If You Would Like To Place Your Own Article On This Website Concerning Water, Drinking Water, Water Filters Or Any Other Related Subject Please "Contact Us" - I Will Give All Articles Serious Consideration For Publishing On This Site And Be Glad To Provide A Link I am writing this article, not to promote any brand or particular water filter, but to hopefully give the average consumer enough valid information so they can make an educated buying choice when shopping for a water filter. I have been involved in the water filtration industry for a number of years. There is no point in purchasing an ineffective water filter. The old concept, you get what you pay for, still holds true. Cheap water filters do very little as far as contaminant reduction and soak the consumer when it comes to replacement filters. Most high quality water filters effectively reduce a vast number of contaminants to a high degree. Recently, while shopping at a local discount store, I took a look at the water filters they had to offer. They had a number of cheap filters that would do little, if anything as far as contaminant reduction. Most of these inferior filters are only capable of reducing chlorine, lead, and particulate matter. Some may go so far as reducing bacterial cysts depending upon the micron rating and possibly a few other contaminants. None of the cheap filters are very effective on an over all basis. Most of these filters cost less than $50.00. One particular filter that comes to mind had a $45.00 price tag. Replacement filters for this filter cost $8.50 each. The capacity rating for this filter is 100 gallons. That amounts to 8.5 cents per gallon. This particular filter only reduces lead and chlorine according to the packaging. Here, my husband and I use approximately 3 to 4 gallons of water per day for drinking, coffee, iced tea, cooking, and watering our 2 dogs. Considering the amount of filtered water we use, I would have to change the filter every 25 days. That is 14 replacement filters a year! At $8.50 each, the annual cost would amount to $119.00. The initial cost of the water filter plus the 1 year of replacement filters would result in an total cost of approximately $165.00 for the first year. In just 2 years I would spend more money than I would purchasing a much better quality system that would effectively reduce a vast number of contaminants and provide much better, and healthier drinking water. The drinking water filtration system we use is rated at 1200 gallons. It is hidden out of the way under the sink and has an independent faucet mounted on the sink, not hanging off my faucet. It is one of the highest quality systems on the market, reduces a very wide range of contaminants and is NSF Certified. I have had this filter for a number of years. If I remember correctly, the initial cost of the system was $320.00. Once a year I change the filter at a cost of $59.95. That amounts to only 5 cents per gallon of quality drinking water. Obviously, dollar for dollar, the real value is in the quality system. So, how do we determine a water filter's capability? When reading the label, check to see if the filter is NSF Certified. Never buy a filter that is not NSF Certified. Manufacturers of quality filters have their filters certified by NSF and are proud to advertise their certification on the labeling. Only if a water filtration device is NSF Certified can a consumer be certain that the product meets strict standards for performance. Tested to NSF Standards does not mean NSF Certified. Any water filter that claims to be tested to NSF Standards has not actually been tested and certified by NSF. Here again, this is a prime example of these companies misleading the consumer. NSF tests and certifies water filters to do what the manufacturer claims. Not only that, they also monitor the manufacturing process by doing spot checks. NSF will come to the factory unannounced and monitor the manufacturing process. Consumers can go to the NSF website and view the actual certification which will show exactly what contaminants the filter will reduce, indicate the percentage of reduction and will also indicate the filter life expectancy. The NSF website is www.nsf.org, just click on consumer and search water treatment devices. Water purification and water filtration are two different things altogether. Water purification is the introduction of chlorine or other chemical agent that kills bacteria in water. Infared lighting can also be considered to be water purification as its sole purpose is to destroy bacteria. Water filtration is exactly that, a water filter of some type. Another thing to look for when shopping for a water filter is which technology is best for you. Avoid loose carbon filters as they allow air to be present within the carbon and are nothing but a bacteria factory. Most mixed media filters can be effective on a few specific contaminants, but do not reduce a wide range of contaminants. Distillation is a process in which the water is heated to the point of steaming. The steam passes from the container it is heated to another container as the steam cools.Distillation is highly effective on removing minerals and salts, but is somewhat limited on removal of chemical contaminants as many chemicals evaporate right along with the water. I have found, many people are confused as to the capabilities of reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis is a process where the water passes through a membrane which will not allow certain contaminants to pass. Reverse osmosis can do an effective job on barium, radium, cadmium, copper, fluoride, perchlorate, minerals, salts and a few other contaminants but is not effective on a wide range. Many reverse osmosis units include additional types of filtration technologies. Some of these are very effective depending on the other additional types of filters used. This type of water filtration system is usually identified as 3, 4, or 5 stage system. What I recommend to the average consumer is the solid carbon block filter or the solid carbon block coupled with reverse osmosis. A high quality solid carbon block that filters to less than 1 micron is very effective on a wide range of contaminants and does not allow oxygen to be present within the carbon filter therefore bacteria cannot be allowed to pass through or be produced within the filter carbon. The solid carbon block alone will not reduce healthy minerals. For maximum contaminant reduction, consider a drinking water filtration system using reverse osmosis technology coupled with a solid carbon block but keep in mind it does remove the healthy minerals. In conclusion, always compare the NSF Certification when shopping for a water filter so you will know exactly what contaminants and to what degree the filter removes each one. Armed with this information you are now a savvy water filtration shopper! I hope this article helps in your pursuit of a drinking water filtration system.
