The Dangers in Your Tap Water / Choosing A Water Filter

Inorganic Contaminants:
Arsenic
Antimony
Asbestos
Barium
Beryllium
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Cyanide
Fluoride
Lead
lead removal
Mercury
Nitrate/Nitrite
Selenium
Thallium

Microbes/
bacteria

E Coli Bacteria
Cryptosporidium

Radioactive
Radon

Others
MTBE

Volatile Organic Contaminants
(VOCS)

Benzene
Carbon Tetrachloride
Chlorobenzene
o-Dichlorobenzene**
p-Dichlorobenzene
1,1-Dichloroethylene
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
trans-1,2-Dicholoroethylene
Dichloromethane
1,2-Dichloroethane
1,2-Dichloropropane
Ethylbenzene
Styrene
Tetrachloroethylene
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
1,1,1,-Trichloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Trichloroethylene
Toluene
Vinyl Chloride
Xylenes

Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. U.S. EPA sets standards for approximately 90 contaminants in drinking water. Contaminants are categorized as below.
Microbes

Coliform bacteria

Are common in the environment and are generally not harmful. However, the presence of these bacteria in drinking water is usually a result of a problem with the treatment system or the pipes which distribute water, and indicates that the water may be contaminated with germs that can cause disease.

Fecal Coliform and E coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms.

Turbidity has no health effects. However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.

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. EPA and CDC have prepared advice for those with severely compromised immune systems who are concerned about Cryptosporidium.

Giardia lamblia is a parasite that enters lakes and rivers through sewage and animal waste. It causes gastrointestinal illness (e.g. diarrhea, vomiting, cramps).

Radionuclides

Alpha emitters.

Certain minerals are radioactive and may emit a form of radiation known as alpha radiation. Some people who drink water containing alpha emitters in excess of EPA's standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Beta/photon emitters. Certain minerals are radioactive and may emit forms of radiation known as photons and beta radiation. Some people who drink water containing beta and photon emitters in excess of EPA's standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Combined Radium 226/228. Some people who drink water containing radium 226 or 228 in excess of EPA's standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Radon gas can dissolve and accumulate in underground water sources, such as wells, and in the air in your home. Breathing radon can cause lung cancer. Drinking water containing radon presents a risk of developing cancer. Radon in air is more dangerous than radon in water.

Inorganic Contaminants
Antimony
Asbestos
Barium
Beryllium
Cadmium
Chromium
Copper
Cyanide
Lead
Mercury
Nitrate/Nitrite
Selenium
Thallium

Arsenic. Some people who drink water containing arsenic in excess of EPA's standard over many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Fluoride. Many communities add fluoride to their drinking water to promote dental health. Each community makes its own decision about whether or not to add fluoride. EPA has set an enforceable drinking water standard for fluoride of 4 mg/L (some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of this level over many years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones). EPA has also set a secondary fluoride standard of 2 mg/L to protect against dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine should not drink water that has more than 2 mg/L of fluoride.

Lead typically leaches into water from plumbing in older buildings. Lead pipes and plumbing fittings have been banned since August 1998. Children and pregnant women are most susceptible to lead health risks. For advice on avoiding lead, see the how to remove lead in your drinking water fact sheet prepared by EPA.

Volatile Organic Contaminants (VOCs)
Benzene
Carbon Tetrachloride
Chlorobenzene
o-Dichlorobenzene**
p-Dichlorobenzene
1,1-Dichloroethylene
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
trans-1,2-Dicholoroethylene
Dichloromethane
1,2-Dichloroethane
1,2-Dichloropropane
Ethylbenzene
Styrene
Tetrachloroethylene
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
1,1,1,-Trichloroethane
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Trichloroethylene
Toluene
Vinyl Chloride
Xylenes

Disinfectants
Many water suppliers add a disinfectant to drinking water to kill germs such as giardia and

e coli. Especially after heavy rainstorms, your water system may add more disinfectant to guarantee that these germs are killed.

