Water Pollution Info & Filtration Resources
Water Pollution Causes, Effects and Solutions
Protect Your Home Environment From Water Pollution
What Is Water Pollution
Our world is full of organisms and chemicals that pollute our water supply. Some pollutants seep into the water naturally, but most water pollution is caused by ignorance, negligence or corporate greed.
You cannot see, smell, or taste most contaminants, but if they exist in your water, the potential danger to your health is staggering. To read a few of the problems people suffer as a result of contaminated water, read Frequently Asked Questions about Water Contaminants.
There is a long list of Water pollutants, but this section addresses only the main ones that cause serious health problems and that can be removed through water filtration.
Chlorine
Chlorine is a natural element, a yellow-green gas at room temperature. It is heavier than air, but under the correct pressure and temperature, it can be converted into liquid. Chlorine is found in the earth and can also be found in the sea. It is essential to the life of animals and plants.
Chlorine is widely used as a bleaching agent in the manufacturing process of paper and cloth. When released into the air, it reacts with water to make hydrochloric acid. When this acid breaks down, the products that are left can lower the pH of water.
Chlorine itself is not harmful, but its byproducts increase the risk of cancer. Trihalomethanes are the most prevalent by-product, and they can be absorbed into the body through the skin or by inhalation. When THM is absorbed through the skin or into the lungs, they hold stronger carcinogenic properties because they aren't detoxified through the liver.
Water Pollution Solution: Chlorine is added in varying amounts to all municipal water supplies in the US, but is easily removed through carbon water filtration.
Chlorine Removing Products:
Chloramines
Chloramine is a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, which is added to the water of many cities as a substitute for free chlorine. It is often referred to in the plural, as “chloramines,” because it can take on a number of forms according to the pH and mineral content of the water. The three species of chloramine constantly and rapidly shift from one form to another. The species that predominates is dependent on pH, temperature, turbulence and the chlorine to ammonia ratio. Chloramines are all respiratory irritants with trichloramine being the most toxic. For more information, see our Chloramine section.
Water Pollution Solution: Chloramine is added in varying amounts to some municipal water supplies in the US, but can be removed through KDF85 and eolith water filtration medias.
Chloramine Articles and Studies
Chloramines Removing Products:
Fluoride, Fluorine and Fluorosilic Acid
Fluoride is a severe biological poison . Being intensely negative, it unlatches positive hydrogen bonds in enzymes and proteins.
"Warning. Keep out of reach of children under 6 years of age. If more than [sic] used for brushing is accidentally swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away."
The warning on toothpaste tubes is due to lawsuits in which children were poisoned by fluoride-containing toothpaste. For instance, Keith Cantor, a little boy who lived in McMinnville, Oregon died in the dentist’s chair from ingesting ½ teaspoon of fluoride, and 3 kidney dialysis patients were killed in 1998 at the University of Chicago Medical School, when nurses used unpurified Chicago tap water for dialysis (ref 11).
To add to the problem, most states add at least 1 ppm of sodium fluoride or fluorosilic acid (radioactive toxic waste that contains fluoride) to the water supply, even though it has been proven that at least 113 medical side effects from cancer to headaches are caused by fluoride in the water.
Water Pollution Solution: Fluoride, which is added to water in many states, requires a special filter. An Activated Alumina filter is the most commonly used Fluoride filtration method.
Fluoride, Fluorine and Fluorosilic Acid Articles and Studies
Fluoride Removing Products:
- CuZn Water Filters
- Aquasana Countertop and Under-Counter Water Filters (removes 40 to 60%)
Pharmaceutical Drugs
As recently reported in the news, analysis of tap water supplies in major metropolitan areas conducted by the Associated Press has revealed that the water supply in 24 major U.S. cities -- serving over 40 million people -- are contaminated with trace amounts of pharmaceuticals including antibiotics, anti-seizure medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, psychotropic drugs, pain medications and even caffeine. The upshot of the report is that tens of millions of Americans are unwittingly being subjected to a bizarre medical experiment with unpredictable results. No scientist can say for certain whether long-term exposure to micro doses of multiple pharmaceuticals is safe because such an experiment has never before been conducted on any population.
According to the Water Quality Association, home water filtration systems provide the highest technology available for treatment of drinking water. While water utilities are required to meet safety standards set by the U.S. EPA, home filtering systems act as a final contaminant barrier and can further purify water for drinking.
Pharmaceutical Removing Products:
Cysts: Cryptosporidium and Giardia
A Cyst is a closed pocket or pouch of tissue; a cyst can be filled with air, fluid, pus, or other material. Common water-borne microbiological cysts are Cryptosporidium or Giardia cysts.
Cryptosporidium is a parasite that enters lakes and rivers through sewage and animal waste. It causes cryptosporidiosis, a mild gastrointestinal disease. However, the disease can be severe or fatal for people with severely weakened immune systems.
Giardia lamblia is a parasite that enters lakes and rivers through sewage and animal waste. It causes gastrointestinal illness (e.g. diarrhea, vomiting, cramps). Giardia outbreaks can occur in communities where water supplies become contaminated with raw sewage. It can be contracted by drinking water from lakes or streams where water-dwelling animals such as beavers and muskrats, or where domestic animals such as sheep, have caused contamination.
Water Pollution Solution: Three excellent methods for removing cysts from drinking water is to super chlorinate the water, boil the water for one minute or use a one micron water filter.
Cyst Removing Products:
Nitrates in Well Water or Springs
Drinking water high in nitrate is potentially harmful to human and animal health. Nitrate (NO3) is a naturally occurring form of nitrogen (N) which is very mobile in water. It is essential for plant growth and is often added to soil to improve productivity. Water moving down through soil after rainfall or irrigation carries dissolved nitrate with it to ground water. In this way, nitrate enters the water supplies of many homeowners who use wells or springs.
Water Pollution Solution: Nitrates require a special filter. Cation Resin filters are commonly used to remove Nitrates.
Nitrate Removing Products:
Causes Of Water Pollution
There are many causes of water pollution. But no matter the causes of water pollution, the effects to our health and environment are disastrous.
How To Prevent Water Pollution
Preventing water pollution is a global political, industrial and socioeconomic problem not easily solved. But the most effective and long-term solutions start with the individual. So the question becomes, "What can you do in your own environment to prevent water pollution?"
Filtering your water is the best defense. All states in the US add chlorine to municipal water supplies, and carbon filters remove chlorine. Cysts can usually be removed with a one micron carbon filter. Fluoride, which is added to water in most states, requires a special filter, as do Nitrates.
Water Pollution Articles
The better educated you are about water pollution causes, effects and solutions, the better you can prevent you and your loved ones from getting sick from drinking and bathing in polluted water. Here are a few articles about water pollution:
- Chlorine and Chloramine Articles and Studies
- Fluoride, Fluorine and Fluorosilic Acid Articles and Studies
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