Water Filters & Why They Are Important

Water, Water water,…Water is the number one nourishing thing you can put in your body to heal and optimize your health. Dehydration is many times the root cause of debilitating symptoms and pain. This is why it is so important to drink safe and purified water – drinking water that is contaminated with pollutants and chemicals not only defeats the benefits but can cause serious harm to your body (especially when it’s already fighting bacteria and co-infections.) A reliable source of hydration is critical to keeping you and your family healthy.

Some of the most concerning contaminants lurking in your tap water can include:

LEAD – Lead is a toxic metal that can cause damage to health even at low doses. Corrosion of household plumbing systems and erosion of natural deposits are significant sources of lead pollution in public drinking water. The amount of lead found in the water varies depending on how long the water is exposed to the pipes, the amount of corrosion on the pipes, the water’s acidity, and the temperature of the water. 

CHLORINE- Chlorine is a powerful oxidant added to the water by several municipal water systems to control microbes. Chlorine can severely dry skin and hair and cause irritating effects to your eyes and nose.

CHLORAMINES- Chloramines are formed when ammonia is added to water that contains free chlorine. Chloramines are typically added as a secondary disinfectant. Chlorine and chloramine, when combined with naturally occurring materials in water, form disinfectant byproducts (DBP’s) which have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory testing.

MERCURY- Mercury is a liquid metal that can be found in various natural deposits. Erosion of natural deposits, discharge from refineries & factories, landfill runoff, and cropland runoff are just a few of the ways that mercury can get into public drinking water. Being exposed to high levels of mercury over time can cause kidney damage.

VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds include a variety of chemicals emitted as gases. Thousands of products contain VOC’s, so it’s no surprise some of these elements end up in our drinking water. When water is heated and vaporized, your body can absorb these contaminants.

PHARMACEUTICALS – Pharmaceuticals are synthetic chemicals that are found in prescription, therapeutic and veterinary medication. They commonly make it into the water stream from poorly controlled manufacturing facilities and improper disposal.

HERBICIDES- Herbicides enter the drinking water system by accumulation in public soil and water sources. Most commonly, they enter the water system from rainfall and irrigation, which wash herbicides off farmlands and into lakes and rivers. Atrazine, a herbicide widely used on golf courses, can interfere with the body’s hormonal activity and reproductive organs.

PESTICIDES – Pesticides travel through sewers that run from drains within the home, carrying all wastewater to treatment plants where they remain untreated throughout the detoxifying process. There are hundreds of different compounds with few tests and studies on how these contaminants may impact our health.

CYSTS- Cysts are a microbial parasite that can be found in lakes and rivers and can enter the water through sewage, leaking septic tanks, and runoff from feedlots. Many cysts are resistant to the water disinfection process, making cysts a health risk in tap water.

MTBE- Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether is used in gasoline throughout the country to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels from auto emissions. MTBE can leak into the water through seepage of underground storage tanks, pipelines, spills, and discharge from water engines into lakes and rivers.

FLUORIDE – Fluoride is added to municipal water under the belief that it helps with tooth health. However, fluoride has been shown to cause health issues such as early-onset Alzheimers.

Remember that we drink water, cook with water, and bath with water. It is important to note that when you bathe or shower with unfiltered water, you are breathing in the chemicals, or they are being absorbed directly through the skin.

There are three different ways you can remove contaminants from your water:

1 ) Pitcher or countertop filter such as Aqua Tru.    Counter-top filters offer clean drinking water. AquaTru’s patented, 4-stage Ultra Reverse Osmosis Technology is certified to NSF standards to remove 83 contaminants, including Lead, Chlorine, Fluoride, Nitrate, PFAS, and many more.

2) Under Sink Filter such as Aquasana.  Under Sink, Filters offer more water which is better for cooking and drinking.  Aquasana ‘s independently-certified Claryum® filtration removes the most contaminants while retaining naturally-occurring beneficial minerals to turn ordinary tap water into extraordinary water.

3) Whole House Filters such as Aquasana. The whole house package is the best option because it provides clean water for both baths and showers.  This is important because your skin absorbs the chemicals directly into your body.