Research has shown high levels of forever chemicals, arsenic, and lead in water samples across the U.S. This data comes from a nine-month investigation by Consumer Reports and The Guardian.

The passage of Clean Water Act in 1972 has made access to clean water a Government priority but millions of people are without safe drinking water. Contamination, deteriorating infrastructure, and inadequate treatment of water plants are all to blame for the lack of safe water. Inadequate drinking water is more common in lower-income areas across the country.

Recommended: How to Eliminate IBS, IBD, Leaky Gut 

Consumer Reports and The Guardian looked at water from 120 people across the U.S and tested for arsenic, lead, PFAS, and other contaminants. The samples collected come from water systems that service more than 19 million people. The data collected showed that 118 of the 120 samples had PFAS, arsenic levels above Consumer Report’s recommended maximum, or detectable levels of lead.

In response to the findings, Environmental Protection Agency spokesperson Andrea Drinkard says that 93% of the population supplied by community water systems gets water that meets “all health-based standards all of the time” and that the agency has set standards for more than 90 contaminants. That includes arsenic and lead but does not include PFAS.

We sampled tap water across the US – and found arsenic, lead and toxic chemicals

The Guardian breaks down all the data collected and goes into the health concerns the findings bring up. You can read that article here.

Detroit recently made the decision to shut off public school’s drinking water because of “elevated levels” of lead and copper. In Baltimore City’s public schools, students haven’t been able to drink from water fountains for a decade. In May 2016, Portland found that 99 percent of the schools in the district had at least one cold water fixture with elevated levels of lead. For the first time in two years that students in most of Portland’s public school’s were able to safely drink from the water fountains when school started this year. Schools were recently tested in Indiana in a voluntary lead testing program. Out of 915, 61 percent were found to have elevated lead. High lead levels are still an issue in Hillsborough County, Florida and New York City schools.

Related: What’s the Best Water for Detoxifying and For Drinking?

Source:

• Not just Detroit: Lead in drinking water plagues schools nationwide – Detroit Free Press

A new study sampled twelve different beers in the Great Lakes area and found all to be contaminated with microplastics. Researchers also surveyed tap water from the same region and found microplastics in eight of the nine samples as well.

There are more reasons than ever to filter tap water for drinking and cooking. Tap water is commonly contaminated with heavy metals, chemicals, and radioactive elements. Toxic water has been found in many cities across the U.S., from the Flint crisis to many communities who may not even know hazards in their water. The utility companies are doing a lot of shady business to hide this information from the consumers for the sake of saving their pockets. Luckily, it is possible to take the situation into your own hands by filtering your water at home. With so many water filters out there, the only next step is choosing the right one. Expert information such as from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) can help you make the right decision for you.

Contaminants that Hide In Tap Water

When it comes to hazards in tap water, there are different contaminants to be aware of.

Recommended: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included

Fluoride: Fluoride is a toxic substance that has been added to public water supplies since 1945, and became a nationwide phenomenon in the 1960s when society was tricked to believe that it helps prevent cavities in teeth. While there is a very small benefit to applying fluoride straight on the teeth, it is a very health-damaging substance. Worst of all, drinking it has no benefits to teeth. (When comparing decay rates for fluoridated and non-fluoridated countries, the results are similar).

The harm, however, is significant. Fluoride is toxic in any amounts, and it is impossible to predict the dose of it a person is receiving on a daily basis when drinking unfiltered tap water. Fluoride causes arthritis-like symptoms. It is toxic to the brain, and it may increase the risk of cancer, especially bone tumors, and lung, and bladder cancers.

Another chemical that is added to tap water on purpose is chlorine. Because it is used as a cleaner, it is added to water to “purify” it. However, it is not fully safe. It can react with water and produce toxic hydrochloric acid which causes cell damage, memory problems, and can even impair balance.

Heavy Metals: Since the Flint Crisis, this type of contaminant has been the most commonly discussed. Lead and other heavy metals can leach into the water from old pipes.

Lead, the element that poisoned Flint children, is one of the worst. It is a neurotoxin and also toxic to nearly every single organ in the human body. Lead poisoning, as well as chronic low-levels of lead exposure, can lead to developmental and behavioral issues in children, as well as brain damage at high doses. It has also been linked to cancers, kidney and heart problems, and reproductive issues.

