Water Filtration

Are you the type of reader who wants some information quickly? Okay, try these:

• If you get your drinking water from a tap, let the water run at full flow for ten seconds, then slow it down to half flow or less to fill your container. Running at full flow will flush out pollutants that have attached to (or grown on) the faucet components, and reducing the flow will make it less likely that any other pollutants will be detached as you fill your container.
• If you want water for a hot drink, draw cold water from your tap and heat it. Resist the temptation to draw hot water from the tap, as there’s a greater chance of pollutants coming from your hot water heater.
• If you use any kind of portable water filter or even one that is detachable, store the filter in your refrigerator when it’s not in use. This will greatly slow the growth of microorganisms in the filter.
• Once bottled water has been open for two days, store it in the refrigerator.
• City, town and rural water utilities are required to send all customers an annual water quality report. If you get your water from a public water supply and you have not received a report, ask them for one - it’s free. The report should alert you to any contaminants detected above federal and state permitted levels.
• If your water is from a private well, the most common health risk is from bacterial contamination. Have your water tested for the presence of bacteria at least once a year.
• Fluoridation: There are some sound arguments for and against. On balance, I recommend against it.
• Almost all water utilities disinfect water with chlorine ( sometimes together with ammonia ). This does a good job of killing almost all microorganisms in the water, but the chlorine itself poses a certain degree of health risk. Don’t drink chlorinated tap water on a regular basis.
• Is distilled water good or bad for you? The water itself is okay, but be careful of the containers you store it in.
• Is bottled water really safer than tap water from a public water supply? It depends on the type and brand of bottled water - some are and some aren’t.

All of the above as well as many more details are covered in the book “The Drinking Water Book — How to Eliminate Harmful Toxins from Your Water” by Colin Ingram.

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