Many years ago, you could collect and drink rain water, but generally today even this isn't safe. Rainwater falls through polluted air containing bacteria, smoke, smog and chemicals.

Boiling water, the age old method of disinfection, does kill bacteria...but since some of the water boils off in the process, simple boiling actually concentrates nitrates, salts, heavy metals and other contaminants in the water that is left after boiling.

Should I have my water tested?

Whether you're drinking private well water or city water, the benefit of water testing offers only temporary peace of mind since the quality of your water can change even over short periods of time. And at an average cost of $100.00 per test, it's certainly expensive and...it does absolutely nothing to solve your problem.

In an attempt to solve the problem, many people are either purchasing bottled water or in-home water treatment devices. In fact, it's estimated that one out of five U.S. households either buys bottled water or uses a water treatment device. Let's consider these alternatives.

Is bottled water a safe choice?

It seems easy to purchase bottled water. But is this the wisest choice? It's estimated that 20 million U.S. households have turned to bottled water even though there is little scientific evidence to suggest that bottled water is any healthier than most municipal tap water.

While bottled water on the average costs about 89 cents per gallon, much bottled water is nothing but tap water, with little or no processing, which is sold at prices up to 1600 times its initial cost! In fact, 25 percent of bottled waters sold come from municipal supplies with only chlorine and bad taste removed. Legally accepted sources of bottled water are wells, springs and public tap water.

Have you ever purchased bottled water at a local store only to discover that the water tasted just the way the plastic container smelled? Water in low grade plastic may leach toxins from the container, such as methyl chloride, a carcinogen.

Freshness is also an issue. A recent study conducted by Northeastern University reveals that bacteria can indeed breed in bottled water. Elevated levels of bacteria can cause intestinal problems, diarrhea and nausea. Bottled water offers you no true peace of mind nor does it guarantee consistent purity.

Source

Legally accepted sources are wells, springs and even public tap water. Most sources have some form of contamination. Labels can be vague and misleading. Over 25% of the bottled water sold is ordinary tap water.

"A quarter of bottled waters come from filtered municipal water that is then treated. In other words, it is tap water. You can't even count on waters that are labeled 'purified' to be sterile enough for mixing baby formula." Mel Friedman, Parents Magazine 3/96

Regulation

Bottled water is regulated no more strictly than municipal water. The enforcement of bottled water guidelines is minimal. There is no overall assurance that bottled water is safer to drink than tap water.

"On a national level bottled water is not as regulated as tap water. Most testing is done by the bottler only. There's no national testing for Cryptosporidium cyst in bottled water." Anne Lindley, Professor, Cornell University, NBC Dateline 9/28/94

Storage

There is no requirement for putting expiration dates on bottled water. Stored bottled water can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

"Pierre Payment, a Canadian researcher, found bacteria counts in bottled water even higher than in tap water." Health Magazine 9/93

Container

Cheap plastics can leach toxins such as methyl chloride, a carcinogen. Storing water in soft plastic containers can increase the potential for a higher concentration of leached contaminants. Water can smell and taste like plastic.

"Water can grow bacteria or pick up tastes and odors from the container if left too long in a warehouse, on a truck, or even on a supermarket shelf." Harmony Brook® 1993

Health

Most experts agree that there is little scientific evidence that drinking bottled water is healthier. Clear, bottled water does not necessarily mean pure and healthy.

"The FDA admits that it does not individually monitor the bottled water industry but rather relies largely on self-regulation by the bottlers." Mother Earth News June/July 1996

Cost

The average cost of bottled water is 89 cents per gallon. Tap water costs an average of $1.28 per 1000 gallons. Advertisers encourage you to pay premium prices for designer bottled waters that may not be pure.

"If you are paying the typical $1 to $3 per gallon for bottled water, that's about 1,000 or more times what you are probably paying for tap water." Natural Resources Defense Council 9/93

 

Do water softeners help?

A water softener treats hard water simply by exchanging sodium for hardness minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Although removing hardness minerals helps soap and laundry detergent dissolve more easily, softeners have little effect on bacteria and do not remove synthetic chemicals or heavy metals like lead. Softeners are limited in their ability to purify water for drinking purposes and because sodium is added, softened water could present problems for people on low salt diets.

How about filters?

Filtered water has passed through a fine strainer and/or activated carbon. While carbon filters reduce disagreeable tastes and odors like chlorine, they are not effective in removing contaminants like arsenic, copper, lead, nitrates, parasites, sodium, sulfates... and the list goes on. And, a filter can also become a breeding ground for bacteria as the organic material which remains in the filter begins to decay.

Another drawback is knowing when to replace the filter...bells don't ring, lights don't flash. Manufacturers suggest replacing filters when bad taste or odor returns but, in reality, a filter may be able to control tastes and odors long after it has lost the ability to reduce tasteless, odorless organics such as trihalomethanes.

Thus, even with periodic replacement, filtered water may contain more contamination than unfiltered water! Try asking a filter salesperson to guarantee purity.

How Filtration Works

Filtering occurs when water passes through a layer designed to reduce contaminants. Depending on the kind of filter, the layer is made up of materials that trap or chemically alter a limited range of contaminants in water.