Mercury is another extremely toxic heavy metal that is not safe at any dose. It can also cause brain damage, as well a nerve damage and cognitive disability. The many symptoms it causes include headaches, fatigue, memory problems, rashes, and mood swings.

Radioactive elements: It was recently found that 170 million U.S. people access tap water that is contaminated by carcinogenic radioactive elements. These elements come from inside the Earth when mining for gas and oil. Because they create ionizing radiation, this leads to cancers, birth defects, and even dysfunctional brain development. Elements such as radium 226, radium-228, radon, uranium, tritium, and strontium-90 increase chances of cancer even at legal limits. However, all of them are found at higher than allowed levels across the U.S. The highest number of people affected are in California, Texas, and Florida, but other states are not far behind.

Other chemicals: Many other chemicals end up in our drinking water supplies from the manufacturing industry; big corporations poisoning the environment. In one case, not that far from Flint, Michigan, an auto part manufacturing left a giant toxic plume over 50 years ago. Today, the pollution in the groundwater is still growing and affecting more households by contaminating water with a known carcinogen called trichloroethylene (TCE).

Recommended: The Best Water For Detoxifying and Drinking

Other factories left behind polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); chemicals that were used in paints and electronics until their ban in 1979. Still today, they are found in tap water as far as thousands of miles away from their main source – where they lay in landfills. PCBs are also linked to cancer risk, as well as are hazardous for the immune and nervous systems.

Although arsenic can exist from natural sources, is often used artificially by the industrial companies. Long-term arsenic poisoning is linked to cancers of skin, lungs, and bladder; and severe abdominal issues.

Other chemicals that end up in water from different toxic industries are dioxins (released when burning waste), DDT (banned insecticide), HCB (banned pesticide), dacthal (herbicide still used today), and MtBE (a gasoline additive).

What About Bottled Water?

A lot of bottled water companies take the same tap water that you have access to, filter it, and re-sell it for way more of a price (hundreds of times more expensive). They often do a bad job filtering the water. If it’s not just filtered tap water, it’s coming from companies like Nestle damaging local environment and putting local populations at risk.

Related: Drinking Bottled Water Means Drinking Microplastics, According To Damning New Study

The second, much bigger issue, with bottled water, is that other chemicals may leach from the plastic into the water. This is especially true when the bottle is left in the sun during hot weather. The chemical often found in plastics is BPA – which acts like a hormone and disrupts many functions in the body. However, even buying BPA-free is not enough. Manufacturers substitute BPA with other chemicals…that also act like hormones! A study in Environmental Health Perspectives found that over 95% of products in BPA-free plastics tested positive for these chemicals when exposed to natural sunlight.

In the end, the safest thing to do is to purchase a glass bottle and fill it with water you filtered yourself at home.

A Detailed Guide to Water Filters

To bring some clarity to choosing the right water filter for you, EWG released a buying guide. To help you choose, here are the different types of filters available, which technology they use and how it works.

First, it is important to note that the most common brand available at supermarket chains, Brita, does not filter out fluoride. The best of the filters are not usually sold at major stores and are found online.

Recommended: Diatomaceous Earth – Mother Nature’s Secret Weapon: What Is It, How to Use It, Where to Find It

These filtering systems can come in forms of water pitchers, countertop faucets, under-the-sink systems, and whole-house filtration. Whenever possible, a whole house system is the best choice for health, so that there are no chemicals absorbed through the skin when showering or washing hands at different sinks in the house.

From there, you should choose which filtering technology you prefer (some use multiple) instead of focusing on the brand name itself. Each technology can also vary in quality and how well it removes every contaminant.

Carbon or activated carbon filters: Carbon removes contaminants from the water by bonding with them on a chemical level. . Some remove only chlorine, but unable to clear out the other toxins, leaving heavy metals and chemicals behind.

These filters can use a carbon block, a fibredyne block, or granulated activated carbon. The first two are more effective in general, but the second type is best at removing sediments.

On the plus side, carbon filters serve for a long time without needing replacement.

