30 million Americans are drinking contaminated water
that is unfit for human consumption
That’s right 30 million of us are drinking tap water that is contaminated with unsafe levels of lead. Many other contaminants pose threats as well, but we’ll get to those in another post.
Lead is a naturally occuring element in the earth’s crust. While it has some beneficial uses, lead is very toxic to humans and animals causing adverse health effects. Lead can also be found in other parts of our environment and even our homes. Much of our exposure to lead comes from human activities, such as the use of fossil fuels. Lead and lead compounds can be found in a variety of things such as paint, plumbing, gasoline, batteries, cosmetics, and yes our water.
When lead is emitted into the air it can travel pretty far, settling on the ground and contaminating our soil. Here is can easily move from soil to groundwater and contaminate our water supplies. We’ve seen this happen in Flint, michigan, where their tap water has been contaminated with lead since 2014 and many people were affected by lead poisoning.
That is why it is so important to invest in a good water filtration system.
A small investment today could pay you back big time in health benefits down the road. At the end of the post we’ll link what we think is the best water filter out there. There are many options to fit your needs and this product is top rated, Used in emergency situations to provide clean water to those in need, and a staple in our own home. This product can filter water from lakes and ponds, removing all contaminants including lead, and even fluoride to provide you the safest and healthiest water possible. Did I mention unlike reverse osmosis filters that remove all the good minerals, it preserves minerals.
Why is lead harmful?
Lead is harmful to anyone who is exposed to it, especially young children and pregnant women. Lead is especially dangerous in these situations because children absorb more lead into their bodies. Their brains and nervous systems are also more sensitive to the damaging effects that lead can pose.
Lead is known to adversely affect every system and organ within your body and can cause health implications for children, pregnant women, and even adults.
Adverse effects of lead exposure include but are not limited to
- Learning problems
- Behavioral problems
- Hearing problems
- Slowed growth
- Premature birth in infants
- Cardiovascular troubles
- Reproductive issues
- Lower IQ
It is also linked to liver damage, kidney damage, and even Cancer!
What limit of lead if safe?
Did you know that all 50 states have water systems that violate the Environmental protection agency’s safe drinking water act. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to determine the level of contaminants in drinking water at which no adverse health effects are likely to occur with an adequate margin of safety.
Both the EPA and CDC agree that there is no known safe level of lead in a child’s blood. The effects of lead are so detrimental that children are required to be tested for lead contamination by their doctor at a certain age.
For testing purposes and diagnosis of lead poisoning the EPA has now set the standard of lead contamination to 5 micrograms per deciliter.
More facts about Lead and Water Contamination
8,000 children in Flint, MI were exposed to lead poisoning since 2014
According to NRDC 18 million people’s water supplies had lead violations in 2015
The NRDC also reports there are anywhere from 6-10 million water service lines made of lead that need to be replaced
Even better the trump administration proposed cuts to the EPA’s budget for next fiscal year, including a $600 million cut to water related programs
What can you do?
The easiest way to limit or eliminate your exposure to lead is to be aware of your surroundings.
Does the paint in your old home contain lead?
Do you have lead plumbing in your home?
Do you have old plates or cups that were produced with lead?
Most importantly, Is the water you are drinking from the tap contaminated?
If you’ve read through this post or at least skimmed through the highlights or bullet points you now know that your water is probably contaminated. Your first thought might be to run out and buy bottled water, but most bottled water is municipal (tap water) that has undergone some form of treatment or none at all.
Bottled water holds the second largest share in the beverage industry ahead of milk and beer, and buying bottled water is 2,000 times more expensive than tap water. People are spending anywhere on average of $1.57- $8.00 a gallon depending on the quality of water purchased.
The most popular brands of water Dasani and Aquafina are owned by Coca-Cola and Pepsi-co. These are not companies you want providing you with water.
Aquafina is essentially tap water treated with reverse osmosis, ultraviolet sterilization and ozone sterilization. This process strips the water of its beneficial minerals. In Canada, where the labeling is more strict, the water must be labeled that it comes from a public source and is de-mineralized!
Dasani also uses tap water and filters their water using reverse osmosis but they add a small amount of trace minerals back into the water including magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride. All of which could be avoided simply through the proper filtering process.
Instead of giving away money to these companies that selfishly monopolize the water supplies for corporate greed, consider purchasing a water filter for your home.
What water filter should I purchase
When it comes to purchasing the best water filter, I understand you want to get the most bang for your buck. What price are you willing to pay for the health of you and your family? Health is an investment and your investment now will pay off tenfold in the future.
I have searched high and low looking for the best water filter for my family. I also knew what I was looking for and these are the key points you should look for as well.
- Low maintenance
- Filter quality
- Long filter life
- Mineral preservation
- Easy to use
Why do I choose berkey?
Berkey water filters provide the ultimate in waterborne contamination removal. They are used worldwide to set the international standard for water filters used in clean or hostile filtration environments. Owning a Berkey Water Filter gives you the ability to utilize almost any outside natural water source and transform it into the best tasting, purest drinking water possible. All while using a natural method without the use of chemicals or complicated processes.
The Berkey water filter system is so powerful it is classified as a purifier. Through diligent testing and research, we have proven that Berkey water filters remove viruses to purification standards, pathogenic bacteria, cysts and parasites to undetectable levels, and harmful or unwanted chemicals to below detectable levels. Until these test results were made public, words like non-detectable were seldom if ever used to describe the abilities of a water filter to remove harmful pollutants. The filters in the Berkey system not only took the industry by storm with these unheard of benefits but also added the ability to reduce toxic heavy metals such as lead and mercury without removing the beneficial and nutritional minerals needed to support a healthy body and mind. Review and compare the ability of the unique Berkey Water Filter to Brita, Aquasana, Pur, Katadyn or bottled water and see for yourself what we have to offer and why we dominate the portable water filter industry.
I found all of this and more with the big berkey system that I purchased. Berkey is always running promotions. Currently if you purchase an add on accessory, you will receive 5% off your entire order, and if you purchase from the link provided below, you can enter a promotional code for an additional 10% off. The code is BERKEYLIFE and is a special promotion for friends of staysprouted. That’s a 15% off savings.
*All content on the stay sprouted website is meant for informational purposes only. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the food and drug administration. Products and or information are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease. Readers are advised to do their own research and make
decisions in partnership with their health care provider. If you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition or are taking medication, please consult your physician.
*In order to support the stay sprouted blog so that we are able to continue providing you with the best information in regards to health and wellness we may receive monetary compensation for links to products. These products have been tested and used by us and approved for your use.