Humans cannot survive anywhere without water. Consuming water is a primary aspect of human survival. Most people don’t care about the properties of the water they drink. Once they have access to a water supply, they fill up their glass and drink. However, it will interest you to know that not all water is safe for consumption. Humans don’t just need water for survival. What is required is clean and healthy water. Water from unhealthy sources will cause more harm than good to your health. Instead of nourishing the body, it will make you sick. Some of the health complications people experience originate from the nature of the water that they drink.
Research has shown that not all tap water is safe for consumption. Most are contaminated due to equipment failure during the water treatment plant and broken water lines. In most of the world, they don’t have the proper infrastructure to treat the water supplied to most homes. And the importance of water to human survival cannot be overemphasised. This is why every home deserves access to clean water. The importance of water in our lives should not be an excuse to reach for a glass and drink water without asking questions about its source.
Don’t be among those who believe that there is nothing wrong with drinking tap water. Many instances have been proven that tap water can be temporarily or permanently contaminated. In some parts of the world, there are no water bodies to check water safety. Aside from the water regulation set up to check water bodies, there may be a problem with the pipes that supply water directly to your home. This is one of the reasons why tap water doesn’t have a clean and pleasant taste. Water insecurity is a severe problem that needs urgent attention.
Your body cannot maintain its average temperature and perform other activities if you are not giving it what it needs. The body primarily comprises water, which is why people experience dehydration when the body does not get enough of what it needs. It has been established that no human can last more than 5 days if they don’t have access to water.
The essence of today’s content is to address how dangerous tap water can be to your health. To access comprehensive information, keep reading, and you will learn everything you need. This will help to save you and your family from many health complications. Have you been wondering what is in your tap water? This post is for you to read and understand.
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Here are several ways in which your tap water can be contaminated and rendered unsafe for consumption:
Chloramine and Chlorine
These disinfectants are added to public water supplies to kill germs and make them safe for drinking and other household activities. These germs include norovirus, algae, salmonella, campylobacter and other harmful organisms. Chlorine is an effective disinfectant, but it is also a contaminant in our drinking water. People drinking tap water are consuming nothing but chlorine-contaminated water. This disinfectant destroys toxins and also introduces THMs, a toxin called trihalomethanes. This toxin has been discovered to be among the elements that cause asthma, cancer (bladder and rectal) and other heart diseases. In addition, water with chlorine has a foul smell and taste; this is not among the properties of clean water.
The purpose of adding chlorine to water is to kill inactive bacteria and other harmful organisms. However, we cannot neglect the negative effect that it causes on human health. To confirm this, when the next water is supplied to your home from water bodies, don’t fail to test for chlorine. A simple water test will inform you of the amount of chlorine present in your water. Initially, a small amount of chlorine does not have a negative effect, but continuous usage will have a long-term impact on human health.
Some people don’t drink this tap water, but they use it for bathing and washing their hair. This is why they observe that their skin and hair are drying and breaking out; they are all the effect of chlorine added to the water. Chlorinated water, even in small amounts, draws out moisture from the skin and hair. Chlorine may work great as a disinfectant, but you need to consider the adverse effect it causes on health.
Fluoride
This is usually seen in most of North America and Europe. Fluoride is a chemical component added to tap water to prevent tooth diseases. However, an excess of this chemical component can cause joint-related issues and other dental problems. Some people with yellow or discoloured teeth got that from drinking water with excess fluoride. While fluoride is an essential component used for tap water treatment, a large amount causes many side effects. This includes dental fluorosis, which occurs in a tooth under formation. You begin to see white spots on your children’s teeth. This can quickly happen to children of young age. This is why you need to thoroughly check the water before giving it to your kids to drink.
Researchers worldwide have confirmed that a low concentration of this chemical is harmless. However, the question is, “what happens when you continuously drink water treated with fluoride”? From a mild concentration, it becomes extreme for the body to hold. This is when you probably start seeing symptoms of arthritis, bone cancer, kidney diseases and low reasoning in children. If you are concerned about the IQ of your kids, you should ensure that you are only giving them neat water. It will help if you can check the components of your local water supplies before you boast of their neatness.
Lead
Lead is a toxic metal that gets into tap water through pipes and faucets. Some lines that transport drinking water to homes contain lead in them. Due to its toxicity, it is best to be sure that the water you are drinking has 0% lead. If found in water, it causes premature birth in pregnant women. And when the child is born, there is a probability of the child suffering from hearing problems. When you expose your body to lead, it accumulates over time and causes severe damage to the body. You may observe the symptoms of kidney failure and other reproductive problems.