Chlorine. Some people who use drinking water containing chlorine well in excess of EPA's standard could experience irritating effects to their eyes and nose. Some people who drink water containing chlorine well in excess of EPA's standard could experience stomach discomfort.

Chloramine. Some people who use drinking water containing chloramines well in excess of EPA's standard could experience irritating effects to their eyes and nose. Some people who drink water containing chloramines well in excess of EPA's standard could experience stomach discomfort or anemia.

Chlorine Dioxide. Some infants and young children who drink water containing chlorine dioxide in excess of EPA's standard could experience nervous system effects. Similar effects may occur in fetuses of pregnant women who drink water containing chlorine dioxide in excess of EPA's standard. Some people may experience anemia.

Disinfection Byproducts
Disinfection byproducts form when disinfectants added to drinking water to kill germs react with naturally-occuring organic matter in water.

Total Trihalomethanes. Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of EPA's standard over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Haloacetic Acids. Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of EPA's standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Bromate. Some people who drink water containing bromate in excess of EPA's standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Chlorite. Some infants and young children who drink water containing chlorite in excess of EPA's standard could experience nervous system effects. Similar effects may occur in fetuses of pregnant women who drink water containing chlorite in excess of EPA's standard. Some people may experience anemia.

MTBE

MTBE is a fuel additive, commonly used in the United States to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels caused by auto emissions. Due to its widespread use, reports of MTBE detections in the nation's ground and surface water supplies are increasing. The Office of Water and other EPA offices are working with a panel of leading experts to focus on issues posed by the continued use of MTBE and other oxygenates in gasoline. EPA is currently studying the implications of setting a drinking water standard for MTBE.Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants.

"One of the reasons people choose to drink bottled water instead of tap water is because of the perceived purity of bottled water," the researchers observe, and indeed, 39 samples of bottled water were found to be purer than the tap water. However, 15 samples of bottled water had significantly higher bacteria levels than the tap water. Of these 15, the bacteria counts were more than twice as high as the most contaminated tap water sample and almost 2,000 times higher than the purest tap water sample.

Surveys show that 56% of Americans today are concerned about the quality of their tap water and the bottled water industry is cashing in on our fear at an alarming rate of $22 billion a year, worldwide.

The misconception that many bottled water companies are projecting is that their water comes from pure springs of distant mountains, but do they really?

Many experts claim that bottled water companies actually use the same type of sources that your tap water comes from and you're paying for it!

Did you know that 1.5 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water every year and that they wind up in landfills which only add to the earth's pollution?

And what about the harmful release of toxic-chemicals into the air during the making of these plastic bottles and their disposal? Your best, safest and cheapest way to ensure that you and your family are drinking safe water without adding to the world's pollution crisis is to buy a water filter and drink your water straight out of the tap.

1.5 million barrels of oil are used annually to manufacture water bottles. 100,00 cars can be fueled for one year with this much oil! 1 billion pounds of CO2 is emitted in transporting these bottles.

2 Million tons of plastic bottles are landfilled every year! Only 1/10 are recycled.

It takes 1,000 years for a bottle to biodegrade!

The FDA does not regulate water that is bottled and sold in the same state. The FDA guidelines even allow a small amount of fecal matter in bottled water. (epa allows none)

Bottled water costs between .25 - $10. per gallon or more. More than Milk, Gasoline, even Beer. This amounts to $2,000
per year for 750 gallons of water!

In 2006 Americans spent $11. Billion on bottled water. Second only to Soda.

Make Sure to Look For the NSF Seal

Household water filters generally fall into one of two categories: point-of-entry units, which treat water before it gets distributed throughout the house; and point-of-use units, which include countertop filters (e.g. filter pitchers), faucet filters, and under-the-sink units. Some filters use more than one kind of filtration technology.