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Please Read This Before Purchasing Any Water Filter
Consumers Mislead By Water Filters
It is estimated that 80 percent of home owners in the United States have used or are currently using a water filter. Many, I am sure, have purchased a filter that is virtually ineffective and probably costing them an arm and leg in replacement filter costs.
I have yet to find a water filter that produces PURE WATER! I am seeing more false advertising as of late than I have ever seen before. Just last night for instance, while watching television I noticed two different advertisements for the latest and greatest water filters. They both claimed to produce pure water!
Neither one even mentioned being certified by NSF. No water filter removes all of any contaminant, what a water filter actually does is reduce contaminants.
There are hundreds of water filter manufacturers in the U.S. today, producing thousands of different water filtration products. Only a handful produce a water filter that is highly effective as far as contaminant reduction and cost efficiency.
The filter labeling should indicate which contaminants the filter will reduce. The labeling should also indicate the capacity rating, A high quality filter will save you money in the long run. Filter life expectancy and capacity rating determine how many actual gallons the filter is capable of producing. For example, a filter that will produce 500 gallons or more as compared to one that produces only 100 gallons is far more cost efficient.
Avoid the dishonest tactics of unscrupulous advertisers that claim their drinking water filter produces pure water. Check the filter life capacity rating of the filter. Also consider the price of the replacement filters and make sure they offer a customer satisfaction guarantee and good warranty.
Healthy Water Is Essential To Life
The human body is mostly water. Brain = 75% Heart = 75% Lungs = 86%. Human survival depends on water. People can only survive 3 to 4 days without water. Doctors recommend drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day to stay healthy and properly hydrated. This essential element of life can be one of the most common conduits for harmful contaminants to enter the body.
On a daily basis, reports of drinking water contamination appear in magazines, newspapers, and news programs on television. Drinking water pollution is on the rise. The problem is so large, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has acknowledged that the National Water Program has not met its 2006 goal of 90.9 percent of people receiving tap water that meets all health based standards. Tap water is provided to over 200 million people in 42 states.
There are 82,000 chemicals being used in the United States today. 240 of these chemicals have been identified in our water supplies. According to the new standards developed by the EPA, municipal water suppliers are required to test for 114 of these contaminants. Five other contaminants recognized by the EPA have no enforceable regulations. 141 contaminants have no safety standards at all.
Drinking water contaminants are known to cause a wide range of illnesses. Cancer, damage to the kidneys, liver, nervous system, heart, birth defects, and reproductive disorders to name a few. According to the Environmental Working Group, who did a study on the nations tap water, 52 of the 141 unregulated contaminants found in tap water are linked to cancer, 41 to reproductive problems, 36 to developmental toxicity, and 16 to immune system damage.
These chemicals are not regulated by the EPA despite the known health risks. The gasoline additive MTBE; the rocket fuel component perchlorate; at least 15 chemical by-products of water disinfection; four industrial plasticizers called phthalates linked to birth defects and reproductive toxicity; 78 chemicals used in industrial and consumer products; and 20 chemical pollutants from gasoline, coal, and other fuel related chemicals contribute to the problem..
Recent surveys conclude 64 percent of Americans are concerned about their drinking water. Many are looking for alternatives to tap water. Bottled water is not a very good alternative because regulations are lacking. Bottled water is governed by the Food and Drug Association, not the EPA. Bottled water standards are very lax especially if the water is sold in the same state in which it is bottled. This is the case with most bottled water.
