Why You Need a Drinking Water Filter: Health Reasons

by Thomas Manso

Getting ready to buy drinking water filters? That’s a great decision. Some people believe that a drinking water filter for their home is not a necessary expense. This is difficult to believe because they are not expensive, at all.

Drinking water filters are far less expensive than a personal computer or a television set. But, many people feel that those are “necessary” items. It is rare to find a household these days without a TV and a computer, but it’s just as rare to see a house with a drinking water filter or filtration system.

Scientists and environmental groups keep warning governments about the dangers of chlorination, but the dangers of not chlorinating are real too. During the outbreak of cholera in Peru in 1991, health experts strongly suggested to local facilities to kill the cholera pathogen with chlorine. Because chlorination by-products or THMs increase the risk of cancer, local officials in Peru and other countries were resistant to use chorine.

In Canada, researchers recently estimated that 703 cancer cases per year were caused by exposure to THMs. Yet, about 10,000 people died from cholera between the months of January and February, 1991 in Peru.

Yes, THMs increase the risk of cancer and everyone should have showerhead and drinking water filters to reduce the risk. But, don’t petition government agencies to stop chlorinating the water. It just isn’t practical.

Of course, chlorine is used nearly everywhere and government agencies try to control the amount of exposure as much as possible, but other disinfection methods are simply not as effective. Buying a point-of-use drinking water filter that removes chlorine and THMs is the only answer.

Water treatment facilities use chlorine to block the growth of algae in the pipes. Algae will affect the taste of water, and the microorganisms that cause cholera and other waterborne illnesses would begin to multiply within the algae. This is the reason behind the water treatment facilities decision to not use carbon filtration to remove the chlorine, as the water leaves the facility.

Another recent study found unacceptable the risk to those who swim in chlorinated pools combined with exposure at home from drinking and showering, and that something should be done about it. But, the study failed to recommend that people should at least get showerheads and drinking water filters for their homes.

In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency now demands that facilities publish a quality report every year. On them, they need to include chlorine and chloramines, along with THMs.

They began to require facilities to do this report after a California study showed that women who drink five or more glasses a day of regular tap water have a higher rate of miscarriage, possibly due to chlorine. Why don’t they just suggest that pregnant women get a drinking water filter? A filter is less expensive than prenatal vitamins and it’s a reasonable solution that could achieve healthy results right away.

Scientists want you to be aware of the risks and government officials want you to make the decision. It just seems logical to me. You can get the best drinking water filters on the market for less than $125 and showerhead units cost even less. Isn’t your family’s health worth the investment?

About the Author:

About the Author: Thomas C. Manso - If you’re looking for a water filtration system with great value, consider the Aquasana water filter systems. You will notice a much softer skin and hair in just a few days by showering and bathing in filtered water.

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