|
|
Water FAQs
If you have a question that is not answered below that
pertains either to water or an Aquasana product, you may
Ask the
Doctor or email us at
smarthomesolution@yahoo.com.
-
Is bottled water or filtered
water better?
-
What is TDS?
-
Is chlorine harmful?
-
Why do some areas test
negative for chlorine?
-
What do you do if you have
water contaminated by radioactive matter?
-
What are VOCs?
-
Do people on private wells
need to use shower filters?
-
What is the best container
for storing filtered water?
-
Do water treatment products
require FDA approval?
-
Are whole house system
(P.O.E.- point-of-entry) better than counter top filters (P.O.U.-point-of-use)?
-
What are the benefits of
magnetic water treatment?
-
How do you know if there are
contaminants in your water?
-
Are some people more
sensitive to chemicals in drinking water and shower water than others?
-
If my municipal water
company's Annual Water Quality Report shows that it meets all EPA
guidelines, does that mean its safe?
Answer: While much bottled
water is of good quality, there are little or no regulations or means of
ensuring bottled water quality... it is a self-policed industry for the
most part. In contrast, the home water treatment industry is very heavily
regulated. Manufacturers must do extensive testing and reporting to prove
their products effectiveness at providing quality water. Manufacturers are
required to supply "Performance Data Sheets" demonstrating the products
ability to remove certain contaminants; bottled water companies are not
required to demonstrate their waters quality. See
Bottled Water, Is It Better?
Answer: 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 would not be a measurement of contamination. Tests which
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. Implying
that these tests show water quality is highly misleading and should be
considered unethical.
Answer: 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 major 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, when 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 much of these
effects were 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.
Chlorine and Cancer
Answer: 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 at certain times as a disinfectant in order
to reduce chlorination 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.
Answer: 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 contaminant "Radon" with radioactivity when in fact they are
quite different. Radon is produced from decaying Uranium ore and can be
effectively removed by carbon filtration.
Answer: 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.
Answer:
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. Also the Aquasana shower filter system helps balance the waters
pH, which is also a very noticeable cosmetic benefit.
Answer:
Glass is always best, however if glass is not practical, then a high grade
polycarbonate material is 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.
Answer: No. However, the
certifications which apply to the Aquasana products require proof that all
wet component materials meet FDA requirements for food grade materials.
The performance claims of the Aquasana 4000 system have been validated and
certified by the California Department of Health Services and include
toxicology extraction tests to show no harmful release of any substance
into the filtered water.
Answer: 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.
Answer: While there are
manufacturers that make beneficial claims for magnetic water treatment,
there are no credible studies or documentation that magnetics offer any
measurable benefits for drinking water, consumers should beware of
undocumented claims.
Answer: 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 cents per gallon with Aquasana.
See What's in my water?
Answer: 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.
Answer: 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) for about 90, and those 90 Maximum
Contaminant Levels 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 hard way the truth of
this statement.
|