Do You Know What's In Your Water?
According to the Environmental Working Group, “The federal government’s legal limits [on water] are not health-protective. The EPA has not set a new tap water standard in almost 20 years, and some standards are more than 40 years old.” They also encourage you to understand that when it comes to water standards, legal does not necessarily mean safe.
What in the world is in that water, what you got in that water? (In the voice of Ludacris… anyone?)
But really. Do you know what is in your city’s water, friend? Click here. Enter your zip code. Read. Be enlightened. Take a deep breath, and hurry back so we can dive into this.
Since we are local to Fort Worth, we’ll use this as our baseline reading. Of the 15 contaminants exceeding EWG’s health guidelines found in Fort Worth’s water, the following are included: Arsenic, various acids, Lead, Nitrate and over a dozen known carcinogens. Yikes.
We’re going to try to read your mind and address some thoughts you might be having…
Who is EWG and why are they the authority on this?
EWG stands for the Environmental Working Group and they are on a mission to “to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. With breakthrough research and education, we drive consumer choice and civic action.” Their extensive research and investigative measures on everything from tap water to personal care products to pesticides in our food has vastly changed the rhetoric from households all the way to Capitol Hill.
I see that a lot of the chemicals in my city’s water are below the legal limit - why do I care about their impact if they’re below the legal limit?
You care because as stated on EWG’s site, “The federal government’s legal limits are not health-protective. The EPA has not set a new tap water standard in almost 20 years, and some standards are more than 40 years old.” They also encourage you to understand that when it comes to water standards, legal does not necessarily mean safe.
In the 20 years since the EPA updated their standards, the famous Erin Brochovich case revealing carcinogenic chemicals in water happened, the lead-poisoning scandal in Flint, MI drinking fountains occurred, and the introduction of “forever chemicals” into our water began. These chemicals (or PFAs) began with the introduction of Teflon, and have since blown up with America’s obsession with non-stick, water-repellent and stain-proof products. Decades of heavy use have resulted in major contamination into our water. The EPA refuses to regulate levels of these PFAs even after they have been proven to attach to human protein cells, thus the name “forever chemicals” for their nature to never leave our bodies. Studies have shown elevated cancer rates in those regularly exposed to PFAs.
What about the contaminants with no legal limit at all?
Good question, young grasshopper. Again, these standards are incredibly outdated and the research has simply not been done to verify levels of safety. Think of all the technological advances, waste, population increase, environmental changes that have happened over the last 20-40 years. Our water cannot help but be affected by default!
I’ve been hearing some buzz about added fluoride in water being a bad thing… I thought fluoride was good?
Yoosh. Hot button topic, so we’ll lead with this and then let the experts take it from here: Research shows health concerns related to fluoride include harm to teeth, harm to bones and even bone cancer. Frighteningly, Texas is number 2 in the entire nation for raised fluoride levels.
According to EWG, “Fluoride has been promoted as a chemical that reduces dental cavities. Yet it is now well-established that fluoride primarily exerts its protective effects through topical mechanisms, such as sodium fluoride in toothpaste and mouthwash. In contrast, long-term ingestion of fluoride in water increases dental fluorosis, which includes mottling, pitting and weakening of the teeth. EPA's maximum legal limit is set at 4 parts per million (ppm) to prevent skeletal fluorosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more susceptible to fractures, although these effects may occur at lower doses.
Even fluoride levels of 0.7 ppm, the amount of fluoride in drinking water recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service, can result in too much fluoride for bottle-fed babies. EWG recommends that caregivers mix baby formula with fluoride-free water. The National Toxicology Program is investigating the potential for low doses of fluoride to alter thyroid function and childhood brain development.”
Did you know many cities still operate under the guise that fluoride is helpful, and they actually add this chemical to your city water? Did you know many water bottle companies also add fluoride to their waters? While we always encourage drinking from glass or stainless steel, here’s a helpful list to navigate the bottled water industry.
I’m sold, I need better water. How do I fix this?
The chart at the bottom of this page shows a great visual of which contaminants will be eliminated by which filters. If you’d like to toe tap the water (pun-intended) with a countertop Activated Carbon water filter, we love the Berkey! If you’d like to take it a step further, we highly-recommend Aquasana’s Reverse Osmosis filter to be installed under your sink. As the chart shows, the reverse osmosis filter does an incredible job getting your water back to what it should be!
Wait - what about showers?
Aquasana also offers an entire in-home water filtration system to fully eliminate any contamination, but we of course realize this can be pricey. As another solution, we love Citrisafe’s shower filter . This is especially helpful for anyone undergoing mold toxicity, because chlorine can exacerbate the mold’s toxicity to your system.
More questions? Let us know! We’d love to gather round the (safe-to-drink) water cooler with you.