Today, many doctors recommend point of use water filters to combat this problem. High quality water filters can effectively reduce chemical contamination to safer levels. Point of use water filters are a more economical, cost effective, and convenient choice. High quality water filters can reduce many contaminants of health concern to a high degree, are more convenient, and produce better drinking water than most bottled water.
Water Filters Can Reduce Health Risks
Pesticides, Herbicides, Toxic Chemicals, Disinfection By-Products, and Heavy Metals are found in drinking water all over the U.S. today. All of these toxins are considered to be health risks. Some of the health effects of these toxins are cancer, nervous system damage, reproductive disorders, tumors, kidney and liver damage.
Obviously the quality of water we drink is of utmost importance. The average adult body is 55 to 75 percent water. Because our bodies are mostly water, water figures heavily in how our bodies function. Aside from helping digestion and absorption of food, water regulates body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, removes toxins and other wastes and flushes the kidneys and liver. Water also cushions joints and protects tissues and organs, including the spinal cord, from shock and damage.
Conversely, lack of water (dehydration) can be the cause of many ailments. Never replace drinking water with caffeinated beverages. Caffeine is a diuretic and should be avoided. Drinking caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, or these new energy drinks can aid in dehydration.
Water also plays a major part in weight loss. Drinking plenty of water can actually increase metabolism up to 30%. Cold water enhances fat burning more so than warm water because the body tends to absorb cold water faster. Water also serves as an appetite suppressant and helps to reduce water retention by stimulating the kidneys.
Without a doubt, drinking plenty of water enhances our health and plays a major role in reducing the risk of certain diseases.
Is Our Drinking Water In Trouble?
Today water pollution runs rampant in many of our rivers, lakes and streams. Industrial waste, agricultural runoff, chemical spills, storm sewers, and other sources of pollutants all contribute to this problem.
Water pollution does not stop there. This problem also affects our drinking water resources, contaminating aquifers, wells, and reservoirs. Various toxic chemicals found in herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics and other drugs, including illicit drugs, are being found in drinking water all over the
For example, one of these chemicals is MTBE (Methyl Tert Butyl Ether), a fuel additive used widely in gasoline to improve performance of automobile engines, is being found all over the U.S. today. The extent of health hazards associated with this toxic chemical is still under study, but it has been found to be a carcinogen. Known health effects of this contaminant are – Lymphoma, leukemia, testicular tumors, thyroid tumors, and kidney tumors.
When gasoline or any other product containing MTBE is spilled or otherwise introduced to the environment, MTBE evaporates almost immediately. MTBE is picked up by the moisture in the atmosphere and returns to the earth’s surface in rain or snow. Clouds can carry this contaminant to any location, anywhere. MTBE has been found in remote locations such as mountain streams.
Much needs to be done to curb our drinking water contaminantion problem. Taking care to not overuse fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals would be a great start. Avoiding spills of gasoline, oil, antifreeze, cleaning agents, and other toxic products used at home would also help.
We can do more. Writing our congressmen, senators, and other government officials demanding strict water pollution laws governing cities, industry, and agriculture will bring more attention to this issue and hopefully some positive action. NOTE- Many laws that are currently on the books are NOT ENFORCED.
Our municipal suppliers of “city” water do all they can to provide the best quality water possible. No doubt, this is a big job treating and filtering such a huge volume of water on a daily basis. Many of our water plants are outdated and stressed to the max while producing our drinking water on a shoe-string budget using archaic filtration methods.
The federal and state governments need to allocate the funding necessary to replace and/or upgrade out-dated water plants.
It is not the fault of the municipal supplier that the drinking water contaminant regulations are too lax---
The United States Environmental Protection Agency sets the standards and requirements municipal water plants must follow for the water to be considered “safe” to drink. Since 1986, the USEPA has established only 114 drinking water standards for contaminants. That is just a drop in the lake as compared to the 82,000 contaminants found in our environment today. Keep in mind many times standards (maximum contaminant limits) are set too high, often higher than health based limits, putting the health of the general public at risk.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently published a report online titled “A National Assessment of Tap Water Quality” which can be viewed at www.ewg.org/tapwater/findings.php . This report is based on a 2 ½ year study of tap water done by the EWG. Anyone who drinks water should read this report.
