Do We Need to Filter Our Tap Water in the USA?

Water Treatment plants in the United States reduce the pollutants in our water supply that pose immediate health risks. Water borne diseases are mostly eliminated, and one usually doesn’t need to worry about getting a heavy amount of mercury or an infection from drinking a glass of water.

The problem is the long term health risks. Pollutants that are found in very small amounts within our tap water are deemed non-important by water utilities. Studies prove they cannot cause any immediate threat and it is very expensive to take out all the pollutants from the water, so the trace amounts get ignored. Do these pollutants build up in our system and cause a strain on our immune system in the long term? Are the combinations of the many tiny pollutants in our water supply dangerous when taken together? These are the questions that are often debated amongst the experts.

From my own personal reading and research, I have come to the conclusion that no one knows for sure the answers to these questions. Experts debate it, take educated guesses and do the best they can with what we know. However no one can tell you if taking miniscule amounts of THM’s, pesticide residue, asbestos fibers and fluoride in our drinking water will mix together to form an interesting toxic concoction, which will eventually contribute to disease. No one can say what will happen if they combine with the other trace amounts of pollutants that are present in our daily food and life.

What we do know is that clean water is a strong factor in our overall health. We also know that the more pollutants our body accumulates, the greater the strain to our immune system. Common sense dictates that we should reduce our load of pollutants entering our system as best as possible. Our system is already bombarded with toxic pollutants on a daily basis. To improve our health and live a cleaner life, it is important to take responsibility for reducing the pollutants in our own drinking water.

Bottled water can be a good way to go in getting clean water but it is important you buy from a decent brand or you could end up with worse than what you had from your tap. The main problem with bottled water is that it is not ideal for our environment, as the accumulation of used bottles cause a strain on the health of our planet.

Most people will turn to getting a home water filter at some point, in which case there are two main choices. Reverse Osmosis, which takes out everything, both good and bad, or a water filter, which reduces the bad stuff and keeps in the natural minerals. Personally I prefer water filters as I am of the opinion that water is suppose to contain the natural minerals, but some would argue that we can also get minerals from food and they would rather take everything out of it.

If you purchase a water filter, look for one that uses a carbon block. This is one of the better and more natural ways to filter water. Some systems use two or three carbon blocks together, which is even better. Look for a water filter that is independently tested and the company’s data available to the public. It should reduce more pollutants than simply bad taste and odor. The main reason for purchasing a water filter is to have it reduce or eliminate the toxic substances from your water supply. Do a bit of research before you buy and your body will appreciate it in the long term.