WhAt’s in the water?
Water...an inorganic, almost colourless, transparent, odourless liquid that forms seas, lakes, rivers and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms. Made up of billions of molecules, each containing one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, held together by strong covalent bonds. It is absolutely vital to human life.
The adult human body is composed of up to 60% water. Water is involved in multiple complex and crucial human physiological functions, such as delivering oxygen and fuel, regulating body temperature, supporting cell growth, lubrication of joints and so much more. It’s a life sustaining fluid, and maintaining adequate daily hydration through drinking water is an important focus point for maintaining optimal health. Like most things in life however, it’s a little more complicated than it first seems. If you’re consuming your water straight from the tap, it contains more than just H2O.
In Australia, we are very lucky in many respects to have fresh, somewhat safe drinking water readily available to us. Municipality or town water will usually undergo a conventional process of coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection in line with the national standards on Drinking Water Guidelines, endorsed by the World Health Organisation. According to the folks at South East Queensland Water, to further remove salts and other minerals, processes such as micro filtration, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet light are also utilised in this region. Advanced water treatment practices involving ozonation and biological activated carbon filtration, are increasingly being utilised in some areas of the country now too. Sounds promising doesn’t it? Well, maybe.
Depending on where your water comes from, it can contain variable levels of contaminants such as bacteria, cryptosporidium and giardia. Chlorination and chloramination water treatment disinfection programs, part of the above mentioned conventional processes, seek to address this issue but in doing so may leave a long list of chemical by-products behind. Ubiquitous chemicals like Glyphosphate (and many more) might likely be present in your water supply and fluoride may be added as part of a public health initiative against tooth decay. It’s also possible that your water contains things like silt and rust particles. The quality of the pipes delivering your water is relevant and you should consider that further impurities will be added along the long journey from reservoir to your tap, such as lead, copper and animal products.
If you feel called to examine this further for yourself, you could start by researching your own city or town’s water supply and purification systems so you can develop some understanding of what it is that you are drinking. If your water supply comes from alternative sources such as from rain water tanks, bores or local creeks etc, you may want to consider independent testing.
So why does all of this matter? Well, that has long been up for debate. Whilst many experts in the field vehemently support the quality of our drinking water in this country, there is a growing body of evidence to suggest that taking steps to purify your drinking water at point of entry, is an advisable pursuit if you are interested in protecting your health from the extensive list of pathogens, metals and chemicals potentially present in your water once it reaches the tap in your home, workplace or your children’s school. And then of course, there is the important consideration of your belief in water fluoridation.
Should you choose to purify your water there are many options available for your consideration. My personal advice is to ditch the bottled water. The industry is largely unregulated so you really don’t know what you are getting and it's dreadful for the environment. The better option is to filter your own water at home and carry it with you when possible, in glass or stainless steel bottles. The first important step when optioning a filtration system for your home is to decide on what it is you wish to filter. Beyond basic filtration of dirt, bacteria and chlorine, you may wish to invest in a system that reduces fluoride, arsenic, lead and copper or MTBE - (fuel additive found in groundwater). There are many different set-ups and price points available from whole house integrated water purification systems, to tap purifiers or bench top gravity fed systems. You may also wish to consider other uses for water throughout your life. In addition to drinking it, we bathe, cook and clean with water. We swim in it and water our plants with it.
If you’re interested in learning more about your water supply, how it relates to your health and potential steps you can take to mitigate any risks you feel apply to your personal situation, I suggest you begin your own online reading and podcast listening. It’s a big topic but a worthwhile time investment.
Some interesting links to assist you along your research journey:
NSF international - testing, inspection and certification www.nsf.org
Fluoride action Network www.fluoridealert.org
*I’m a passionate life long student and my blog posts intend to share information only. If something peaks your interest, I encourage you to do your own research, and seek further advice and support through your health and wellness providers. If you’d like to consult with me, please get in touch.*