EWG found that water suppliers across the
The Environmental Working Group also found over 90% compliance with enforceable health standards on the part of the water suppliers, showing a clear commitment to comply with safety standards once they are developed. The real problem is with the EPA dragging their feet on setting proper enforceable health standards in regards to these contaminants found in tap water.
Of the 260 contaminants detected in tap water from 42 different states, the EPA has set enforceable health limits or “Maximum Contaminant Levels” for only 114 contaminants, and for 5 others the EPA has set “secondary standards” – non enforceable goals.
The 141 remaining toxic chemicals without health-based limits continue to contaminate drinking water served to more than 195 million people in 22,614 communities in 42 states. Understand these figures are based upon the 260 contaminants detected – because they were tested for. This is not to mention all the other additional contaminants that may have been found in the water had they also been tested for.
Note: Many toxic chemicals and other contaminants found in drinking water today can cause serious illness. Cancer, birth defects, miscarriage and other reproductive problems, nervous system disorders, kidney and/or liver damage are just a few possible health effects of contaminants found in drinking water.
Not all drinking water comes from municipal suppliers, many of us use private wells or springs as our source of water. All sources of drinking water should be tested periodically for contamination. Wells and springs can also become contaminated. Only a state certified testing laboratory should be used to perform such testing. Detailed testing such as this can be expensive to the tune of $250.00 to $300.00 per test. Better safe than sorry.
All water meant for drinking should be chlorinated or “purified” in some manor to kill bacteria and then properly filtered – no matter what the source. This is especially true for well water, no matter if it is from a shallow well or deep well. Keep in mind, all well water is derived from surface water, therefore has had the opportunity to be subjected to contamination at some point.
I would like to share with you my own water situation regarding my well here in St Johns County Florida. I live in a rural area with a neighboring 2000 acre potato farm, a golf course/subdivision, gas station, and the polluted
The potato farm, golf course, and homeowners in the subdivision use herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and who knows what other chemicals which may be spilled upon the ground.
The local gas station- gasoline, oil, antifreeze and other chemical spills.
The
Industrial pollutants from numerous sources, such as the local paper mill, which dumps spent chemicals into the river. This is not to mention what is dumped into the local sinkholes, common place here in
Many people turn to bottled water, thinking it is the safer alternative. This is not necessarily true. Twenty five percent of bottled water in the
There has been numerous studies on bottled water. One such study by the Natural Resources Defense Council comes to mind. The NRDC found 40% of bottled water to be of very good quality. Obviously properly filtered. The remainder of the waters tested were found to harbor contaminants to some degree. Four percent actually contained bacteria associated with human waste.
Most bottled water is filtered, regardless of the source, then placed in a plastic bottle. Plastic may not be a good choice. Plastic, under extreme heat or cold, such as when stored in a warehouse or in the trailer of a semi or railcar during transit, can release undesirable contaminants into the water. Long shelf life can also affect the water.
Bottled water now takes up entire isles in major grocery stores across
If you are using bottled water, use only the highest quality. Read the fine print, know the source. Avoid using the “bargain” water from machines. The filters in these machines may or may not be changed at the proper intervals. Be sure the water you drink is properly filtered.
Water can also become contaminated in the home itself. Old metal plumbing can be a source of contamination. Heavy metals such as copper, iron, and lead leach into water as it proceeds through the plumbing in the home. Helpful Tip – When you start your day, run your water before using it for drinking. This will freshen up the water contained in your home plumbing.
Most homeowners use some type of water filtration device. Point of use water filters provide healthier, better tasting drinking water with contaminants reduced to acceptable levels. NOTE – Not all water filters perform the same. No water filter removes all contamination, but a few high quality units do reduce numerous contaminants to a high degree.
There are thousands of home water purification filters on the market today. The main feature to look for when choosing a water filter is performance. Compare and choose a system that is convenient, reduces a wide range of contaminants, has a long filter lifespan and offers replacement filters at a reasonable cost. Go for a high quality system, you’ll save money in the long run. Cheap water filters have a short life span, which will keep you purchasing replacement filters continuously and they do little for improving your water. Usually the cheaper water filters only reduce chlorine and may improve the appearance of the water. What your real goal is – is to reduce overall contamination so you need a system capable of reducing a wide range of contaminants to a high degree.
