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• You have queries about alkaline water; you need to go here or
• You want to learn about water filtration in general; you need to stay here.

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...Why we all need a Water Filtration System

Why Water Needs to be Filtered 

There are many, many water borne contaminants, viruses, bacteria and
amoeba that still make it through today’s purportedly high-tech water
source processing.

These include:

Chlorine:

used to kill life forms in the water, chlorine is a recognised carcinogen.

We are now entering into a period of ever-increasing water shortages. As reservoirs lower, water suppliers add more chlorine. This is because the number of
micro-organisms in a reservoir do not decrease as
water levels drop. They simply become more concentrated. Dosage has to be be lifted above recommended maximums due to the necessity of containing
disease from micro-organism increases.

During our last local drought, we could even smell chlorine gas from outside taps.

Chlorine in drinking water has been linked to increased incidence of bladder and rectal cancers by Harvard University and the
Medical College of Wisconsin.

Chlorine is also linked to body protein damage. It causes dry skin and hair, and burns the eyes. If you suffer from asthma, sinus problems, allergies, skin rashes or emphysema chlorine in your water may well exacerbate your condition.

Chlorine kills bugs, but it also reacts with the organic matter in water,
creating potentially toxic new substances. One such substance,
trihalomethane, is far more carcinogenic than chlorine itself.

The US EPA labels Mutagen X

...another chlorine byproduct as the ‘single largest contributor’ to the
ability of municipal water to cause genetic mutations.

Chloramines... 

in excess of EPA's standard could cause stomach discomfort or anemia.

Chlorine Dioxide.

Some infants and young children who drink water containing chlorine
dioxide in excess of accepted standards may experience nervous system effects.  Similar effects may occur in foetuses of pregnant women who
drink water containing chlorine dioxide in excess of the standard. 
Some people may also experience anemia.

Fluoride:

90% of Australian water supplies now add fluoride.
USA’s EPA has set an enforceable drinking water
standard for fluoride of 4 mg/L (some people who drink water containing fluoride in excess of this level over
many years could get bone disease, including pain and tenderness of the bones).
EPA has also set a secondary fluoride standard of 2 mg/L to protect against dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, results in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth.
This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt
from the gums.
Children under nine should not drink water that has more than 2 mg/L of fluoride.

Microbes;

Coliform bacteria are common in the
environment and are generally not harmful. However, the presence of these bacteria in drinking water is usually a result of a problem with the treatment system or the pipes which distribute water, and indicates that the water may be contaminated with germs that can cause disease. Fecal Coliform and E-Coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes.
Microbes in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. More here

Turbidity

has no health effects.
However, turbidity can interfere with disinfection and provide a medium for microbial growth. Turbidity may indicate the presence of disease causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches.

Micro-organisms

These include germs, amoeba, parasites, cysts and viruses. In my
experience chlorine does not fully eliminate these organisms. During our
recent local drought, even though chlorine levels were drastically increased, local health practitioners reported a rash of parasitical infection.

Filtration level

is important for exclusion of parasites. Although nothing lower than one
micron will exclude Cryptosporidium and Giardia, it requires a filtration of less than 0.1micron to exclude viruses. Few people realise that flu viruses are carried on birds that migrate from Asia. These birds settle in our reservoirs, and outbreaks follow...

Cryptosporidium

is a parasite that enters lakes and rivers through
sewage and animal waste. It causes cryptosporidiosis, a mild gastrointestinal disease. However, the disease can be severe or fatal for people with weakened immune systems. More here

Giardia Lambdia

is a parasite that enters lakes and rivers through sewage and animal waste. It causes gastrointestinal illness (e.g. diarrhea, vomiting, cramps).

Inorganic Contaminants

include Antimony, Asbestos, Barium, Beryllium, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Cyanide, Mercury, Nitrates, Nitrites, Selenium, Thallium.

Lead

typically leaches into water from plumbing in older buildings. In the US,
Lead pipes and plumbing fittings have been banned since August 1998.
Children and pregnant women are most susceptible to lead health risks.

More here

Synthetic Organic Contaminants,

including pesticides & herbicides:

1. 2,4-D

2. 2,4,5-TP (Silvex)

3. Acrylamide

4. Alachlor

5. Atrazine 

6. Benzoapyrene

7. Carbofuran

8. Chlordane

9. Dalapon

10. Di 2-ethylhexyl adipate

11. Di 2-ethylhexyl phthalate Dibromochloropropane

12. Dinoseb

13. Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)

