According to a Scholastic News article found here, the Mayor of San Francisco has banned the use of government money to buy bottled water. This is the first of possibly many huge blows to the bottled water industry as a whole. It just takes a few to get the ball rolling, and others will step into place. Standards like this are a huge help to the environment and savings of energy. While the only option may be less-than-great-tasting tap water, at least filtering your water with water filters and other filtered water bottles makes this option a great one.
Archive for July, 2007
San Francisco says ‘NO’ to bottled water
Monday, July 9th, 2007Don’t Drink That UnFiltered Water!
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007If you think the water you are drinking is safe — think again!
According to one environmental study group, U.S. Drinking water contains more than 2,100 toxic chemicals that can cause cancer, yet the EPA has established enforceable safety standards for only 87. Many of these chemicals are potentially harmful and can cause you and your family serious health problems. According to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, nearly one million people get sick from drinking contaminated water each year with about 1,000 cases tragically ending in death.
Like most people, you probably get your tap water from a government agency or municipality. But the fact is that many municipal water systems simply weren’t built to handle these modern-day contaminants.
These agencies also don’t want to invest in costly technology to keep your water clean and pure! If your water comes from underground wells and aquifers, remember that a host of pollutants such as pesticides, herbicides, toxic waste from landfills, chemical and oil spills, acid rain and more find their way into your water supply. If your water comes from reservoirs – it’s often loaded with ground run-off contaminants such as pesticides and even acid rain.
And to control the growth of bacteria and fungus in most water, government water systems put chlorine or chloramines into your water.
These chemicals kill bacteria – but remember chlorine is a toxic substance. Chlorine has not only a disagreeable odor, but in larger doses can be extremely harmful! Not content to use only chlorine, some municipal water systems add fluoride – another toxic chemical. Fluoride is a known neurotoxin that can damage your brain. It’s also been linked to cancer.
After such “treatment” with chlorine and fluoride – municipal water then heads to your home. When it does, it may pass through unsafe water lines that re-contaminate the water before you use it.
Someday if you ask your plumber to examine your water pipes – you’ll be shocked to discover the insides of some of these pipes caked with mineral, biological and chemical deposits. In some cases the pipes themselves may leach copper and lead!
Another threat lurking inside older water pipes is bio-film, composed of layers of bacteria that can harbor pathogens like E. coli. The truth is that drinking a little bit of contaminated water probably won’t immediately hurt you – and your body won’t show any noticeable reaction.
But that’s where the real danger comes: you don’t know that your home tap water is slowly poisoning you.
Consider that over the course of your life, you will drink approximately 13,000 gallons of water. If that water is indeed contaminated – the cumulative affect on your health will be extremely dangerous.
That’s why it’s so important you make doubly sure the water you drink is has been filtered – the safest and cheapest way to get pure water. At home, make sure you are using a water filter on your sink or fridge. While you are out and about, don’t drink from that hose or water fountain! Make sure you have your portable water filter or other bottle filter with you all the time!