Always look for the NSF Certification when choosing a water filter. Any reputable manufacturer will subject their product to rigorous NSF testing and be proud to advertise that fact. A note of caution – The packaging should state the filter is NSF Certified to reduce contaminants of aesthetic and health concern under Standards 42 and 53. Reverse Osmosis systems should be tested and certified under standards 42, 53, and 58. Avoid any water filtration device that claims to be “tested to NSF Standards” as this does not necessarily indicate NSF Certification.
The NSF website - www.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU/ offers the results of the testing for NSF Certified water filters which can be used to compare performance of certified water filters.
It is our responsibility to our children, grandchildren, and future generations to leave them with a healthy environment. The time is now! Let’s get together on this issue, call your congressman, senators and other officials, and demand our government officials do their job by instituting and enforcing new, stricter laws regarding this issue of water pollution and protection of our drinking water resources.
Clean, Healthy Water Is The Healthiest Drink Of All!
Without a doubt, water is the most vital nutrient of all. The human body is 55 to 75 percent water. That's 2/3rds of our body weight.
Water improves many bodily functions - aiding digestion, absorption of the foods we eat, regulates body temperature, carries oxygen and nutrients to our cells and removes wastes and toxins from our body.
Lack of water (dehydration) can cause numerous ailments and diseases and cause the body to retain water. 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated. A 2 percent drop in body water can cause problems with short term memory, problems doing simple math and difficulty focusing on a written page or computer screen. Drinking the proper amount of water can help reverse all these problems. Just 8 to 10 glasses a day!
Water protects our tissues, improves the skin, helps cushion the joints, and helps reduce back pain by hydrating the disks in our spine. Research indicates drinking just 8 to 10 glasses of water per day can significantly ease back and joint pain in 80 percent of people.
Water also aids in weight loss. Lack of water or dehydration causes water retention -drinking the recommended amount of water reduces water retention which stimulates the kidneys which in itself reduces body weight.
Water doesn't contain any calories either and serves as an appetite suppressant. Water also helps to metabolize stored body fat and helps to "flush" the fat from our system.
Studies indicate drinking just one glass of water for every 25 lbs over our recommended weight can aid significantly to weight loss.
Stay healthy by drinking the real health drink - pure, clean, healthy water!
Kick The Bottled Water Addiction
Why Multi-Pure? - Save Money on Bottled Water and Reduce Pollution at the same time.
It's estimated that 30 billion single servings of bottled water is gulped down each year in the United States. In 2006, Americans spent 11 Billion Dollars on Bottled Water. That's $21,000 a minute - $100 Billion, worldwide. According to the Beverage Marketing Corp., In 2006, each American drank 28.3 gallons of bottled water.
Consumers pay a lot of money for bottled water - averaging $2.84 per gallon for a product they can get from their kitchen faucet - almost for free.
Please note: many bottled waters are nothing but tap water. The average cost of 750 gallons of bottled water can be more than $2,000.00 dollars. That's more than $10,000 over a 5 year period on water that most of which is nothing but reprocessed tap water.
Bottled Water use has grown 9 to 10% a year for the past 7 years, 2nd only to soda. In the U.S., China and India, botted water use has doubled in the past 8 years.
Bottled Water is harming the environment in a big way by filling our landfills with plastic bottles that take 1000 years to break down. It is estimated that more than 30 billion plastic water bottles end up in the landfills each year, taking 1,000 years to biodegrade and leaking toxic additives into the groundwater.
A big environmental problem, according to Jennifer Gitlitz, research director for Container Recycling Institute, is that people don't recycle their plastic bottles.
Only about 14 percent of single-serving plastic water bottles are recycled; therefore, about 86 percent of the water bottles sold are wasted - landfilled, incinerated, or littered. 40% of the PET bottles recycled in the United States in 2004 were exported - as far away as China - adding to the resources used.
According to Jennifer Mueller, a spokesperson for Food and Water Watch, an estimated 47 million gallons of petroleum - 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to produce plastic water bottles in the United States each year. That's enough to fuel 100,000 cars for one year with this much oil.
Bottled Water has to be either pumped out of the ground, or treated by Commercial RO - Commercial Filtration - Ozonation or UV Disinfection. In addition, the entire process of bottling, packing, and shipping billions of bottles of water creates massive pollution due to using huge amounts of petroleum in the process.
Did you know? - Bottled water is regulated by the FDA and not the EPA. FDA guidelines allow a small amount of fecal matter in bottled water, EPA allows no fecal matter in tap water.
