Cleaning up your water: four solutions

Birdseye — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:10:00 GMT

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).

Birdseye: Health Tips from the Blogosphere : water

Cleaning up your water: four solutions