Once you start looking at exactly how your water is treated you’ll realize that there are a number of chemicals added which can have a detrimental effect on your health.
Chlorine and fluoride are the two biggest concerns although anyone who still has lead pipes needs to consider lead poisoning. There is also the risk of bacteria and other contaminants entering the water system. In genera you won’t know about it until after you’ve been exposed.
This is why so many homes have now chosen to fit water filters via reputable suppliers such as www.filtap.com.au.
However, there is another concern that you should be aware of; that is emerging contaminants.
What Are Emerging Contaminants?
Put simply they are chemicals in your water that have not been previously noted. They can also be chemicals which have always been in low, safe quantities but are now appearing in much higher concentrations.
One of the biggest issues that have become apparent in recent years is prescription drugs taken orally.
These drugs are used by the body and then passed through in one form or another and into the water supply. In many cases they can survive the journey to the treatment works and through the treatment process.
These are not the only issue. All the products you use on a daily basis can also find their way into the water supply. This includes soap, perfumes and even your cosmetics.
The Risk OF Emerging Contaminants
There are several issues associated with these emerging contaminants and it is important you be aware of what they are:
- Unknown Effects
The main concern is that there are contaminants which have not been identified and it is not possible to say what effect they may have on your body.
This leaves the potential for illness to arrive and be spread without anyone connecting it to the water.
It is advisable to use a water filter system to ensure as many contaminants are removed as possible. Of course, if the contaminants are not identified it is impossible to be certain that the filter will take care of them.
- Endocrine Disruptors
The drugs which pass through our bodies and into the water system are pretty powerful. Many of these can disrupt the normal hormone process in your body.
While this may be a good thing if you are treating a specific illness it is not so good if you are currently healthy.
- New Testing
The advancement in science in recent years makes it possible to test for far more contaminants that ever before. Of course, some of these will still not be identified.
If anything, the fact that it is possible to test for more contaminants now simply highlights how many more there could be; that are currently unknown.
What To Do
This is difficult. Emerging contaminants are not recognized by many labs; that means even if you send a water sample for testing you may not get the full picture.
The best step is to monitor the news regarding emerging contaminants and to install a water filter.