Bottled water that is bottled and sold within the same state is not regulated by the FDA.
As with tap water, many bottled waters have been found to contain chemical contaminants.
Water Scarcity – A Very Real Crisis Sat. Oct 20, 2007
I have read a number of articles stating water scarcity is looming. I am here to tell you it no longer is a looming crisis. It is here now. Many areas in the United States are suffering from lack of water and have been for a number of years. Today, we are realizing a serious lack of drinking water in many areas of the country.
Here in the Southeastern part of the U.S. water supplies are dwindling. Southeast Florida is a prime example. Most of the drinking water comes from Lake Okeechobee, which is at it’s lowest level ever. I have heard of many ideas concerning a solution to the problem, such as pumping reclaimed water and/or treated sewage water back into the lake. Not a very tasteful concept to say the least.
Another idea is to desalinate seawater from the Atlantic Ocean. Desalination is extremely expensive and supplying such a huge population would be almost impossible. Piping water from the northern part of the state to the south may be a viable solution except for one thing. The Florida Aquifer is under extreme demand as it is so that is not such a great idea either.
No doubt, the best solution would be for Mother Nature to rain buckets and buckets of water upon us. Hopefully she will be gracious and accommodate us with adequate rainfall.
Lately, we have had a reasonable amount of rainfall here in Northeast Florida, but considering we were as much as 30 inches shy of rainfall in the last couple years, it does not by any means catch us up.
This recent rainfall activity actually does little if anything for our drinking water supply. Most of the drinking king water, in fact, most of the water used in Northeast Florida comes from the Florida Aquifer.
The aquifer does not accept water readily from all areas. The aquifer actually receives its water from a very wide range, approximately 100,000 square miles encompassing Southeastern Georgia, Southern South Carolina, Southern Alabama and all of the state of Florida.
The Florida Aquifer only accepts water from areas geologically made up of carbonate rocks (limestone and dolomite) which are permeable and allow water to enter the system. Meaning, in order for the aquifer to recharge, these specific areas must receive adequate rainfall.
In South Florida, south of Lake Okeechobee, the aquifer is saline – contains salt water. In some places the water is withdrawn to be used as cooling water for industry or power plants and some is desalinated for drinking. The Florida Keys, for instance, has no other source of drinking water.
The thought of this disturbs me, but in some places, such as along the southeastern coastline where the aquifer is saline, treated sewage and industrial waste is injected into the aquifer system. Near Orlando, Florida drainage wells are used to divert surface runoff into the aquifer.
The fact that the Southeastern U.S. has been suffering from drought, massive population growth in North Florida, heavy water demand by large sod farms and golf courses – all this is really putting a strain on the aquifer.
But, we here in North Florida are not alone. Many areas of the Western U.S. have been dealing with lack of water for many years. Large cities in California, for instance, have been dealing with a water shortage for years.
Recently it was announced on national news that Atlanta is quickly running out of water. Lake Lanier, a 38,000 acre north Georgia reservoir that supplies drinking water to more than 3 million residents, is less than three months from depletion. The affected area is considered by the National Weather Service to be the worst category as an “exceptional drought”.
Changing federal environmental regulations governing the rate of water flowing through the dam thereby reducing the amount of water flowing out of the lake, they may be able to last up to 9 months without any rainfall.
The federal regulations are in place to protect certain species of fish and animals and to maintain necessary water levels and availability downstream. Reducing the outflow would not only affect downstream areas within the state of Georgia, but also Florida and Alabama which could create more problems for those states as well.
Shirley Franklin, Atlanta’s Mayor said “We need to look beyond our borders”. Apparently she is exploring the concept of piping in water from other sources such as the Tennessee and Savannah Rivers or possibly desalinating sea water from Georgia’s coastline.
Georgia’s former Governor, Roy Barnes said he planned to build three new state reservoirs in north and west Georgia to help insulate the state from a future water crisis. But those plans died when he left office.
Because the situation is so dire, rationing is not out of the question. Officials are recommending residents take shorter showers, fix any leaks and reduce water
usage as much as possible.
