Natural and Sustainable

Th Nation Institutes of Health recomments you drink six to eight ounces of water each day, but is the water you’re chugging, whether from the tap or bottle, healthy? Here’s some things to keep in mind when guzzling that cool, refreshing Earth-producing beverage.

•Lead: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 20 percent of human lead exposure come from drinking water. Concerns have ratched up since late 2004, when the Washington Post reported that many cities have withheld test results showing lead levels in excess of safety standards. Lead leaches into water that stands in pipes overnight, so let your tap run 30 to 60 seconds first thing in the morning to flush that water away. Hot water leaches more lead than cold, so don’t use hot tap water for drinkin or cooking. A carbon filter carafe, such as those made by Brita or PUR, will remove lead and other contaminants.

•Bottles: Because of the concerns over tap water, many people have opted instead for bottles water. Despite the paeans to purity in bottled-water advertisements, however, bottled water can’t be presumed innocent. When the NRDC tested more than 1,000 bottled of 103 brands of water in 1999, about one-third contained contaminants-including synthetic chemicals, bacteria and arsenic-that exceeded allowable limits under either state or bottled water industry standards. The government requires products labeled “spring water” to come from an identifiable source, but that source doesn’t have to be a pristine wilderness, NRDC tested one brand of “spring water” labeld with a picture of a mountain lake: It actually flowed from an industrial parking lot next to a hazardous waste site. Up to 40 percent of bottled water comes from municipal taps, and testing requirements for bacteria and chemical contaminates are less frequent and less rigorous than those for city tap. On the other hand, manufacturers can only label water “purified” or “distilled” if it hs been treated, and it’s usually cheaper, a good option to buy or store for emergencies.

•Plastic Taste: Some unsavory chemicals from plastic water bottles can leach into the contents, particularly if the plastic is scratched, heated or degraded. THese include bisphenol-A, a component of #7 polycarbonated )the plastic found in many baby bottled and reusable sports bottles), and plasticizers known as phthalates, which may sirupt hormones and have been found to leach from bottled made of #1 PET (polyethylene terepthalate-the plastic used for most disposable water bpttles) after nine months of storage. In 2000, the Consumers Union found bisphenol-A in water from 8 out of 10 five-gallon polycarbonate water jogs. While it’s healthier for the environemnt to reuse plastic water bottled, check them for signs of wear and wash them well to prevent bacterial buildup. Don’t leave water in them for too long or let them heat up.
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How To Choose A Water Filter:
Installing a home water filter will remove the pollutants found in your tap water. Select one that’s certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Here’s an overview of commonly used filers:

Distillers: Probably the lest practical home method, distillers boil and condense water. Tabletop units are available, but they use lots of electricity, generate excess heat and require regular cleaning. In a pinch, buy distilled water.
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*Natural and Sustainable Living Tip: Keep in mind that these contaminants are common in U.S. water supplies:
ARSENIC: a poison that also can cause cancer, is found in all 50 stated but is highest in the Southwest.
ATRAZINE: a widely used pesticide, may cause hormone disruption, cancer, musculat degeneration and cardiovascular damage. Found in all 50 states, it’s most common in the Mississippi River Basin during spring runoff.
LEAD: a heavy metal, can cause brain damage and developmental problems in children and it adversely affects blood pressure, kidneys and red blood cells.
METHYL TERTIARY-BUTYL ETHER (MTBE): a gasoline additive, can leak into groundwater from underground fuel storage, spills and storm-water runoff and may cause cancer.
PATHOGENS: such as Cryptosporidium, E. Coli and Giardia are carried by animal and human waste. They can cause gastronintestinal illness that can be life-threatening for individuals with weakened immune systems.
PERCHLORATE: is a contaminant from rocket fuel that harms the thyroid and may cause cancer.
TRIHALOMETHANES (THMS): including chloroform, are byproducts of chlorine treatment and are linked to cancer, miscarriages and birth defects THMs can occure after heavy rains, when chlorine reacts with organic matter such as leaves and animal waste.