Last Updated on January 25, 2022 by TODD FRANZEN
Did you know that what we drink has a major impact on our health? Take water for example. How often do you think about what you drink and what it does to your body? Most people don’t consider what they’re drinking until they find themselves in need of filtered water or bottled water. Filtered water is the best option because it doesn’t contain any chlorine, lead, heavy metals, bacteria, sediments, and other contaminants such as fluoride. It’s important to always filter your water so that you can enjoy all the benefits!
When you don’t filter your water, all of those contaminants can have some serious health implications. Drinking unfiltered tap water can cause nausea, headaches, and other stomach problems. It can also lead to long-term health conditions such as cancer and heart disease. That’s why it’s so important to always filter your water!
There are many different types of water filters on the market, so you can find one that’s perfect for your needs. Some filters attach to your tap, while others are pitchers or countertop models. No matter what type of filter you choose, make sure it meets NSF standards.
6 reasons WHY we should filter our water
Filtered water tastes better than tap water
Tap water can often have a metallic taste, while filtered water tastes clean and fresh. Drinking unfiltered tap water can cause nausea, headaches, and other stomach problems. It can also lead to long-term health conditions such as cancer and heart disease. That’s a big reason why it’s so important to always filter your water!
There are many different types of water filters on the market, so you can find one that’s perfect for your needs. Some filters attach to your tap, while others are pitchers or countertop models. No matter what type of
For those that want to get the most out of their drinking water, it is important to filter it before consuming it. Filtered water has been found to taste better than tap water and can provide more health benefits. Filtered water is found at many grocery stores, convenience stores, and other retailers nationwide.
But it’s important to understand where your water source is coming from as well as how the water is being filtered. My choice is based on self-reliance!
Water is the most important thing to drink, but it’s also one of the easiest things to contaminate.
Water has been used as a way to remove what we consider dirty. We use it in cleaning, industrial, as a way to make our lives easier and more convenient. The dumping of waste, sewage, agriculture, and general dilution of contaminants over time has shown, we have been seeing an increase in the general measurement of pollution and contamination of water.
Having worked in the wastewater industry, there was a saying. The solution to pollution is dilution. And for a while, I laughed at that saying. But after this last bout of lymphoma, this “saying” really lost its meaning.
When you zoom out, and you look at the macro picture of how we use water at scale, it’s easy to see how contamination works and exists. And then add the biological aspect organics and you see how devastating this all becomes. The industrial revolution, the green revolution, and what we now call the digital age have all left their mark on water.
The need to filter our water becomes more important every day!
Tap water contains harmful contaminants and chemicals that can lead to health problems.
No matter where you live, whether your water source is a well or from a municipality, there are standards that the state has set for water quality. With wells being a lot less regulated. There is an element of contamination that can be a huge irritant and possibly the cause of some ailments.
Municipal water has to be tested almost weekly depending on where you live. And these results have to be posted as they are public information. Click Here for a resource to help you find out what is in your municipal water.
Where I live here in Colorado, the town used to be a big gold and silver mining area. There’s been a lot of heavy metals extracted from the ground. over time, snow and surface water have eroded a lot of the tailing piles and leached these contaminants into our groundwater. Now if you live in Pennsylvania, I would suspect that the contaminants in your water supply could possibly be from the different industrial applications that have existed. Like coal mining. How has that affected your water source?
Or, if you don’t remember, there is still a big lead contamination issue in Flint Michigan. Their infrastructure was built with lead pipes. Thousands and thousands of homes get their water from a municipal water treatment plant and then deliver it to customers in these lead pipes underground.
Again, another reason to always filter your water!
Filtering your water will help remove contaminants and provide you with clean, safe drinking water.
We as Americans, are fortunate that the US has relatively clean drinking water and has high portable water standards. At least on the books. But the reality is it could be done to a much higher level.
Most municipal water is mandated to add sodium fluoride to the supply. this has had a major impact on the general improvement of teeth and dentistry over the past 80 years. But is it necessary in this day and age? I would argue no.
There are a lot of companies that make water filters and what you filter your water with will depend on what contaminants you’re trying to remove.
Activated carbon filters are great for removing chlorine, bad tastes and odors, some VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and pesticides. Iodine resin or Block filters are good at removing fluoride and other heavy metals. UV light is good at killing bacteria. Reverse osmosis filters are what all the cool kids use to remove just about everything from water, but takes a lot of energy to run it through the system!
General rule here:
You get what you pay for with water filtration systems. And I would recommend using a Britta or PUR water pitcher filter if you’re on a budget. Ideally, filter your main source, the kitchen sink. $200 bucks will get you a good filter solution that should take a DIY’er about 30-60 minutes to install.
There are whole-house systems, as well as point-of-use filters that can be installed on your kitchen sink, under the sink, or even attached to your showerhead. They literally come in all shapes and sizes.
No matter what kind of filter you choose, it’s important to change the filter cartridges on a regular basis. The EPA recommends changing your filters every six months for pitchers and every three months for faucet-mounted or countertop models. Under-the-sink and whole-house systems should be serviced at least once a year.
The average American drinks about 2-3 liters of water per day
This obviously depends on how active you are, but on average, we drink about 2-3 liters of liquids a day. During the summer, ill drink a gallon. That’s a lot of water!
It is important to remember that what we drink doesn’t have just water in it. We always have sugar in our drinks (coffee/tea, soda), and sometimes salt.
Even alcohol is a diuretic, so while you might be hydrating yourself with that margarita, you are actually dehydrating yourself.
So what counts as drinking water? Well, anything that isn’t alcoholic or caffeinated. So herbal teas count and even watered down juice and milk.
But the best way to make sure you’re getting enough water is to measure your urine output. If you’re urinating at least every two-three hours, then chances are you’re drinking the right amount of fluids!
If you’re pregnant, have a weak immune system, or are on medication that increases your risk for infection, then you should definitely filter your water.
I recently had to spend some time in the hospital for cancer treatments. While I was in the middle of chemotherapy infusions, I was chugging water and discharging just as much. Flushing my kidneys and preventing them from getting damaged from the poison.
So if you dealing with your own medical situations, chugging filtered water is a good first step. It may not solve everything, but you’re taking a lot out of the equation. Maybe this is what the medical world needs to start doing.
But what if you’re not dealing with cancer or disease? Then what’s wrong with just drinking regular water? Well, there are some pretty scary chemicals biologicals that have been found in municipal tap water supply and I don’t want them inside my body.
There are more than 150 contaminants that have been found in U.S. water supplies, including arsenic, lead, and mercury.
These chemicals can cause all sorts of health problems, from cancer to birth defects to developmental delays.
Though the quality of municipal tap water has improved in recent years, there are still many contaminants that can be found in U.S. water supplies. These chemicals can cause a variety of health problems, from cancer to birth defects to developmental delays. That’s why it’s important to filter your water, whether you’re dealing with a medical situation or not. Filtered water is free of most contaminants and is healthier for you than regular tap water.
What it all boils down to…
Ask yourself these questions – What are you waiting for? What’s convenient? What do I want? And what will be effective for my needs?
You now have the resource you need in order to start drinking healthier water. The only thing left to do is decide what method will work best for your lifestyle and needs.
If you’re on a budget, Britta or PUR filters might be just what you’re looking for.
Point-of-use filters can be installed under your sink or even attached to your showerhead if that’s where most of your water consumption takes place.
Whole house systems are also an option if space isn’t an issue!
No matter what kind of filter system suits your specific needs, it’s important not to forget about the purpose to ensure that your water is as safe and clean as possible!