There are many types of water filtration products, such as the popular pour-through carbon filters, or the more expensive activated carbon models you install under the sink or on your kitchen counter.

Activated carbon can be made from many different compounds, but the most common is coal. The coal is "activated" by exposing it to high temperatures and steam, which cause numerous tiny pores and tunnels to form. When water passes through these pores and tunnels, some contaminants are "adsorbed" and stay behind as the treated water continues on its way to the tap or reservoir.

"There are many types of contaminants which will not be effectively removed by a simple activated carbon filter." Water Quality Association Newsletter

"The single biggest problem with some activated carbon filters is that they don't provide enough contact time to remove anything other than chlorine taste and odor." Joseph F. Harrison, Technical Director, Water Quality Association

Factors Effecting Filtration

Clogging
Filters are subject to clogging and lose effectiveness over time. You can't "unclog" them, so you have to buy new filter cartridges periodically.

Flow Rate
Studies have shown that water must be held in the filter for seven to eighteen minutes to remove some contaminants. Most household filters hold water for less than a minute!

Filter Load
Carbon filters don't eliminate contaminants; they just adsorb them. That means water must pass through previously removed contaminants. This increases the risk of old contaminants being "dislodged" into your drinking water.

Filter Type
Certain types of carbon filters have drawbacks. For example, pour-through models don't use enough carbon to filter water properly, and water passes through faucet-mounted devices too quickly to significantly decrease contaminants.

The Bacteria Problem

Out of all the weaknesses of a filtration system, the most alarming is the bacteria problem. Filtration systems are not only ineffective in reducing bacteria, they may actually be a breeding ground for bacteria!

Wet carbon that has adsorbed organic contaminants is an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. Health officials warn that bacteria can cultivate rapidly when a filter is not used in as little as five days. Under these conditions, there is a risk that bacteria growing in a filter can then be washed into drinking water.

"Is there a health risk from washing large numbers of bacteria out of the filter and into a drinking glass? No one knows yet. But common sense suggests that drinking large doses of unidentified bacteria is not good for anyone." Consumer Reports

Although filtration products do have many limitations, activated carbon filters can do a good job of reducing a limited range of contaminants, removing odors and enhancing the taste of drinking water. The best use of carbon filtration is in conjunction with a better method of improving water quality, such as steam distillation.

What about reverse osmosis?

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems force water under high pressure through a synthetic semi-permeable membrane to reduce inorganic minerals. However, these systems vary widely in their ability to reject nitrates, chlorides and some other contaminants. RO performance is affected by water pressure, water temperature, pH, bacteria, dissolved solids and the chemical contaminant level of raw tap water.

An RO system works by flushing contaminants out with additional quantities of water. This process can send as much as 6 gallons of wasted water down the drain to produce only one gallon of treated water. Put into perspective, this means producing 3 gallons of RO water per day would waste approximately 6,000 gallons per year!

Like other filtration systems, gradual clogging will result in declining effectiveness and can also lead to contamination from bacterial growth.

More Details:

Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems force pressurized water through filters and membranes, which screen out a limited range of contaminants. First, water is forced through a carbon and/or sediment filter, then a semi-permeable membrane, and lastly through another carbon filter.

An RO system's excess "dirty" water, usually 83% or more, goes down the drain. At this 6:1 ratio, producing three gallons of RO water per day would waste over 6,000 (six thousand) gallons per year.

"A lot of water is wasted, which may be a problem, depending on your water source and cost."Andrew Weil, M.D., Natural Health, Natural Medicine 1990

The RO membrane is the heart of the system. It must be periodically monitored and replaced when its ability to reduce contaminants has declined.

"I have had a large reverse osmosis system for years but grew tired of changing the expensive membranes twice a year." C. Christy Barton, Attorney, Missouri

New RO systems will temporarily reduce many substances by about 80% to 95%. However, they do not effectively remove many microorganisms. In addition, RO systems are subject to membrane fouling. This occurs when unfavorable water conditions create a coating on the membrane, reducing the treated water quality and quantity over time.

"Fouling is the most significant factor affecting the performance of membrane processing systems, causing a reduction in product water quality and flow." Peter Cartwright, P.E., Water Conditioning & Purification 7/95

A quality RO system can cost from $500 to over $1500. Even the best RO system becomes less effective over time. Premature failure is common, often due to improper installation or defective components. Most systems require professional monitoring, water testing and maintenance.

Regular replacement of the membrane and filters is necessary and costly. Replacement membranes usually cost from $75 to over $200. These expensive membranes need to be replaced about every 12 months to 24 months depending on deterioration, water condition and usage. The pre and post carbon filter cartridges will cost from $30 to $70 and should be replaced two to three times per year.

Most RO systems use plastic materials to house the membrane and to store treated water. These plastic components often warp, crack and leak, leading to additional replacement expenses.

 

Faced with so many discouraging drawbacks to alternative sources of clean, pure drinking water, it seems only natural to wonder whether there is any guarantee that the water you're drinking is the purest possible.