Tony Edwards' Special Report in the June edition of WDDTY reveals that
traces of pharmaceutical drugs are likely to be present in every glass
of tap water you drink.
Here are 4 possible ways of cleaning up your water and avoiding these health risks.
Jug filters.
The simplest and cheapest method for purer water, most comprise two
components: one filter that contains carbon particles to absorb
contaminants; and another filter made of a resin that binds to the ions
in minerals and removes them. The trouble is, they’re not 100-percent
effective. According to Brita, the leading filtered-jug manufacturer,
their filters only remove 85 per cent of chlorine residues and 70 per
cent of pesticides (and may or may not eliminate pharmaceuticals).
Plumbed-in filters.
These are typically installed beneath the kitchen sink with their own
outlet tap at sink level. A major manufacturer in the UK is Pozzani,
which makes an entry-level carbon filtration kit that claims to
remove
cryptosporidia, up to 90 per cent of pesticides and 99 per cent of
chlorine residues. Pozzani also offers tailor-made filtration systems
based on where you live, choosing the carbon filter likely to be the
best at removing your local pollutants.
Reverse osmosis.
A more sophisticated plumbed-in system with a price tag to match, this
claims to remove 100 per cent of chlorine residues and pesticides. The
problem is that it tends to remove beneficial minerals from water as
well, so do be sure to take supplements.
Distillation. This
removes everything, including every last molecule of flavour. Small
domestic countertop distillation units are available, but their sales
appear to be mostly confined to those with severely compromised immune
systems, as most people are put off by distilled water’s lack of taste.
More important, the lack of natural minerals could be a health hazard.
Heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases and certain types of cancer
can result from having too few minerals in drinking water (Kozisek F.
Health risks from drinking demineralized water, in Nutrients in
Drinking Water. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 2004).
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