Why You Need a Water Filtration System - What's in YOUR Water?
James P. McMahon
Ever found yourself filling that pot with water from your kitchen tap, about to make a nice big bowl of pasta and wondering what's in your water? The fact is that the contaminants in water vary according to the water source. Lakes and rivers in the Midwest carry different contaminants than mountain streams in the West. In New York City the water source is high quality but aging conveyance systems result in contaminated water at the tap.
James McMahon Testing the Waters
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The most recent issues with drinking water pertain to the presence of pharmaceuticals and what's known as 'toxic soup'. Numerous medicines are commonly prescribed these days and what people don't realize is that excess quantities enter waste water systems through urine and then flow downstream to the next community using that water source. Hundreds of chemicals have been found in the Mississippi below Minneapolis, the Platte outside of Denver, and the Potomac River serving Washington, DC and surrounding communities.The 'toxic soup' phenomenon is exemplified in the St. Lawrence Seaway where Beluga Whales wash up dead on shore with no obvious signs of what killed them. But when their body tissue is examined they are classified as hazardous waste for disposal purposes. Interestingly there is no single source of pollution causing this. Rather there are literally hundreds of chemicals all being used within regulatory limits that these whales then absorb from the water in which they live. When scientists recently discovered male bass in the Potomac were carrying eggs and other evidence of female traits, water supply managers were quick to point out that there is no evidence to suggest that this water source is harmful to humans. Mark my words: this statement will be retracted one day. What's happening is that we're on the verge of a new understanding of the extent to which we've abused and polluted the same water we rely on to sustain us. Another out of date phenomenon is that the water industry itself takes a one size fits all approach to providing drinking water systems. Generally a simple carbon filter or a Reverse Osmosis system is recommended as all you need to provide safe water for your family. In fact, carbon filters have clearly been demonstrated to provide growth surfaces for bacteria. And Reverse Osmosis systems have now been discredited by studies that show them to remove far fewer contaminants than the public has been led to believe. The approach I like to take with a new customer is to actually get on the phone and together review that person's water supply information. If you're on city water, you can generally find your water quality data online with a simple google search 'your city, state water quality report'. This provides a starting point for determining the treatment system that will give you the healthiest water for your family. If a new customer is on a well, I always start with a water test. I then customize the systems I provide to treat the contaminants and meet the goals of each customer. You can learn more and keep abreast of developments in our awareness of water by visiting my online Resource Library from time to time. You'll find it and learn more about me at www.cleanairpurewater.com. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jim McMahon is an ecologist with over 30 years experience in natural systems ecology, river restoration, and water treatment. He lives and works from his log home overlooking a lovely headwaters stream in Brookside, Utah.
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