Regulations concerning bacteria, viruses and other pathogens are also relatively strict. However, regulations concerning chemical contaminants are relatively lax and sometimes completely absent. Even the methods used for establishing water quality standards are lacking.

There is really no way to determine how long-term exposure to low levels of chemical contaminants affects our health. Some researchers are attempting to answer that question, specifically as it pertains to some of the most common chemical contaminants. Those are called trihalomethanes.

Trihalomethanes or THMs are a group of chemical compounds that are known to cause or suspected of causing cancer. They are present in publicly treated supplies, because they form when bacteria and other pathogens are removed through disinfection. They are not present in groundwater that has not been disinfected in any way.

If your home is serviced by a public treatment facility and the source used is above ground, then THMs are flowing out of your tap and into the air of your home whenever you turn on a shower. Many researchers feel that the water quality standards or limits pertaining to THMs are higher than they should be. But, there isn’t much that the treatment facilities can do about it. Consumers really need to take matters into their own hands.

In order to reduce THMs at the facility level, the amount or disinfectants would need to be reduced. This would mean that the number of bacteria and other pathogens would rise. Outbreaks of waterborne illnesses are considered far greater public health risks than cancer. Cancerous growths take a long time to form and some people are able to fight them off. So, as it is with most medical considerations, the EPA must weigh the risks against the benefits.

The water quality standards set for bottling companies are even lower than those set by the EPA. That industry is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. The e-coli level allowed in those bottles is higher than what is allowed in public supplies. Many of the plants are dirty and make little effort to provide a safe product.

The best solution, for all homeowners, is to install an effective filter in their home. Remember that drinking is not the only source of exposure. THMs become airborne during a shower and you inhale them. They can get into the bloodstream more quickly through inhalation than they can through consumption.

Everyone should know that the water quality standards in the US are not sufficient to protect our long-term health, but there is something that we can do. Buy an effective filter and install it…you’ll never need to worry about the subject again.

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The public treatment facilities have many steps in place to reduce impurities, but one of their biggest concerns is bacteria that cause waterborne illnesses. In order to kill the bacteria, most facilities use chlorine or chloramines.

Chloramines negatively affect water quality, taste and smell, but they do reduce the incidences of waterborne illnesses in industrialized societies. So, chlorine is something of a necessary evil.

There are lots of facts about chlorine that the general public is not made aware of. For example, infants and children should not consume chlorinated water, because it causes anemia. Only the highest quality water should be used for making infant formula. Some people are aware of the dangers of chlorine. Others just don’t like the way that it tastes.

We have been told that drinking more high quality water will improve our overall health and is better than drinking soft drinks or other beverages. Because of that, many people are buying thousands of bottles, every year. Yet, those bottles are a major source of pollution. They cost a lot of money and they leach contaminants into the liquids stored within them. Obviously, the best choice for many reasons is a home purifier.

If you read your local water quality report (sometimes called a Consumer Confidence Report), you will see that THMs are listed. THMs are chemical compounds that are created during disinfection processes. The amount that is listed on the report may be very small, but the level continues to grow as it travels through the pipelines.

The amount that is released into the air, when waters are heated for cooking or showering, is 300% greater than what is present at the treatment facility, according to scientific researchers. The researchers are concerned because THMs are known to cause cancer.

Only a high quality water filter will trap THMs. Most of the inexpensive systems on the market reduce only chlorine.

Other contaminants, such as herbicides, pesticides, lead, benzene, VOCs and even prescription drugs may also be present. Chlorine and THMs are the most common, but the best systems provide the best water quality by addressing all of those other contaminants, as well. Among other things, a purifier of that type gives you peace of mind.

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