What are the health benefits of having a water purification system?
One of the options available to homeowners is a water purification system. While there are benefits and drawbacks to having such a system, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
Water has become the most popular beverage in the United States, finally surpassing soda as more people make healthy choices. Coffee is also among the top five most popular beverages, and since coffee is made with water, we have to consider that the quality of our coffee could be affected by the quality of our water.
The obvious benefits
The most obvious benefits from having a water purification system is that the water no longer has an unpleasant taste or odor. Family members are much more likely to reach for a glass of water if it has a crisp, neutral flavor. Odiferous water has no place in the family water glasses or even the ice tray or coffee maker. Cooking food with pleasant-tasting water will also give it a better flavor.
The less obvious benefits
Water purification systems filter our harmful organisms and mold. Biological contaminants in drinking water can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and death. Washing fruits and vegetables with purified water decreases the risk of contaminants which cause food poisoning.
Toxic metals such as lead and mercury are also removed by a water purification system. Lead has long-term health hazards for young children.
Chlorine is still the primary chemical used in municipal water systems. The justification offered is that the alternative, non-potable water, is worse. The reason chlorine is used isn’t because it's the safest form of decontamination, but because it’s the cheapest. This longstanding method of water treatment is not without risks.
Chlorine has been shown to increase the risk of cancer by 93% in people who ingest chlorinated water. These cancers include breast, colon, rectal, and bladder cancers. Drinking water in some areas contains a higher level than is recommended in swimming pools.
Two-thirds of our exposure to chlorine in the water is the result of showering. Because hot water opens the pores of the skin, absorption of chlorine occurs quickly. In addition, steam from the shower carries chlorine, which vaporizes at a faster rate than water, into the lungs of the bather in the form of chlorine gas--chloroform. The ingestion of chlorine in the human body during a ten-minute shower is the equivalent of the chlorine content of eight glasses of water.
The tissue of women with breast cancer has been found to have 50% to 60% higher levels of chlorination byproducts than women without. In 1993, Greenpeace issued a study warning women of the dangers of chlorine ingestion. Almost 25 years later, women are still contracting breast cancer at the same rate.
A water purification system will eliminate odors, harmful microorganisms, dangerous metals, and chlorine from the water. Water quality and quality of life may be linked far more closely than has been previously thought. A water purification system will minimize these risks and ensure that a family’s water quality is in no way compromised.