Here are some numbers concerning the rainfall deficit in a few southeastern cities since Jan 1 2007 :
Birmingham, Al. -19.68
Columbia, S.C. -17.10
Atlanta, Ga. -16.62
Nashville, Tenn. -16.55
Tallahassee, Fla. -15.69
Jackson, Miss. -15.67
Raleigh, N.C. -9.39
Hopefully, rain will come in a big way soon, but even if it does, it may just be a temporary fix to the big problem. The real solution for the long term would be to build more dams, creating more reservoirs to store more water for times like these.
Healthy Water - Tougher Regulations Are Needed
We take it for granted. Most of us don't give it a second thought, but our very lives depend upon it. Two Thirds of the earth is covered by water- lakes, rivers, streams, and vast oceans. Let's not forget the frozen kind, the deep snow atop mountains, polar ice caps, and huge glacers of ice. And yet, of all this water, only a small amount of all this water is considered fresh water. Approximately 2.5 % is considered fresh water and only a fraction of that is actually available as drinkable water. Approx 1% of the fresh water is held in the atmosphere. That leaves the vast majority, approx 97% as saline, ocean water - undrinkable....
Much is being done today to protect our drinking water. Many organizations, such as the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Working Group, and many others are going to great lengths to protect our drinking water resources, putting political and legal pressure on the U.S. Government to pass new laws, enforce existing laws and toughen regulations on industries that pollute the environment. They have made great strides in protecting our water, land, forests, and air, improving the overall outlook in all facets of our environment and the environmental quality of future generations.
We should all do our part in supporting these organizations.
Today, the Green Movement is rapidly increasing in popularity. People all over the U.S. are realizing the need to Go Green and it's not only the citizens, but infact, many companies in the U.S. are Going Green, changing their methods and procedures of manufacturing products, I must applaud these companies as they are going to great expense in effort, money, and man hours to make their companies, products, manufacturing procedures and services more compatible with the environment.
Now we are seeing new vehicles hit the showroom floor with greater mileage capabilities, and electric cars are becoming a reality. Soon hydrogen cars will be on the roads, using no fossil fuels at all. Even some petroleum companies are looking for other ways to produce energy.
What does that have to do with water? A lot - for example, MTBE, just one chemical used in gasoline, is being found in water sources all over the U.S.
We are definately moving forward, Scientist are hard at it developing alternative means of energy-solar, wind, and wave energy. All things unheard of not too many years ago... When it comes to drinking water, we have a long way to go.
The Clean Water Act was put in place to "restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters." I believe, that pretty much says it all. If any further laws or changes to the existing laws are required, they should obviously be based upon the sole purpose of the Clean Water Act.
Apparently the politicians in D.C. have a problem. They have obviously forgot - they work for us and we have a right to vote!
The recent trend of the government is to lessen restrictions concerning water pollution by changing the Clean Water Act by attempting to rewrite the hard fought for laws protecting our drinking water resources. Relieving industry of restrictions regarding discharge of pollutants into headwaters of streams and rivers by allowing industry to dredge, fill, or dump waste into them without a permit. As water flows downstream, this action will allow the mining, petro-chemical industry and others the unrestricted ability to freely pollute not only the headwaters, but entire streams and/or rivers. As an end result, killing fish, wildlife, plant life and thus contaminating, possibly destroying, the entire resource - hundreds, even thousands of miles of streams and rivers all over the United States.
Many cities, I'm talking multi-millions of people across the U.S. depend upon reservoirs for their drinking water supply. What feeds reservoirs? Rivers & Streams!
This change in the legal system protecting our headwaters will directly result in contamination of drinking water resources and could very likely create a major disaster by degrading the quality of drinking water to an entire metropolitan area.
To top that off - Consider this, the U..S. Government also has not only reduced regulations, but set higher allowable limits on certain contaminants currently tested for in tap water by changing the EPA requirments on municipal water suppliers..
It is the responsibility of our current administration and congress to protect the american public from being subjected to questionable drinking water. Obviously, a few of our current lawmakers are more concerned about protecting the interests of industrial polluters instead of the health and well being of their constituents they are supposed to represent.
Municipal tapwater suppliers only monitor for a handful of contaminants. Water suppliers across the U.S. have detected 260 contaminants in water served to the public. Since 1986, the EPA has established only 114 drinking water standards for contaminants and for 5 others the EPA has set non-enforceable goals called secondary standards. There are 140 contaminants without any safety limits at all. That is only a drop in the bucket as compared to the 82,000 contaminants found in the environment today.
The Environmental Working Group issued a highly informative report -
"A National Assessment of Tap Water Quality" This is a must read for anyone who drinks tap water.
