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How Pure is Your Water?

Bottled versus Tap Water

This is the big question. With the “greening” of the earth, the question has surfaced again. Is there really a difference between bottled water and tap water? If so, which is best for you?

Did You Know?

There are almost 60,000 public water systems in the United States. They take care of your waste water as well as drinking water for communities all over the country. Public water systems are regulated by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). They provide strict guidelines as to the types of particulates that can be present in water and their levels.

Water facilities have to provide a CCR (consumer confidence report) each year to the government. This is how they catch violations and make recommendations to rectify them.

When it comes to bottled water, it is overseen by the Food and Drug Administration. Similar standards are used but the EPA is stricter on public water systems. Water bottling companies have to use sanitary conditions to bottle their water. They are also required to regularly test source water and final bottled products for contaminant levels. The source water must also be kept bacteria free.

If you own a well or use well water, these sources are not regulated by the government. Testing your water with a government lab is one way to find out just what is in it and how safe it truly is.

Which Is Better?

Which one you choose depends on you and your tastes. For all intents and purposes, tap water is safe to drink. Because of the strict regulations, any high levels of certain contaminants are investigated and rectified by the government. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t spikes from time to time in certain contaminants in the water system.

On the other hand, with bottled water, you may be getting glorified tap water. In order for a bottled water to be labeled “purified” it has to have changed the water in some way. It could be as simple as filtering tap water. Even if it is spring water or from a cold mountain stream that doesn’t guarantee that it will taste better, and taste is what people go for if they are going to buy water in a bottle. Your own tap water may taste better.

Even with the level of contaminants being considered, if you like your tap water, a tap filter can provide the extra confidence you need that the water supply is safe. In the long run you will spend less for it than on bottled water.

In answer to people’s concerns, there are more choices for cleaner water. Filtering systems for the entire home, taps and for water bottles provide water that is more filtered to suit a variety of needs.

Check the labels and the source of the water you are drinking to determine if bottled or tap is best for you.

Bottled Water - How Pure Is It Really?

Pure is such a buzz word especially when it comes to water. Since bottled water popped on the scene in the 90s, people have wondered about the water that flows through the tap in their home. Is bottled water better? With all the claims that are made by these companies about their waters, are they really as pure as they say?

Bottled Water Regulation

Tap water flows from community water systems. These are regulated by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and required to submit testing reports annually to the government.

Bottled water is a bit different. It is regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) like any other food product. Bottlers are required to regularly test their source water as well as perform quality control on their bottled products for safety and contaminant levels. They must also bottle water using sanitary practices and monitor the source for any contamination.

Purity

Pure depends on your standards. Read the label on your water bottle and see where the source water comes from. If it is a municipal supply then it is filtered or distilled tap water you are paying for. And, since you already pay for water, you are paying twice for the same thing.

It is true that the tap water must be further purified in some way for bottlers to label it such, but you don’t know to what extent this process was carried out. The EPA already employs regulations on community water supplies.

When it comes to bottled water, what is left in is just as important as what is filtered out. For instance, certain levels of beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium are important to health and therefore present in tap water. The levels may be lower in bottled water. This is not the case with all bottled waters. Some of the more expensive ones do provide more healthy minerals. But, these same minerals can be gleaned from the water in your home.

The level of minerals in bottled water can be helpful to some. For babies, making formula with bottled water can be a healthier option for those whose immune systems are still developing. For those with immune-compromised systems, bottled water can also offer a healthier option.

For the majority of us, though, if you compare the mineral content of bottled water with that of your tap water, you may find the differences unremarkable. It depends on your taste and your health needs.

As far as purity is concerned, many experts say that bottled water is just as safe as tap water. It may provide a few more minerals but you are paying an exorbitant price for them. Instead, ask for changes in regulations on water sources.

Clean Water Facts

Water is something that every person needs but it is not always available. You would think that with the majority of the earth’s surface being covered with water, this wouldn’t be the case. However, you might be surprised at some of the facts uncovered about water.

Our bodies are over 60 percent water. You can go for several weeks without food but no more than about a week without water. It is essential for all life, so why are so many people living without decent access to clean water?

Some Startling Facts

Did you know that almost 800 million people lack access to clean water? To provide a reference, that is more than 2.5 times the population of the United States. Where are these people? They live in Africa, Latin and South America, the Caribbean and all across Asia. Even a small percentage of people (about 7 percent) in developed countries are without clean water access.

Clean water access means water for drinking, cooking, sanitation and bathing. When clean water isn’t available, people do the best they can to find water that is tolerable for their needs. Each year, over 3 million people die from water-related diseases. Unclean water can harbor bacteria that can lead to illness and death. Poor sanitation also breeds disease. Just about all the deaths reported were in developing nations; many of them were children.

With the population of the earth increasing, many of the population booms are seen in developing nations that already have poor sanitation and water issues. This fuels the development of slums, overcrowding and more competition for what water is usable. It also means more deaths resulting from lack of clean water.