Related: Activated Charcoal is Very Popular Right Now – Here’s Why

Ceramic and mechanical water filters: Ceramic filters and mechanical filters block sediments by using tiny holes but they let all the contaminants pass. They do not remove chemicals.

Deionizing filters: These filters work through an ion-exchange process; it removes mineral salts and electrically-charged molecules from the water, but leave behind non-ionic contaminants including toxic VOCs.

Ion exchange water filter: This process replaces ions using a resin. For example, water softening removes calcium and magnesium and adds sodium.

Ozone and Ultraviolet filters: Both ozone and ultraviolet light kill bacteria and microorganisms, but do not remove chemicals.

Reverse osmosis filters: Reverse osmosis blocks any particles that are larger than the molecule of water, therefore blocking: fluoride, arsenic, and nitrates. However, it cannot block chlorine or VOCs. The other setback of this filter is that it uses a lot of water – not the best pick for the environment. This method also ends up being pricey.

Solar-powered water filters: These filters use natural solar energy to purify the water and are a good investment for camping and other outdoor activities.

Distilled water filter: Distillation heats water until vaporization happens, then condenses it back into liquid form. Distillation removes minerals, bacteria, and viruses, but not chlorine or chemicals.

Related: Symptoms of Dehydration & Benefits of Proper Hydration – Are you getting enough water?

The main advantage of distilled water is that it removes the most amounts of toxins, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, and radioactive elements.

One concern some people have is that distilled water is acidic. However, if you do not let the water stay in the jug too long before drinking it, the acidity level will be lower. Also, if you take care of your digestive tract, it will also not affect anything – the body will be able to take care of it.

The Newest Player on the Market: Structured Water Filters

This type of filtration system is new, or not yet fully known, but it may become the best choice in the future.

Dr. Gerald Pollack discovered the fourth phase of water – also called structured water, living water, or exclusive zone (EZ) water. This type of water brings the water to its original state as if it came straight from a spring; it hydrates the body better and is healthier in every way.

Editor’s Comment:

I like the Berkey the best. We hope to have these on Green Lifestyle Market soon, but at this time we do not sell any water filters at all.

At my house, we have a Berkey with the fluoride-filter attachments, and we also have an AquaTru Water Filter. I like this one, and I think it does an excellent job, but Berkey water tastes better. You can taste the plastic with everything else when you do a side by side comparison. I’ve used Zero, Britta, and Pure pitcher filters as well. Zero was the best pitcher filter. Using this meter to check PPMs, both filters bring tap water down to zero.

Must Read:

• What’s the Best Water for Detoxifying and For Drinking?
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Inexpensive, Easy Detox – The One Gallon Challenge

Sources:

• 12 Toxins in Your Drinking Water – The Global Healing Center
• 170 Million In U.S. Drink Radioactive Tap Water. Trump Nominee Faked Data To Hide Cancer Risk – Environmental Working Group
• Study: Most Plastics Leach Hormone-Like Chemicals – NPR
• EWG’s Updated Water Filter Buying Guide – Environmental Working Group

• Trump directs EPA to begin dismantling clean water rule – LA Times
• US Drinking Water At Risk From Trump’s Cuts To Pollution Rules – New Scientist

“We can empty half of all the beds in all the hospitals in the world by just giving people clean water.” – Dean Camen

It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Waterborne illnesses are a growing problem, killing more people now than ever before. Waterborne illnesses are now killing 3.4 million people a year, most of them young children. The majority of these deaths could be prevented, just by giving people access to clean water. For the majority of waterborne illnesses, no vaccine is available, and even if they were, vaccines carry with them serious risks of injury, including death. By contrast, there is no risk inherent in drinking clean water; there are only benefits.

On Our “Blue Planet” Clean Water is Getting Harder to Obtain

It is a well-known fact that all life needs water. Though most animals aren’t very fussy about how clean their water is, human beings have no choice but to be choosy. For those who live in the underdeveloped world, water cleanliness can mean the difference between life and death.

In the undeveloped world, the average amount of time per day spent by women looking for water that’s safe for their kids is 4 hours.

And if it didn’t turn out to be the right stuff, they spend the next day or two burying their babies.