Unlike how you can easily detect the presence of other chemicals in your water through smell or sight, lead cannot be easily detected. It is not something you can see by looking at your drinking water. This makes leads a severe poisoning that can cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Other ways that lead can get into your drinking water is through plumbing fixtures and corrosion. Instead of looking for ways to reduce lead in your drinking water, it is best to discover an alternative solution to consume healthy water. As you read further, an alternative solution for you and your family will be discussed at the end of this post.
Pesticides and herbicides from farms
When farmers spray pesticides on their crops, it contaminates groundwater. This makes it unsuitable for human consumption. Pesticides are helpful in crops and toxic to humans and other living organisms. Chemicals like pesticides contain heavy metals that include Sulphur, bromine, phosphorous and more. This is why the chemical can eliminate pests and other insects disturbing crops. Even though it is essential to farmers, it is detrimental to health. Its use cannot be abolished because it needs to eliminate or control the pest that destroys a farmer’s crop. Therefore, it is your responsibility to avoid drinking water that has been polluted. Coming in contact with water that has been contaminated with pesticides is dangerous. Please think of how detrimental it is to your health to drink such water. Pesticides kill fish and other marine animals found in water bodies; this shows the extent of their toxicity to humans.
In addition, herbicides cause skin irritation. No matter how small, herbicides and pesticides should not be found in water supplies. They are toxic substances, and many people unknowingly consume this daily. These chemicals are readily soluble in water. The best thing to do is avoid direct contamination with the chemical. Farmers that spray these chemicals on their farmland adopt safe practices. They ensure that they wear all the necessary protective clothing. Therefore, you must protect yourself and your family from drinking contaminated water.
Arsenic (metalloid chemicals)
Arsenic found in drinking water for a long time can cause cancer, cardiovascular and other skin diseases. Even a tiny portion of these metalloid chemicals dissolve rapidly in groundwater. Drinking water that contains these chemicals increases your risk of cancer, skin problems and diabetes. When your drinking water has arsenic above 10 ppb, it is a wrong decision to continue drinking such water; you should consider drinking water from a safe source. The higher your exposure to this chemical, the more your health challenges. If you are wondering how possible arsenic can get into your drinking water, keep reading. Arsenic can be naturally found in rocks and on the earth’s surface. They can get into your drinking water from industrial activities and runoff from man’s activities (majorly agricultural activities). You must have heard of “arsenic poisoning”. This happens when a person is exposed to a high level of arsenic.
Then, you will see symptoms of impaired nerve function, vomiting and stomach pain. In some cases, you will notice changes in your skin. Your skin starts to darken, and you may experience severe skin irritation. If you want to detect if your water has a high level of arsenic in it, you can do a chemical test. Please note that arsenic cannot be detected by taste or smell. However, when you are thirsty, and you are in urgent need to quench your thirst, do you have time to test the chemical situation of your water before gulping it down? How well is the water from public systems supplied to your home tested and monitored?
Plastic microfibers
When you ingest microfibre, it can harm you due to the toxic chemicals that it contains. Plastic particles in the ocean kill aquatic organisms. Some studies have proven that there is a high amount of plastic fibres in tap water worldwide—these results from human activities. Many people believe that bottled water is an excellent alternative to tap water. Even though bottled water is well packaged and expensive, it is no better than tap water. By consuming bottled water, you are only contributing to environmental pollution. Contrary to what people believe, the water in plastic bottles is not cleaner or healthier.
In many homes, they depend solely on bottled water, and they believe they are doing what is best for their health. Still, this is not true, and you can only understand this when you study the process involved in producing and packaging this water. Before you have a heated argument with others about the neatness of your bottled water, ask yourself, “what is the source of the bottled water”? Don’t buy bottled water confidently unless you have done comprehensive research to be sure you are drinking quality water. Furthermore, how many producers follow the standard established to clean this water and make it healthy? How sure are you that the colony of bacteria that you are running away from is not present in bottled water? The most disheartening news is that these plastic bottles used for packaging are never recyclable, and when thrown into the environment, it is hazardous.