Here is a few high points of the report:
The 141 contaminants not tested for by municipal water suppliers, which is OK by EPA Standards, having no health-based limits, contaminate water served to 195,257,000 people in 22,614 communities in 42 states. Of these 141 contaminant detected in water supplies by municipal suppliers 52 are linked to cancer, 41 to reproductive disorders, 36 to developmental toxicity, and 16 to immune system damage.
According to the records regarding testing done by the water suppliers, 23% of the 39,751 water systems did NO testing on any of the unregulated contaminants.40 of these "unregulated contaminants" were found in tap water served to at least one million people from just one system and 70 lack any health-based limits. 19 unregulated contaminants found to be above the health-based limits in water served to 10,000 people and 48 unregulated contaminants were not detected to be above health-based limits in any location.
The EPA has ignored 3 deadlines set by the Safe Drinking Water Act to set standards for unregulated contaminants. EPA scientists have detected 600 chemicals (disinfection by-products) in tap water.
EPA scientist have also found that approximately 200 million pounds of 650 industrial chemicals are discharged into our rivers and streams each year.The also have knowlege of 82 unregulated pharmaceuticals and personal care products are showing up in rivers and streams across the country that provide drinking water for millions of Americans and considers 45 percent of lakes and 39 percent of rivers and streams to be contaminated - found unsafe for drinking and/or swimming. Some of these are also considered to be unsafe for fishing..
The Environment Working Group, after reviewing tap water testing in 42 states, has concluded that between 1998 and 2003, water suppliers collectively identified in treated tap water 83 agricultural pollutants, including pesticides and chemicals from fertilizer- and manure-laden runoff; 59 contaminants linked to sprawl and urban areas, from polluted runoff and wastewater treatment plants; 166 industrial chemicals from factory waste and consumer products; and 44 pollutants that are by-products of the water treatment process or that leach from pipes and storage tanks.
The EWG also found from the reports based upon tap water studies that tap water served to 201,955,000 people in 41 states has been found to contain: 83 agricultural pollutants including pesticides and fertilizer ingredients and 54 of the agricultural chemicals detected in tap water are are unregulated, without a legal, health-based limit in tap water.
These reports also show that water contaminated with 166 industrial pollutants, including plasticizers, solvents, and propellants, are served to 210,528,000 people in 42 states. 94 of these industrial chemicals detected in tap water are are unregulated, without a legal, health-based limit in tap water. And - water contaminated with 59 pollutants linked to sprawl and urban areas, including plasticizers, solvents, and propellants, are served to 202,697,000 people in 42 states. 53% of those people were served water with one or more of these contaminants present at levels above nonenforceable, health-based limits. 41 of the urban and sprawl chemicals detected in tap water are are unregulated and have no health based limits.
As I said earlier, this is just a small portion of the findings by the Environment Working Group, this is real time information, and anyone who drinks water from any source really needs to read this report in it's entirety.
The problem is worsening, not getting better - Making water safe enough to drink is getting tougher. More people, more development and new diseases are affecting the quality and safety of drinking water everyday..
This is a huge problem of astronomical proportions, bigger than air pollution, the aids epidemic, or global warming. This issue needs media attention, there needs to be more public awareness, the public deserves to be informed of the problem and pressure needs to be put on Washington to do something about it.
Back in 2003, in Milwaukee, the largest city in the state of Wisconsin, Cryptosporidium, a parasite commonly found in cattle, sickened more than 400,000 people and killed over 100. This is just one example of what is occuring around the country.
Having access to clean, healthy water is a human right. With the technology we have today there is no good reason as to why the American public should be subjected to this. Obviously many of our government officials could care less about the health & safety of the people who put them in office. No doubt, we need some new faces in Washington D. C....
We need stronger regulations and we need them enforced - Now.
Preserve Our Drinking Water -
Join The Sierra Club And The Natural Resources Defense Council
The Sierra Club And Natural Resources Defense Council fight to safeguard drinking water and to protect, preserve and restore our rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and coastal waters.
The NRDC recently conducted bottled water studies, drinking water quality tests in 19 U.S. cities, and surveys of water-quality monitoring and public notification programs at U.S. beaches.
Thank You for taking the time to read my articles….
Patti Wilson
St Augustine Florida
Multi-Pure Independent Distributor # 414220