That shouldn’t be their choices. They shouldn’t have to go that far. They shouldn’t have to make the choice between drinking the kind of stuff you wouldn’t give to your dog, or not having anything at all

It shouldn’t be this way-Dean Camen

Questionable Priorities

You would think that upon learning this, some of the best-known philanthropists would feel compelled to help people living under such conditions have access to clean, drinkable water. Unfortunately this isn’t the case, instead of clean water, dirty vaccines is what is being given to the underdeveloped world.

It has been a much bigger priority of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to “help” India by giving them vaccines. In India, over $10 billion dollars has been spent vaccinating the population against polio; unsurprisingly, this has caused over 50,000 cases of vaccine-induced paralysis.

There are many diseases that can be transmitted by water, and not all of them are caused by pathogens. Many are from pollution.  It is estimated that groundwater in as much as 1/3 of India’s 600 districts is not fit for human consumption. The most common pollutants are high concentrations of fluoride, iron, salinity and arsenic. Approximately 65 million people in India have been suffering from fluorosis, severe fluoride poisoning. Roughly 5 million Indians are suffering from arsenicosis, arsenic poisoning. Unfortunately the problem seems to be getting worse.

The World Health Organization reported that of the 10 million annual deaths in India, nearly 8 million are due to lack of basic health care amenities like effective sewage systems, a safe drinking water supply, elementary sanitary facilities, and hygienic conditions.

If these basic human needs continue to go unmet, the Pacific Institute estimates that waterborne illnesses could begin claiming over 100 million lives a year by 2020.

Challenges of Bringing Water to the 3^rd World

Modern water infrastructure is incredibly expensive to build and maintain. It is unrealistic to expect the 3^rd world to solve their water problems the same way the Western world has; they simply do not have the resources. Another solution is needed.

Contaminated water can be purified through filtration or distillation. Unless you know exactly what’s wrong with the water, filtering out all of the contaminants out isn’t feasible. Until recently, the distillation process always required a tremendous amount of energy.

Vapor Compression Distiller

Dean Camen’s company, DEKA Research and Development, has found the solution. They designed a new portable system for water distillation, and they call it the SlingShot.

The SlingShot boils water, condenses it, and then recycles the energy used in the process. By recycling the energy, the amount of power needed to power the machine is greatly reduced-from 25,000 watts, to less power than a handheld hair dryer. Anyone can distill water with this machine as long as they have access to some electricity, some of the time. Despite how underdeveloped the 3^rd world is, most of the planet’s inhabitants have at least limited access to electricity.

DEKA Research and Development has reached out to numerous governmental organizations, and they were disappointed to learn that the United Nations, The U.S. government, and other governments had no interest in helping people get access to clean water.

Dean Camen is leading the charge, stepping in to help where the Gates Foundation, the World Health Organization, the United Nations, the U.S. and other organizations have refused to help.

Everybody asks me, “Well, why do we call the box SlingShot?

…I heard the story of David and Goliath. To me the moral of that story was: Technology is cool. And people say to me, “How, how did you get that moral out of it?”

I said well, “There was this really little guy David and he had this really big problem Goliath. But he had this little thing called the slingshot and that little piece of technology took out that really big problem.

Let’s put water machines all over the world. There’s no easier way to wipe out 50% of all human disease. Let’s Just do it. Simple.

…We want to be helping get water to everybody on this planet. It’s the right thing to do. It’s simply the right thing to do. We can do it. Therefore we should do it. So why is it prevention to give people clean water? Call me crazy. We have a Department of Defense and we build the ultimate weapons of mass destruction. But how about if we build weapons of mass construction? And what if we go around the world and give everybody clean water, and it says “US” on it, your friend? Maybe we’ll have a Department of Peace. And maybe we will prevent the wars. And if we can get these water machines into high volume production, I think we put them around the world and there’s a way better shot that a large part of two billion people will be our friends.

To learn more, be sure to watch SlingShot, also available on Netflix and YouTube.

Recommended Reading:

• Slingshot
• What’s the Best Water for Detoxifying and For Drinking?
• Symptoms of Dehydration & Benefits of Proper Hydration – Are you Getting Enough Water?

