7 Tap Water ToxinsJoe Martino Modern society has degraded the quality of the water around us due to our poor environmental habits. This has led us to a point where high-quality drinking water can be difficult to find. While the argument is made that tap water is among the best water available to us, a series of testing for the ingredients in our tap water would tell almost anyone that it is certainly not of high quality. Recent analyses of municipal drinking water have shown that, despite government regulations, there are still many dangerous contaminants present in our water. There are many chemicals that are not regulated and there is no legal specifications to restrict what amount of certain chemicals can be in the water. This means that certain chemicals can be found in any given amount.[1] To make matters worse, many municipalities in Canada and the United States voluntarily add fluoride to their water supplies without the consent or vote of the citizens. In fact, most citizens and government officials are drastically misinformed about fluoride. I personally tested this out by calling my local water company here in Toronto. At the municipal and provincial level, (equivalent to state level) they were unable to provide me with any information regarding the safety of fluoride, nor were they able to provide any documentation to suggest that water fluoridation helps to prevent tooth decay. After chasing The Dental Association of Canada, I received a long-winded answer that also did not address whether or not water fluoridation has any effect.[2] The Safe Drinking Water Act only regulates 91 potential water contaminants. In the US alone, over 60,000 chemicals are used that can find their way into water supplies. Many of them have been identified as possible carcinogens. Current estimates suggest that there is more than 2,100 known chemical toxins present in U.S. tap water. Cities with older pipelines also face problems as chemicals leach from the lines as the water travels.[3] 1. Fluoride Yet, for over 50 years, the U.S. government has mandated that fluoride be added to the water supply to prevent dental problems. What we dont realize is that we are still dumping this waste product into the environment, but under the guise of a health practice. While there has never been research to suggest the safety or effectiveness of water fluoridation, current research has shown that fluoride has been shown to damage tooth enamel, increase fracture risk, suppress immune and thyroid function, increase cancer risk and disrupt the function of the pineal gland. The good news, cities all over North America have been banning the chemical over the last few years and it is expected to continue. Many European countries have banned the use of fluoride altogether. We have quite a few articles about this on our website. 2. Chlorine 3. Radioactive Contaminants 4. Pharmaceutical Drugs 5. Hexavalent Chromium 6. Lead, Aluminum Heavy Metals 7. Arsenic What Can You Do? In my opinion you have a couple of choices. One would be to, at the very least, begin getting your water from a store that offers reverse osmosis water. Due to the lack of minerals in RO water, it would be beneficial to add minerals back via supplements. This solution is not overly expensive and you can begin the change today. You can also buy a under-the-sink reverse osmosis system for about $250-$400, or install a similar system at your place of employment. To solve the mineral issue, ask your filtration provider about a PH balancer or re-mineralization stage that can be added for another $100 $150. Both will remineralize the water with magnesium and calcium as it would be produced in nature. I would not recommend a Brita filter as a solution, as it does not remove many of the contaminants nor does it truly solve the chlorine problem. This is covered in depth in the January issue of CE Magazine. There are costs involved in any solution, but what is your health worth to you? Sources: Original article link here. 