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Is bottled water or filtered water better?
Since 90% of bottled waters are Reverse Osmosis, this is a “Hungry Water.” In other words, the water is devoid of minerals. The therefore, this is a acid water with a low pH of 5.5 to 6.4. The regulations to ensuring bottled water quality is the same as the city drinking water regulations, which is so low that almost all bottled water companies will do some form of extra filtration. It is a self-policed industry for the most part.
What is TDS?
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids, the total measurement by weight of all solids that are dissolved in water. The dissolved solids in water are primarily calcium and magnesium, and do not provide any information about contamination. Tests that measure the conductivity of water (often used by companies selling reverse osmosis and distillation system) only give a rough estimate of dissolved solids (mostly minerals) and do not show water quality. RO water usually has 50 parts per million or less TDS. Implying that these tests show water quality is highly misleading and should be considered unethical. You need to perform a laboratory water test (call me for details) to determine water quality and contaminants.
Is Chlorine harmful?
Yes. When you consider that chlorine is only used for disinfecting purposes, ozone will do the disinfection job better without any of chlorine’s by-products, which are all known carcinogens or suspected carcinogens. Chlorine was first added to a community water system in 1908 in Chicago and was instrumental in eliminating many types of water-borne disease, such as Cholera and Typhoid fever. Prior to chlorination, many cities had death tolls of 1 in 1000 people from Typhoid alone. Chlorine has been used to disinfect municipal water for over 80 years and has had some positive effects on public health. In the 1970’s it was discovered that chlorine added to water forms trihalomethanes (chlorinated by-products) by combining with certain naturally occurring organic matter such as vegetation and algae. In 1992 the American Journal of Public Health published a report that showed a 15% to 35% increase in certain types of cancer for people who consume chlorinated water. This report also stated that these effects were also due to showering in chlorinated water. The National Cancer Institute estimates cancer risks for people who consume chlorinated water to be up to 93% higher than for people who do not. The effects of drinking chlorinated water have been debated for decades. However, most experts now agree that there are some significant risks related to consuming chlorine and chlorinated by-products in drinking water.
Why do some areas test negative for chlorine?
Virtually all city water systems contain some level of chlorine. The level will vary based on outdoor temperature, the season, distance from water utility and current usage. While chlorine may sometimes be undetectable on a certain day with a standard OTO* test kit, that level can change dramatically day to day. Also some cities use ammonia (which forms Chloramines) at certain times as a disinfectant in order to reduce chlorine by products. Without chlorine the dangers of water-borne disease would be too significant. An undetectable chlorine level on a certain day does not eliminate the need for an effective home filtration system.
*A liquid chemical OTO (othotolidine) causes a color change to yellow in the presence of total chlorine.
What do you do if you have water contaminated by radioactive matter?
Move! Radioactive water is not very common in this country and is a more serious problem than should be dealt with by a home water filtration system. Many people confuse the specific radioactive element “Radon” with the more general issue of radioactivity, when in fact they are quite different. Radon is produced from decaying Uranium ore and can be effectively removed by carbon filtration. Other radioactive chemicals may be extremely difficult to filter. Why take the risk?
What are VOCs?
Volatile Organic Chemicals are synthetic compounds that turn into vapor at relatively low temperatures. VOCs typically vaporize at a much lower temperature than water. Most synthetic chemicals found in water, such as pesticides and herbicides, are VOCs.
Do people on private wells need to use shower filters?
Yes. Well water can vary greatly, so never assume you have good water! Always do a water analysis for well water. Just because it tastes good and smells okay does not mean that there isn’t highly toxic contamination, either natural, illegal toxic dumping, farm, or industry pollution. The bottom line is always test your well water, both for bathing as well as drinking purposes. Remember, when taking a bath or shower, your body still absorbs the minerals and chemicals that might be in the water. There are many health and cosmetic benefits to removing chemicals and compounds from shower water, even on non-chlorinated private wells. Virtually all ground water contains traces of some chemical or chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin or inhaled. The Ideal Earth Water™ system helps to make the water wetter and softer.
What is the best container for storing filtered water?
Glass is always best, however if glass is not practical, then a high-grade polycarbonate material is the second best. Clear plastic bottles and pitchers with a #1 in the recycle triangle on the bottom, like the bottles used by Evian and the higher quality bottled waters, are the best option for water storage since they have been shown to release the lowest levels of plastic component chemicals into water. Translucent, colored or bottles with a number other than 1 on the bottom should be avoided because there is the possibility of higher levels of chemicals leeching into the water from the plastic.
Are whole house systems (P.O.E.- point-of-entry) better than counter-top filters (P.O.U.- point-of-use)?
P.O.U. systems are by far the best way to ensure the highest quality water since many water-borne contaminants come from the plumbing in your house, especially lead and vinyl chloride from the piping. By filtering water at the point-of-use, you remove contaminants just prior to consumption, eliminating the chance of recontamination. Point-of-entry systems offer certain benefits but do not replace the benefits of point-of-use filtration. This is why our whole house system always has a point-of-use filtration at the kitchen sink.
What are the benefits of magnetic water treatment?
I have personally tested magnetic water treatment systems and found them good for only 10 feet. This is why we never sell magnetics and exclusively sell Earth Core™ water conditioners, as the Earth Core™conditioned water lasts for many miles.
How do you know if there are contaminants in your water?