Sources:

• Slingshot
• World Day Water Report – World Health Organization
• Dirty Water: Estimated Deaths from Water-Related Diseases 2000-2020 – Pacific Institute
• Poor water quality, a serious threat –Decan Herald

Who doesn’t love helping the environment?  We no longer want large water heaters or other expensive features. Smart buyers are looking for environmentally friendly choices. Water, specifically, is an area ripe for improvement.

The benefits of going green are twofold. First, it adds appeal and versatility to your home, offering unique value compared to other homes lacking these features. Secondly, of course, is that many of these items add actual financial value, both in terms of property value and savings on bills!

Whether you’re currently looking to sell, simply want to live a greener life, or just want to keep your options open in the future, these solutions offer fantastic benefits for everyone.

Harness The Rain

If you live in an area with plenty of rain, turn this to your advantage. Rain collectors can harness this resource for dish washing and other uses around the home, helping to cut down on water bills. However, this water isn’t entirely clean, so it can’t be used for drinking.

That being said, you can add a filter to purify the water for various home uses. This is often where the real value comes in, as it can then be used to provide free shower and tap water! Once you have an effective system set up, you’ll rarely need to use muniipal water.

Organic Gardens

A well-kept garden can do wonders for a home’s price tag, but an organic one also serves a purpose. Whether it’s a large vegetable patch or a simple raised bed, any garden can introduce organic crops. While these will improve your value, they’ll also provide tasty and healthy veggies in the meantime.

Just remember that a key to understanding property value lies in thinking like a buyer. A ready-to-go organic garden helps ease buyers into a better lifestyle and suggests at how green the wider property already is.

The Water Boiler

Even if you have an effective collection system for rainwater, every home still needs hot water. How you heat your water matters a great deal. Your average boiler uses gas or electricity, both of which are power-heavy, to heat water throughout the home.

An efficient boiler, on the other hand, helps save money and adds to the property’s value both financially and in terms of environmental awareness. It will also help improve your home’s energy efficiency, helping to create another vital selling point.

Natural Water Features

Speaking of the garden, how many homes these days feature a water feature of some sort? Most people may think of pools, but these require a lot of clean water and expensive pumps. Still, some simple landscaping can create features that use natural rain water, reducing your need for maintenance and imported water.

A fountain can recycle rainwater, for instance, while a pond serves as an aesthetically pleasing feature. Tastefully done, adding these add little touches to a well-finished garden, increases the value without added bills or running costs.

Water Usage

While cutting down on how much water you use will help keep bills low, it doesn’t influence your home’s value until you make some physical changes. Taps, pipes, and showers all use water, so determining just how much water they use is key.Eco showers speak for themselves, but what else can you do?

Tap inserts can be fitted in your kitchen and sink to ensure a full spray of water without wasting it at the same time. These little features help cut down on water without changing your lifestyle, making them easier to advertise and display if your home ends up on the market.

Similarly, for the extra passionate homeowners, a bathwater diverter can re-direct or collect used bath water into an outside container for use in the garden. If you combine this with a rainwater system, just think how effective this will be. These physical installations add instant value to your home as new buyers can easily see the savings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up9lgvZ83Ik

Conclusion

So, there you have it – 5 effective ways to help improve your property value and save the environment. How you choose to implement these depends on your home, of course. Not everyone has space for a pond, but even the smallest organic patch will help. Your home should proudly showcase its green lifestyle, making its water-savvy features tempting for anyone looking to buy in the area.

Recommended Reading:

• Is the Water In Your Rainwater Tank Safe to Drink? – 4 Pumps
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Natural Cleaning Solutions For Your Home
• Zombie Foreclosures Are Bad For The Environment
• 5 Easy Home Improvements To Make Your Home Green And Healthy
• How to Save Money on Your Water Bill

Sources:

• The best domestic water-saving gadgets – The Guardian
• Six Ways To Improve Your Home Value With Water – 4 Pumps
• Gorgeous Landscaping Ideas: Trees, Lighting, and Retaining Walls –Houslogic
• Add Value to Your Investment Properties with Organic Gardens – BiggerPockets
• How it can pay to go green: The energy efficiency measures that could add 16% to your home’s value – This is MONEY