Each and every one of us needs a supply of high quality water. Without it we will get dehydrated and die. What is the best way to go? There are many ways available to us to have clean water. DRF Water Heating Solutions explores a few and compares the pros and cons.
Ideally the best option is to get water from a fresh spring. One of the pros is that it doesn’t cost anything for the water. The only con with this is just the time and effort needed to go there. You can find locations for these springs here: http://www.findaspring.com/
Go with Bottled WaterBig bottle water fanatic? A benefit to buying bottled water is its excellent convenience. You can purchase a bottle of water essentially anywhere. The negative surrounding bottled water is that it isn’t always so perfect. There is a large environmental cost, paying for fuel to transfer the water etc., but more so, bottled water is also stored in plastic containers which may contain BPA and phthalates which can harm your body. Even those that do not contain those chemicals, or claim to be BPA free are not necessarily checked for additional chemicals and the harm they can do with chronic exposure. Plus plastic can leak. Leaking plastic can get into the water you drink without you even knowing it. The scariest part is who is looking into these bottled water companies? When it comes to regulating the municipalities, the EPA regulates, whereas when it comes to regulating bottled water the FDA regulates that bottled water be at least as good as tap water.
It has been said that well water is safer than municipal water. How can that be with that stinky egg smell and it coming from the ground? Proper construction and location of a well will help minimize the likelihood of contamination. Some say, if you dig a well deeper than 40 feet the water in that well can be safer than most city water due to its ability to avoid herbicides and pesticides without having to be chemically treated. Some cons would be that the water can become contaminated with other bacteria so the well water must be tested on a regular basis which can cost. If the well breaks down it is expensive to repair and if your power goes out – there goes your water supply (it is best to have a back-up generator in this instance).
The municipal water supply is great for easy access to treated water with the flip or twist of a handle. Cook with it, clean with it, brush your teeth with it, bathe with it; whenever you need it it’s there. The problem is municipal water is quite chlorinated. The chlorine added to municipal water is supposed to improve the water and it does – but it does at a cost. The cost is removing pathogens from your own gut. Chlorine can combine with organic materials in the water and in your body causing Disinfection Bi Products. This may increase cause for cancer and other complications. The pipes can also add to the problem of the water. Municipal water must travel through a web of pipes, then into your home to get to your faucet. Whatever the condition of the city’s pipes and your pipes may also affect the way your water tastes and how it affects you and your family. Placing a filter on your faucet or shower can help, but that still remains to be a temporary solution at best. Also, did you know that your Indoor air quality is affected by your municipal water supply? When water sits, such as in a toilet or when you let a glass of tap water sit for 30 minutes or more, the ‘bad stuff’ vaporizes into the air and you can have the DBPs, or Disinfection Bi Products, that you are breathing in. It is best to open a couple of windows to allow for cross ventilation to improve indoor air quality so that you are not breathing in the Disinfection Bi Products.
Anyone have a pitcher filter? They are pretty popular. Most pitcher filters use an activated granulated charcoal to remove contaminants as the water flows into the pitcher. The great part about these water pitchers with filters is they help reduce the chlorine found in your tap water, improve the taste of the water, they are pretty cheap up-front and they typically do not remove the minerals from the water.
The water pitchers with filters unfortunately aren’t perfect. They do not remove things like herbicides and pesticides. Since the carbon filters are not solid, they will not be able to remove all contaminants or heavy metals and fluoride. The filters also have to be replaced quite often costing you more money in the long run.
By boiling down water you can kill a lot of bacteria, but distillation creates a fairly acidic water. Distillation is a process where water is boiled, evaporated and the vapor condensed. Because distilled water is free of dissolved minerals it has a special property of being able to actively absorb toxic substances from the body and eliminate them. Sounds great until it is dangerous. This can be dangerous if you are fasting because the loss in electrolytes and trace minerals can cause heart beat irregularities and high blood pressure. Also cooking in distilled water can pull minerals out of the food. The more mineral loss, the greater risk for health problems down the road.
Reverse Osmosis System (typically used for “point of use”) DRF recommends and installs
Reverse osmosis pushes water through a semi permeable membrane in which small pores block particles to purify the water. It is primarily used for the desalination of sea water, but for municipal water, reverse osmosis will remove all contaminants from the water including fluoride. This process even removes bacteria and disease causing pathogens. A negative to having a reverse osmosis is it cuts the salt in the water, but by adding a natural salt to your water such as Hymalayan salt will help. An additional negative chlorine, trihalomethanes or VOCs (Volatile organic chemicals) still remain present.
Carbon Filtration Systems (typically used for whole house) DRF recommends and installs
Carbon Filtration systems are efficient, eco-friendly and cost effective. This process uses granular active carbon to effectively filter impurities from water. A Carbon Filtration system for your home from DRF retains a computer controlled unit that stores data that can be monitored to determine if the cycle should be altered if the carbon needs to be replaced.
When it comes to selecting a source for clean water, most likely if you don’t have a filter – you are the filter. It is best to examine all your options for clean water to see what the best solution is for you. If you have any questions regarding the solution for clean water that is right for you, give DRF a call at 630-615-7000. Ask about our Carbon Filtration Systems and Reverse Osmosis Systems.
