It’s ironic that the biggest factor in the exponential growth of the bottled water industry was consumer concerns over the rising levels of contamination and the overall safety of tap water.
Millions upon millions of Americans switched from tap to bottled water as a healthier, safer and better tasting water option only to find out years later that most bottled water was nothing more than tap water in a bottle. In fact, bottled water is far less regulated than tap water and both the water and the bottle it comes in pose significantly higher risks to our health and the health of our environment than tap water.
As a Southland resident, it’s in the best interests of our environment, your health and your pocketbook to avoid drinking or using bottled
water altogether.
You would think that the safety and quality of our tap water would have dramatically improved while we were all jumping on the Bottled Water Bandwagon, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The current state of the tap water that flows out of our faucets for everyday drinking, bathing and cooking etc…falls well short of even our lowest expectations.
Are these contaminants in your tap water?
At best, the treated tap water flowing through our pipes and out of our faucets contains lead, chlorine, fluoride, arsenic, unhealthy sediment and any number of toxic man-made chemicals, pharmaceutical contaminants and industrial waste products etc…
Even the chemicals that water treatment facilities add to our water to kill viruses and bacteria, such as chlorine and fluoride, can contribute to rising cancer rates. Numerous and well documented studies on chlorine and fluoride have determined that long term use of these chemicals can cause cancer.
As if that weren’t scary enough, there’s the possibility that our tap water contains cancer causing hormones, pesticides, radioactive particles and Trihalomethanes, but we don’t know for sure because the federal government doesn’t require water treatment facilities to test for these known contaminants.
Private studies and special interests groups have found all of the contaminants listed above and many more in our city’s tap water supply, but the levels of contamination were within the “acceptable risk level” as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency.
All Water Suffers from Some Type of Contamination
No water source is free of contamination! Clear mountain streams, carbon rock filtered underground springs and pristine crystal lakes contain significant amounts of animal waste and naturally occurringrock and mineral contamination. One common naturally occurring water contaminant is Radon, a radioactive material present in certain types of rocks and soil that seeps into ground water.
Our tap water supply is drawn from populated, industrialized and agricultural areas and any hazardous household or industrial waste product improperly disposed of can and most likely will contaminate our water supply. It’s hard to fathom, but agricultural areas are just as hazardous, if not worse, than industrial areas.
The residual hormones, steroids and antibiotics used by the livestock industry combined with the pesticides and toxic fertilizers used by agriculture find their way into our tap water via polluted lakes, streams and rivers.
To ensure our tap water is safe to drink, the federal government passed the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) governs the Safe Drinking Water Act and they alone determine the criteria for whether our tap water is safe or not. They decide which elements should be considered contaminants are removed from our water and they define the federal guidelines for just how contaminated our tap water can be and still be considered acceptable for human consumption.
Take Matters Into Your Own Hands & Take Back Your Tap!
Our drinking and tap water is not completely safe, healthy or clean and the number of health related hazardous contaminants found in our tap water contamination continues to rise, yet it’s still deemed “fit to drink” by our nations city, state and federal officials.
You, like so many Southland residents desire your tap water to be safe, healthy and clean for you and your entire family. The only way to guarantee the quality and safety of your home’s drinking, showering and cooking water supply is by taking control of the water coming into your home.
Water is essential for you and your family’s health and there are safe, healthy, eco-friendly and affordable alternatives to “straight out of the tap” water. Part Three, “Healthy, Eco-friendly & Affordable Alternatives” discusses those healthy alternatives and it will be posted on our site within the next few days. Check back soon to read the last in our three part series or and you can read the entire series by visiting us at www.fordsplumbingandheating.com/blog/