Pharmaceutical compounds
In recent years, many pharmaceutical compounds have been found in water bodies. When humans ingest water with a high concentration of these compounds, it causes adverse effects. Most of these compounds disrupt the biological function of the body. They disrupt reproductive hormones and slow body development. This makes the subject a topic of concern that needs urgent attention. All pharmaceutical companies have been addressed to dispose of their drugs properly. Still, only a few heed this advice. While they have been advised to dispose of drugs properly, you must also look out for yourself. Please note that even if you boil your tap water before consumption, it doesn’t solve anything. The level of drugs found in water supplies is highly alarming.
Radon (radioactive elements)
Radon can be found in water when groundwater comes in contact with rocks. This is one of the leading causes of stomach cancer. Some of these rocks that the water passes through contain heavy metals, and uranium is an example of such metal. These chemicals expose you to the risk of internal organ cancer. If your drinking water comes from underground sources and pumps, be concerned because there may be radon. One way or the other, everyone is exposed to some level of radon. This includes the outdoor air that we breathe. However, it is easier to escape the danger of radon by monitoring the water we drink. To know if there is radon in your water, you can only test for it. Other radioactive elements you need to watch out for include caesium and plutonium.
Who is more vulnerable to all these toxic elements?
Pregnant women, infants, young children and adults are the group of people that are more vulnerable to water pollutants. For pregnant women, the immune system is performing double its function because of the baby in the womb. Therefore, if the body should come in contact with any form of the disease, it is easier for the woman to be sick. And this is unsafe for the unborn baby. Compared to non-pregnant women, pregnant women are advised to take great care of their bodies since they are susceptible to contaminants and other forms of infection.
Similarly, as people age (65 years and above), they become more vulnerable to infection. With an increase in age, several physiological changes occur in the body. An accumulation of these changes renders the body powerless in fighting diseases. This is often referred to as “immunosenescence” because it is related to poor immune function. This process is gradual, and it affects every organ of the human body. On that note, when you have an older person in your home, for their sake, you have to watch out and confirm that your water source is healthy. In addition, if you have newborns, be careful with the water you use for them. This is because they are particularly vulnerable to diseases. Their immune system is yet to be well developed. Therefore, their body has no power to fight bacteria, viruses and other organisms.
How do you get clean and drinkable water?
There are ways that you can improve your tap water and make it safe for drinking. If you want to ensure that you are drinking clean water, below is one of the best options.
You can purchase a filtering system that cleans your water. With the right water filter, you don’t need plastic bottled water. In addition, you will save more because you don’t need to spend a fortune buying bottled water weekly. This will benefit the environment in many ways, and there will be a decline in your contribution to ozone layer depletion. If you have no reason to switch from bottled water to filtered water, you can do so because of your health and the environment. Don’t be amongst those throwing plastic bottles into the environment and water bodies daily.
Filtered water will help to improve your drinking habit, and it prevents you from being exposed to diseases. Most of these filters can be attached to your kitchen faucets directly, and they can sit on top of the countertop. Water from the tap is diverted to the filter machine through a tube. This helps to remove heavy metals and other contaminants from the water. In recent years, there have been many brands producing filtrating water machines. However, it is best to opt for something unique and high-quality.
Their water machine is portable, and it helps to get rid of impurities from the water. These include chlorine, fluoride and other metals. When you filter your water with a quality machine, it improves the quality of your life in numerous ways. The content of this water is multiple, and it includes micro-clustering, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. This is the best water to drink that can help you to restore all your bodily organs to their original state. The water from this machine can stay for a more extended period because it is alkaline. In addition, it is negatively charged, and it is entirely safe for consumption and other household activities. If you have been looking for ways to balance your body pH, you should consider getting your alkaline water machine.
Drinking clean water should not be a matter of choice; it should be a necessity. This is because clean water is what your body needs for survival. It will be best to understand that any water you drink will flow through your organ and cell. You cannot afford to be feeding yourself with water that contains impurities. Please note that water is not a thirst quencher alone. It is something that your body needs to function correctly.
If this content benefits your health, don’t forget to like and share. In the section, let us know how best you and your family filter your water before drinking. Check out also these related posts like “5 Facts About Organic Farming That Will Surprise You”. To learn more about the company and its various line of water machines, don’t fail to reach out to us.
Stay hydrated! We drink ionised water.
Recommended books for further reading:
- Eat Yourself Healthy: An easy-to-digest guide to health and happiness from the inside out
- Water – The Wonderful and Unique Life Source
- Perfect Health
- Eat to Beat Disease: The Body’s Five Defence Systems and the Foods that Could Save Your Life
- Keto Diet: Your 30-Day Plan to Lose Weight, Balance Hormones, Boost Brain Health, and Reverse Disease
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