3.12.09: Water Quality Investment Act of 2009
What is the effect of lumbering on water quality?
Brian & Darren discuss how drain tile helps to improve ground water quality.
Image taken on 2004-04-23 08:39:44 by Syracuse University.
Westchester County Water Quality
Today’s water quality testing is something of a hit and miss affair with even the EPA not able to monitor it effectively at any level, and indeed a recent report has highlighted just how bad it’s got.
“Federal and industry officials say they don’t know the extent to which pharmaceuticals are released by U.S. manufacturers because no one tracks them,” reports the AP agency. I think that says it all!
Despite their labored claims about how modern their water quality testing is, the municipal treatment plants are failing us badly.
“Drinking water plants are old and out of date, and water supplies are increasingly threatened by and contaminated by chemicals and microorganisms,” says the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Recent studies have shown there to be over two thousand toxic chemicals in our drinking supplies, with chlorine being one of the most dangerous toxins of all, even though it is used to treat the water. Herbicides, pesticides, prescription drugs, lead and parasites are routinely found in drinking samples.
It is estimated you have a 93% higher chance of getting cancer if you drink chlorinated water, which most of us do, so what can we do to protect ourselves.
Finally we get to the good news! More and more people are turning to a quality home water purifier, as it is almost becoming a necessity. Look for products that have a dual or twin filter process with ion exchange and sub micron filtering for the effective removal of 99% of all contaminants.
This is the best solution all round because as water quality testing varies from state to state, you can never be sure just how accurate they are.
With home filtration you know you are doing your level best to safeguard the health of your family for now and the future, whatever contamination may come along next.
www.good.is/ Celebrate World Water Day! Animation & Design by Chris Weller Produced by Max Joseph Music by Jovian
Regular water quality testing is necessary for people that own a private well. Even if the tests have always reported no contaminants, they should be repeated on an annual basis. Mining and other incoming industry can have a negative effect on wells in the surrounding area.
If a homeowner has a record of when the contamination occurred, the courts can require that the industry responsible makes restitution. Otherwise there is no proof and the company will not accept responsibility.
For those that are serviced by a public treatment facility, water quality testing is necessary for homeowners that have older pipes. Lead was used to line some of the older pipelines and also to solder the joints. High levels of lead have been found in some of the older cities around the US, because their whole infrastructure needs to be replaced.
Lead is also a naturally occurring substance that is found in surface and groundwater in many areas, because it is in the rocks. Because water quality testing can be expensive and because not all contaminants are tested for, the best solution is to install a home filter.
You may already be aware of some contaminants. Chlorine, for example, is something that you can smell and taste. When levels are particularly high, you can actually see yellow particles in the bottom of a pot. Facilities try to assure the public that it is safe to drink, but environmental groups advise homeowners in most areas of the US that that should, at the very least, install a chlorine filter.
Chlorine filters are relatively inexpensive, but they don’t address all of the issues. For example, they may not remove traces of lead or other heavy metals. They don’t include enough steps to improve bad taste caused by mold or other issues. They will not remove herbicides or pesticides, either.
Independent water quality testing paid for by the Environmental Working Group showed high levels of Atrazine, lindane and alachlor in homes and offices in the Corn Belt and rural Maryland. Those are common herbicides and pesticides that have been banned in the European Union, but are still commonly used in the US.
Levels would be particularly high during the spring and summer months, but you really need protection all year long. You can get the protection that you need with an effective home filter.
To answer the question, water quality testing is not absolutely necessary in homes serviced by a public treatment facility, but a water home purifier is.
To become better informed about the available options regarding water filtration systems you can install at your home, visit my website.
Baltimore Water Quality 2007 (Class Project film)
In the US, the water quality standards are set by the Environmental Protection Agency. They seem to be sufficient in inhibiting outbreaks of waterborne diseases, since of the few outbreaks that occur annually, most of them occur in supplies that are not regulated by the EPA.
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.
To become better informed about your options regarding water filtration system you can install at your home, visit my website.