Tap Water??? page

[Grok]

I tried some tap water the other day because I had run out of my bottled mineral water and my distilled water in plastic containers (on no, not plastic!)

Bottom line, it tasted AWFUL! And my tap is probably better than most.

I'm sorry Mark, just not a big fan of Chlorine and Fluoride.

Oh and yes, I do use my brain, thank you!

[periquin]

I have a collection of post cards from City Hall. Every six months for the past 5 years I received a post card informing me that our local water has "levels of total trihalomethanes above drinking water standards". The card also informs me that "This is not an immediate risk."... "Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of MCL over many years may experience liver, kidney, or central nervous system problems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer." I am told not to worry because they are "currently researching treatment techniques to reduce TTHM (trihalomethane) levels".

My community isn't the only one in the land with water problems. It is admitted that this is a problem throughout the state. At least my area informs us that we "are going to die". I guess knowledge is meant to ease out minds.

I use distilled water. I am reluctant to use spring water since it probably comes from the same aquifer. Usually I distill my own, but if I purchase distilled water, I transfer it into some 4 liter wine bottles saved for that purpose.

Final point---Isn't five years enough time to qualify for "many years"? Also, I wonder why no one else seems to care.

[gini]

Are you concerned with the taste of the tap water or the quality of it? If it's the taste, why don't you just use a filter?

As for your bottled plastic, thank you for contributing to the trash vortex in the Pacific ocean. We salute you.

[Grok]

Are you concerned with the taste of the tap water or the quality of it? If it's the taste, why don't you just use a filter?

As for your bottled plastic, thank you for contributing to the trash vortex in the Pacific ocean. We salute you.

Yes I was in a really bad mood this morning. I apologize for throwing out flame bait. Please don't get me started about BP!

How much do water filters cost, do they filter out chemicals like fluoride and chlorine?

[Jokaman70]

I don't know where you live but in my city we have what's called 'watermill express' scattered here and there, it costs $1.50 for 5 gallons of awesome tasting water which has been purified in every imaginable way. I have three 5 gallon (BPA free) bottles that I go and fill up every couple weeks and attach to my water cooler. I love always having an awesome supply of water available.

[K.ROB]

This has been something i have struggled with. I can never find a clear answer. I used to drink distilled water. Heard it was bad for you from Dr. Mercola's site. Don't remember why. Something to do with the stuff the distilling takes out. Then i switched to spring water. But always hated the plastic. So we got a filter. It is tap water so it is rusty etc. but the filters say they clean all of that and the flouride etc out.

I wish there was a clear answer.

[periquin]

I understand your concerns about distilled water based on Dr. Mercola--a fine man that I respect.

Read a bit more of Mercola's comments. I think that you will see that he states that distilled water is the best for eliminating toxins from the body, but that once the toxins are gone something else needs to be done. Another of his posts states that distilled water is superior to other types, especially after sitting a short while in clear glass bottles with some sun exposure. He claims that minerals should be added to this distilled water. He apparently is concerned about a lack of nutrition yet I am fairly certain that he is a proponent of a totally raw diet, which has been shown to be very deficient in nutrients available for the human body. That being the case his concern is not consistent. But then he has not vendors of ovens or grills on any of his newsletters. Water filters, yes, they are there sometimes. He especially likes to hawk the PUR fawcett filter.

Also read more about the Japanese scientist, cited by Dr. Mercola, who 'proved' that distilled water is bad. He also believes that water has emotions and feelings. I guess that all I would need to do to ensure that my water is great is to tell it how wonderful it is and that I love it. A few years ago I wasted more than a few dollars to read his books. I would have been better off watching Oprah.

The only methods of reasonably cleansing water are distillation and reverse osmosis. Check the comparison charts found on numerous web sites. One problem with filters is that you never really know how well they are working. They deteriorate with time and with concentration of impurities filtered. Did your filter really do its job for 6 months?

Spring water can be just as contaminated as the worst of tap water. Read that again. I said, "can be", not is. So, to be really certain of safety, even your spring water should be regularly tested.

Sorry to say that there probably will never be a clear answer. It is up to each of us to research, study, and decide. Best of luck and stay healthy.

[Grok]

I was at the grocery store the other day checking out water filters and the filters claim to filter out everything except fluoride! So much for that idea...

Unless any non-fluoride heads out there know of a filter which actually works? They seem too expensive to be worth it anyway. Too much money and trouble replacing filters, etc.

[strom]

reverse osmosis filters (expensive and you need a plumbere it looks like to install it) remove flouride.

[earthspirit]

wow that sucks about your water. our city water is great! we dont use fluoride here, its been voted on and shut down constantly. however chlorine is used, and its really obvious when they use it because the water begins to smell like a public pool! but we get a letter in the mail a week or so before they add it, with a ppm estimation. luckily, we moved out of town and we drink our well water now. and we have one of those fridges with a water filter in it so most of the water we drink comes from there because its cool and filtered.
im pretty against bottled water, unless we happen to be on a road trip and im really thirsty. then we buy the big litre ones to share rather than our own little separate one. i have 3 canteens i fill and use instead for outdoor hikes and lake days.