The average household in America uses over 100,000 gallons of water a year. The amount of water that is used for a 5-minute shower is more than most people in developing countries would use in a day. This is not to fault developed nations, but to show the disparity between them and a large majority of the world’s population.

If you have a toilet then you are fortunate. Over a billion people don’t have proper hygiene facilities to separate waste. You are likely to find more mobile phones than toilets in the world. It is the disease that is caused by excrement waste that makes most people sick. Did you know that diarrhea accounts for over a million deaths each year in the world?

The water we have is all that there is. Water is the most common substance on earth. It moves through the three element forms -solid, liquid and gas – repeatedly. We have the water; it is a matter of getting it to the areas that need it. Ninety-seven percent of water is found in oceans and seas.

Now that you know the clean water facts, maybe you can find a way to make a difference.

Water Filtration at the Tap

With the advent of bottled water there has also been an increase in water filters to answer the call for safer and cleaner water. Water filtration at the tap is a viable option for those who want better tasting water.

The battle between bottled and tap water rages on. Water at the tap comes from community water systems that are monitored by the federal government (EPA) for safety. Water facilities are required to report yearly to the government on contaminant levels. Any violations will be addressed.

Even so, water quality is still a question for people who want better taste and lower chemical levels - even if they are within safe health limits. One option is to further filter your own water.

If you have well water, the water quality is not regulated. Independent testing is needed to learn what contaminants are present in your water and at what levels before choosing a filter.

One reason for placing water filters on taps is for safer and/or better tasting drinking water. After all, you wash clothing and bathe in the same water that comes from the tap. But if you want cleaner water for drinking and cooking, this type of filter will work.

Tap Water Filters

This is how they work. A faucet mount water filter is easy to attach. Most just screw on to the faucet on your sink. When water passes through the line, it passes through a screen that removes sediment that is present in the water.

A block of carbon is used to further filter the water. It acts like a sponge to remove chlorine and other chemicals. Water flows slower through a filter to give the carbon time to absorb as many chemicals as possible. A tap water filter removes contaminant particles over 10 microns in size.

Which type of filter you use depends on your needs. For instance, tap filters are available in water bottles and carafes. If your family drinks a lot of water, then a faucet attachment is more economical than a carafe filter.

Filters vary on length of use and type of contaminants removed. If filters have to be replaced too often, choose another brand. Check to see what types of contaminants each product removes and if your water contains them.

Benefits of Water Filtration at the Tap

Less contaminants – Harmful lead and other substances are removed from your drinking water right before consuming it.

Cheaper than bottled water – You can be assured of what contaminants are being removed and the quality of your water. And, it’s cheaper and greener than buying bottled water.

Fresh water when you want it – Every drink of water will taste the same: good. It is healthier for you and your family and can reduce gastrointestinal bugs and other illnesses.

Water filtration at the tap provides filtered drinking water for your family.

Water Filtration Whole House System

If you don’t like the taste of your water or the level of chemicals within it, change it. Take the quality of your water in your hands with a whole house water filtration system. It can provide you with the type of clean water that you want from every faucet and shower head in your home.

Water Filtration

Filtration systems are designed to remove sediment, chemicals and other undesirable components from your water. Maybe you don’t like the taste of the water that is coming from your tap. It could be chlorine or another

chemical. To lower their levels, additional filtering is needed beyond the tap in order to achieve the desired effect.

Maybe you have “hard water.” It contains elements that leave your skin feeling dry or your clothes are not as white or bright after being washed. To soften the water, a water filtration system can remove the minerals and sediment that is affecting water usage in your home.

How They Work

Since you desire to purify the water that runs throughout your home, you need a filter that attaches to the source. Whole house water filtration attaches to the main water line coming into your home. Water is filtered here to remove anything larger than 5 microns in size (usually).

Filters also remove chorine and other contaminants. Chlorine is useful to keep bacteria from growing within water systems but too much can alter the taste of water. Removing much of it here restores a positive taste to the water.

Activated charcoal or other method removes any other undesirable elements from the water. They are all removed from the system as waste.

Advantages of a Whole House Water Filtering System

Filtered water – Water that is further filtered can provide better results throughout the house. For instance, removing chlorine can mean cleaner dishes, less soap scum and residue on shower heads and shower walls and less dryness to your skin.

Better taste – Without lower levels of chemicals in the water, you may notice that it begins to taste better overall. Water will taste great from the kitchen or the bathroom.

Better health – Some chemicals in water can be released into the air. With a home filtering system, that can mean cleaner air and possibly a reduction in symptoms for allergy sufferers in the house.

Another layer of protection for you and your family – The water treatment facilities are tested but if they ever have spikes in the system, your water throughout your home is still protected. It adds a further layer of assurance that your family is not ingesting or washing with water with too many chemicals in it.

A whole house water filtering system has its benefits. Decide if this is a step worth taking for you.

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