As a general rule, look for filters labeled as meeting NSF/ANSI standards 42 & 53 and that are certified to remove the contaminant(s) of concern in your water. While the NSF certification program is not flawless, it does provide some assurance that at least some claims made by the manufacturer have been verified. NSF-certified filters have been independently tested to show that they can reduce levels of certain pollutants under specified conditions. Those that meet standard 53 are geared toward treating water for health, not just for aesthetic qualities.

For many people, an activated carbon filter bearing NSF Standard 53 certification will filter out most pollutants of concern.

The list below will you help you determine what type of filter will work best for you. Once you've got a general idea, visit NSF International's drinking water treatment units online product database.

Can I buy a water filter that will remove arsenic from my water? Yes, you should purchase filters only certified by NSF (800-673-6275 or nsf.org)



The Multi-Pure 800 has been tested & certified by NSF to effectively reduce Arsenic V. It is the only carbon block filter in the U.S. to be certified by NSF for Arsenic.

Multi-Pure Water Filters Are NSF Certified under standards 42 & 53. No other water filter reduces more contaminants than Multi-Pure. For more info on Multi-Pure Products, click on this link.



Multi-Pure uses a Solid Carbon Block Filter that is considered to be the most effective method for reducing a wide range of contaminants of health concern, which may be present in the water. The carbon is compacted into a dense structure, causing every molecule of water to be forced through microscopic pores of carbon, effectively reducing pollutants. The Solid Carbon Block Filter is a replaceable cartridge designed so that it can be easily changed. Some additional advantages of the Solid Carbon Block Filter are that it does not waste water, there is no electricity required, it does not remove essential trace minerals that are beneficial to good health, it does not add salt or silver to the water; and it provides fresh, delicious, healthy drinking water.

LIST OF OTHER TYPES OF WATER FILTERS:

*Activated Carbon Filter

How it works : Positively charged and highly absorbent carbon in the filter attracts and traps many impurities.

Used in : Countertop, faucet filters and under-the-sink units.

Gets rid of : Bad tastes and odors, including chlorine. Standard 53-certified filters also can substantially reduce many hazardous contaminants, including heavy metals such as copper, lead and mercury; disinfection byproducts; parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium ; pesticides; radon; and volatile organic chemicals such as methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), dichlorobenzene and trichloroethylene (TCE).

*Cation Exchange Softener

How it works : "Softens" hard water by trading minerals with a strong positive charge for one with less of a charge.

Used in : Whole-house, point-of-entry units.

Gets rid of: Calcium and magnesium, which form mineral deposits in plumbing and fixtures, as well as barium and some other ions that can create health hazards.

*Distiller

How it works : Boils water and recondenses the purified steam.

Used in : Countertop or whole house point-of-entry units; can be combined with a carbon filter.

Gets rid of : Heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and mercury, as well as arsenic, barium, fluoride, selenium and sodium.

*Reverse Osmosis

How it works: A semipermeable membrane separates impurities from water. (Note: This filtration technique wastes a substantial amount of water during the treatment process.)

Used in: Under-the-sink units; often in combination with a carbon filter or UV disinfection unit.

Gets rid of: Most contaminants, including certain parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia; heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead and mercury; and other pollutants, including arsenic, barium, nitrate/nitrite, perchlorate and selenium.

*Ultraviolet Disinfection

How it works: Ultraviolet light kills bacteria and other microorganisms.

Used in: Under-the-sink units, often in combination with a carbon filter and sediment screen.

Gets rid of : Bacteria and parasites; class A systems protect against harmful bacteria and viruses, including Cryptosporidium and Giardia , while class B systems are designed to make non-disease-causing bacteria inactive.

Maintain Your Filter Properly

No filter will give you good performance over the long term unless it receives regular maintenance. As contaminants build up, a filter can not only become less effective, but actually can make your water worse, by starting to release harmful bacteria or chemicals back into your filtered water. To keep your filter working properly, follow the manufacturer's maintenance directions. Some filters only require a cartridge change, while others are better maintained by a certified professional. Many filter distributors offer maintenance and service contracts for their products. Before buying any water treatment system, compare not only filter prices, but also operating and maintenance costs for the different units.