All public water systems contain some level of one or more unhealthful chemicals. Regulations only require periodic testing of about 90 chemicals. There are now more than 75,000 chemicals used in our society with over 1000 new ones being developed each year. Contaminant levels fluctuate throughout the year making it impossible to know the actual level of contamination in a central water system. So far over 2100 toxic chemicals have been detected in America’s water systems. The risk is high; the cost for a sure solution is low, 9¢ per gallon with Ideal Earth Water™ System.
Are some people more sensitive to chemicals in drinking water and shower water than others?
Definitely. Small children and the elderly are especially more affected by contaminants in water, due to a reduced capacity to deal with toxins and an under-developed or less tolerant immune system. Chlorine and Chloramines are irritating to the skin and the hydrofluorosilicic acid fluoridation process produces more systemic toxins, making your bones and teeth more brittle and easier to break (not exactly a good thing).
If my municipal water company’s Annual Water Quality Report shows that it meets all EPA guidelines, does that mean it’s safe?
• On October 1st 1999 a new federal law went into effect that requires water utilities to send each customer a detailed report showing what is in their water, appropriately called “The Right To Know Amendment.” The most important thing to remember is that no matter how insistent these reports are that “contaminants in your water do not necessarily pose a health risk”, any level of contamination in our drinking water does in fact represent a danger to our health.
• Of the over 75,000 toxic chemicals used in our society, the EPA has only set standards (MCLs- Maximum Contamination Levels) for about 90, and those 90 Maximum Contaminant Level are not necessarily set on “health effects.” The EPA considers limited health studies based on consumption of one certain chemical by a 175 lb. adult when setting these standards. No consideration is given to the effects on small children or the combined effects of two or more contaminants, which some studies show are magnified by as much as 1000 times. Water utilities are only required to test for the 90 contaminants that the EPA has set standards for.
• Nobody knows how many toxic chemicals may actually be in tap water. According to the Ralph Nader Research Group, after reviewing thousands of pages of EPA documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, more than 2100 toxic chemicals have already been detected in U.S. water supplies. Virtually all public water systems have some level of contamination. The water utilities are usually quick to point out that the chemicals found in their water are “below EPA’s Maximum Levels”, and in most cases they are. The fact is that even the smallest trace of a toxic chemical causes damage and science is just now starting to realize to what extent. In a recent report from the National Cancer Institute to the Surgeon General it was stated that “No level of exposure to a chemical carcinogen should be considered toxicologically insignificant to humans,” and we are learning the truth of this statement the hard way .
• In the last 2-3 years I have noticed that many cities are sending out “average tests of an entire year or year(s)! The worst I have seen averaged some 7 years of statistics in one-water analysis! This is completely misleading, and is an excellent indicator that that city is having water problems. If you see such “average tests reports”, do your own water analysis to find out the truth. Also I visited one city that had chromium-6 contamination, but when asked about it, said that they didn’t test for it, therefore, they didn’t have to disclose it.
Are Chloramines harmful?
Yes. Chloramines are being introduced into our drinking and bathing water by adding ammonia to chlorinated water. The cities issue an warning that chloramines are “Not safe for fish and other marine animals. But, they are safe for humans… except kidney dialysis patients.” Does this make any sense? Chloramines are many times harder to remove from the water than chlorine. Therefore, manufacturers have to make extra larger and different types of filters to address Chloramine issues.
Little-Known Facts About Reverse Osmosis Water
• If you test Reverse Osmosis water, you must use a pH meter only. pH Strips and liquids require minerals to respond; “hungry waters” such as RO, distilled & deionized waters have no minerals, therefore will not test correctly on a test strip or pH liquid.) You will find that all of these hungry waters are acid waters, with a 5.5 to 6.4 pH, though some expensive RO systems will deliver 5 pH water. Below I will tell you why you do not want to consume any acid waters.
• In America, 90% of bottled water is Reverse Osmosis water processed and 90% of home owner water filters are RO systems, so it is not surprising that so many of us are too acidic and are prematurely aging.
• While most waters left on a shelf will first turn green (growing blue green algae), the RO water when left on a shelf will choose to grow black fungus as it’s first choice.
• It is common to hear people complain about sprouting seeds with Reverse Osmosis water and having white or black fungus growing among the seeds and sprouts. [Do you think this same condition might occur in you intestine?]
• If you look at an RO system, after the water is fully cleaned and is stored in the reservoir tank, it still has a carbon block filter, which they call a taste filter, to block the black fungus and it’s bitter flavor and of course improves the water flavor. Do you still want to drink this water?
• We have found through investigation, that drinking Reverse Osmosis water over a period of time (2+ years) may produce Candida Albicans overgrowth (Candidiasis). This is because Reverse Osmosis water has a “frequency” that creates an ideal environment for fungal growth, which in turn creates a more acidic environment in the body, which leads to old age disease and can lead to cancer.
• The adding of alkaline minerals to correct the acid RO water does NOT correct the “frequency,” which creates the ideal environment for fungal growth.
• RO water should not be used, even if alkaline minerals are added to correct the corrosive and high acid nature of the water. Ask any plumber this question: Why can’t I use copper pipes to plumb my RO water filter? He will tell you that the corrosive nature of RO water must be plumbed in specially designated plastic piping or the corrosive water will corrode the copper, metal pipes, and the solder. Does you want to drink water that can corrode the copper, metal pipes and the solder?
If you have a question that is not answered here pertaining either to water or an Ideal Earth Water™ product, email us at winston@fluoridebuster.com
Location: Clearwater, Florida USA
Phone: (727) 447-2344
Email: winston@fluoridebuster.com