14. Diquat

15. Endothall

16. Endrin

17. Epichlorohydrin

18. Ethylene dibromide

19. Glyphosate (Roundup)

20. Heptachlor

21. Heptachlor epoxide Hexachlorobenzene 

22. Hexachlorocyclopent

23. Lindane

24. Methoxychlor 

25. Oxamyl [Vydate]

26. PCBs [Polychlorinated biphenyls] 

27. Pentachlorophenol 

28. Picloram 

29. Simazine

30. Toxaphene  

Disinfection Byproducts.   More here

Disinfection byproducts form when disinfectants added to drinking
water to kill germs react with naturally-occuring organic matter in water. These may include:

1. Trihalomethanes.

Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of EPA standard over many years may experience problems with their liver,
kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk
of getting cancer. More Here

2. Haloacetic Acids.

Some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids in excess of
EPA standard over many years may have an increased risk of
getting cancer. More Here

3. Bromate.

Some people who drink water containing bromate in excess of EPA
standard over many years may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

Chlorite. Some infants and young children who drink water containing
chlorite in excess of EPA's standard could experience nervous system
effects.  Similar effects may occur in fetuses of pregnant women who drink water containing chlorite in excess of EPA's standard.  Some people may experience anemia. More here

4. Volatile Organic Compounds

may combine with other contaminants to form new toxic substances. These include:

1. Benzene

2. Carbon Tetrachloride

3. Chlorobenzene 

4. o-Dichlorobenzene

5. p-Dichlorobenzene 

6. 1,1-Dichloroethylene

7. cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene trans-1,2-Dicholoroethylene

8. Dichloromethane

9. 1,2-Dichloroethane

10. 1,2-Dichloropropane

11. Ethylbenzene

12. Styrene

13. Tetrachloroethylene 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene

14. 1,1,1-Trichloroethane 

15. 1,1,2-Trichloroethane

16. Trichloroethylene 

17. Toluene

18. Vinyl Chloride

19. Xylenes 

5. MTBE

is a fuel additive, commonly used in the United States to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels caused by auto emissions. Due to its
widespread use, reports of MTBE detections in the nation's ground and
surface water supplies are increasing. The US Office of Water and other
EPA offices are working with a panel of leading experts to focus on issues posed by the continued use of MTBE and other oxygenates in gasoline.
US EPA is currently studying the implications of setting a drinking water
standard for MTBE. More here

Copper

Very few water systems can remove lead.
Lead may be a problem in older homes where lead solder was used to join copper pipes. If the water supply is acidic, it will eat away at the lead - and copper - overnight, so that your first water in the morning may hold high levels of both minerals.
For this reason it is always a good practice to
run the tap for a minute or so before using the filter first thing in the morning. More here

Hormones, Drugs and More.

As our society gains in ways to create new
substances, we are seeing more and more sythetic substances turn up in our water supply. These include xenoestrogens, hormones, pain killers, tranquillisers, and almost every other drug
imaginable including Prozac and Viagra. This is happening now, and has increased alarmingly as
we become more drug-dependent. Drugs enter
through water recycling, garbage disposals interfering with water tables,
and just thoughtless dumping by individuals.

Although some water filter sellers talk about it, they do not actually know whether these compounds will be filtered out. We can only make the best choice of system within our means. More here

“Purification” Chemicals

In order to ‘purify’ drinking water up to 50 different chemical compounds
are used. These include; Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) Chlorine Compressed Liquefied Gas, Sodium Fluoride, Aluminum Sulphate Solution, Soda Ash
Solution, Sodium Hydroxide (dissolvable solid), Aluminum Sulphate, Polymer 1190, Polymer 1115, Polymer 1160X, Sodium Hypochlorite solution, and Sodium Silicofluoride

Acid Water

is often found in rainwater tanks, especially tin and fibreglass/plastic..
Some areas of Australia also have acid water supplies even though the
Water Safety Guidelines recommend neutral or above, mainly to prevent
copper and lead from being eroded into the water supply. Drinking acid
water may increase acidity in the body, already at record levels due to
modern lifestyle, diet and pollution. More here

WATER FILTRATION ~UP UNTIL NOW

We receive our water from the sky.
It is a gift of amazing importance.

Falling to earth, it percolates through the
earth, into streams, whirling, tumbling,
seeping and flowing, absorbing light photons, energy and the minerals essential for healthy life. When we drink it, the minerals and energy it holds are absorbed and converted
to energy, and it  passes back into the earth and the sea - where it evaporates to continue this perfect natural cycle.

The intricate perfection of the snowflake is testament to water’s structural integrity as it falls, pure and new, from the sky.

Natural water is a rarity today due to industrial contamination,
woodland loss and the need for centralised water storage.

Today Filtration is just the first step.

Restorative technology has taken giant steps in the last thirty years
but it is only recently that it has reached Australian shores. Here at
Ion Life we are deeply involved in investigating, testing and learning
about the new technologies. What we have learned from experience
is that there is not one answer for all water problems.