HuhIt Must Be Something in the WaterDaisy Luther, Contributor We want to store the most pure, high-quality consumables that we can, in order to maintain our optimum wellness during any type of disaster scenario, and that includes the water we store. Most preppers know the Survival Rule of Three: The toxins present in municipal water supplies vary from city to city. In the US Midwest, for example, there are high levels of pesticides (in particular, weed killer) due to agricultural practices that contaminate the groundwater (this also affects well water in the area). In 22 states with military contractors, percholate, the explosive component of rocket fuel, has been found in the tap water. In 2008, the AP released a report informing us that water treatment centers were unable to remove all traces of pharmaceutical drugs from the water supply. (The drugs were introduced into the water by human and animal urine.) To determine the extent of drinking water contamination, an Associated Press investigative team surveyed the water providers of the 50 largest cities in the United States and 52 smaller communities, analyzed federal databases and scientific reports, and interviewed government and corporate officials. Also found in tap water are contaminants like aluminum, arsenic and lead (more on lead below). Chemical Cocktails Its All for Your Own Good If the outside contaminants arent enough of a worry, how about the chemicals that are deliberately added to the water supply by the treatment facilities themselves? According toDr. Michael J.Plewa, a genetic toxicology expert at the University of Illinois, chlorinated water is carcinogenic. Individuals who consume chlorinated drinking water have an elevated risk of cancer of the bladder, stomach, pancreas, kidney and rectum as well as Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. While the talking heads of media and government are telling consumers that the fluoride in drinking water will assure them of good dental health, people are actually being poisoned. The consumption of fluoride lowers IQs, causes infertility, has been linked to cancer and causes hardening of the arteries. In fact, one study published in the January edition of the journal Nuclear Medicine Communications,the researchhighlights the fact thatmass fluoride exposure may be to blame for the cardiovascular disease epidemicthat takesmore lives each year than cancer. In 2008, cardiovascularkilled17 million people.According to the authors of the study: The coronary fluoride uptake value in patients with cardiovascular events was significantly higher than in patients without cardiovascular events. (Source) Its also important to note that the inclusion of fluoride in drinking water has no discernible positive effect on dental health. In fact, it can cause dental fluorosis, a visible overexposure to fluoride resulting in subtle white flecks in the tooth enamel all the way to a pronounced brown staining,. Bottled Isnt Better To add to the frustration, most bottled water is not that much safer than tap water. In fact, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found 38 contaminants in the top 10 brands of bottled water sold in the United States. The contaminants includeddisinfection byproducts, fertilizer residue, and pain medication, to name a few. Two brands, Walmart and Giant, were chemically identical to tap water, but sold at approximately 1900 times the price of the water from your faucet. In fact, according to some reports, more than 40% of bottled waters on the market are nothing more than tap water (including Pepsis Aquafina). Some bottled water is treated more than tap water, while some is treated less or not treated at all. Bottled water costs much more than tap water on a per gallon basis Consumers who choose to purchase bottled water should carefully read its label to understand what they are buying, whether it is a better taste, or a certain method of treatment. With all of the bad news about the water supply, youre probably feeling as frustrated as I was. The good news is, there are actions you can take to ensure the best possible supply of water in our increasingly contaminated world. Get spring water right from the source. Absolutely the best option for drinking water is finding a spring nearby and filling your own bottles with it. There is probably a spring nearby with water free for the taking. Use this interactive map to find a spring close to you. (Unfortunately, not all countries are represented on this map, but the US and many European countries are.) Spring water is naturally filtered by the earth, leaving a clear delicious water loaded with healthy minerals. Even better, in many places, spring water is free just bring your containers and fill them up! Filter your water. Get a good, gravity-fed water filter. This will allow you to remove many of the toxins found in tap water or surface water. I have the Big Berkey and have been very pleased with it. If your municipality adds fluoride to the water, it is necessary to also purchase a specific filter to remove the fluoride. A gravity fed filter does not require power to work, making it an excellent choice post-disaster. Choose your containers carefully. Glass is the most healthful option for water storage; however, large glass containers full of water are heavy and can break. If you are using plastic containers, the safest ones are markedPolyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) orHigh density polyethylene (HDPE). Plastic containers that formerly contained juice or water are already compromised from the enzymes in those liquids. Water stored in plastic bottles should not be exposed to extremes of temperature, as this can also cause the plastic to leach chemicals into the water. Reverse Osmosis and distillation alone are not enough. The purification processes of Reverse Osmosis and distillation do not removedo not remove bacteria, viruses, or certain chemicals. These processes, while good, should be followed by filtration. If you store your water with a couple of drops of bleach in it, you should put it through your water filter if possible. I no longer store my water with bleach because I use my stored water on a rotating basis. We only drink spring water, and the 5 gallon jugs are used within 6 weeks. Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor. Her website,The Organic Prepper, wherethis article first appeared, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy onFacebookandTwitter, and you can email her atdaisy@theorganicprepper.ca 