters can remove organic contaminants that alter the taste and odor. Some systems can remove chemicals like pesticides and chlorination byproducts.
- Reverse Osmosis This filtration system can remove salt, nitrates, and pesticides as well as petrochemicals.
- Ion Exchange – This filter can remove minerals such as calcium and magnesium and is used in conjunction with other systems like carbon absorption and reverse osmosis.
- Distillation – This is a method that creates distilled water from steam that has been heated to boiling water.
This post was written by a water treatment expert at Pure Blue H2O. Are you curious how much does a reverse osmosis system costs? At Pure Blue H2O we are the providers of the best Reverse Osmosis System For Home! We know that the best product comes from the best materials. They offer whole home water solutions such as showerhead filtration, filter replacements, and a variety of similar products. Their focus is to provide Americans with safe and clean water throughout the home.
