Hi Readers! This is Dr. Leslie, a board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician, Integrative Medicine expert, and founder of Sharpe Concierge. Through my personal concierge physician services, food planning, food sensitivity testing, weight management and supplementation program, I help busy professionals take control of their health to lead more vibrant lives.
Let me start by saying that this blog is not meant to scare you but it is meant to inform you. Do you know what is in your water? The easiest way to answer this question is to find your local water utility’s annual water quality report. This should be available regardless of where in the US you live. For anyone who uses well water, this report will not suffice and a home water quality test would be more suitable. Once you have the results in hand, you can determine your own comfort level. So why should you filter your water?
When you filter your water, this allows for the following:
1. To remove chlorine
Chlorine is added to our water to kill bacteria, viruses and other microbes in water and most specifically, water-borne illnesses. While this may seem like a benefit, chlorine also has a tremendous downside. According to the U. S. Council of Environmental Quality, the cancer risk for people who drink chlorinated water is up to 93% higher than for those whose water does not contain chlorine. This finding is likely related to multiple other factors of industrialized countries but is something that should be considered. When chlorine mixes with naturally occurring organic materials, a group of compounds called trihalomethanes are produced. In high levels, these compounds have been suggested to cause an increased risk in bladder and colon cancer, and may be linked to heart, lung, kidney and central nervous system damage.
2. To remove bacteria
Bacteria that do survive chlorinated water or is introduced to water from dirty drinking vessels or plumbing systems, can be filtered out.
3. To save money over bottled water
The savings of filtering your water at home varies considerably with the type of filter you are using. One of the most popular water filtration pitchers for example states that it can save you $900 each year over drinking bottled water.
4. It removes heavy metals and pesticides while important minerals remain.
The most common heavy metals in tap water include cadmium, manganese, arsenic, lead, and copper. The World Health Organization lists these chemicals as being a public health concern. Cadmium is commonly found because of its presence in galvanized pipes.
The amount of pesticides in your water is studied by the EPA or the Environmental Protection Agency. A report which is published each year is in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Included in this report is a section on understanding your annual water quality report. All pesticides have some level of toxicity to organisms as they are used to rid us of pests including insects and weeds. These toxic agents are then absorbed into the soil and make their way to our groundwater supplies. 70% of the US drinking water comes from inland fresh water. If these sources have been contaminated, we are then taking that same water into our bodies.
5. It removes PFAS
What are PFAS? PFAS stands for perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances. They were previously known as PFCS. These substances are used in manufacturing as they help repel water and oil. They’re also used in many household products and are dubbed as “forever chemicals”. These chemicals do not breakdown easily overtime and are able to be dissolved in water. PFAS have been linked to high cholesterol levels, developmental delay in children, immune system damage, thyroid problems, increase risk of testicular, prostate, and kidney cancer, and higher blood pressure during pregnancy.
6. Removes pharmaceuticals in the water.
One of the ways many people dispose of unused medication is to flush it down the toilet. While the idea of disposing of them rather leaving them to be inadvertently taken by the owner or children, is with safety in mind, these drugs then enter our water supply. Many medications are now present in our water supply causing both environmental harm as well as negative effects on humans. While water treatment facilities do eliminate some of these medications, there are others that are not easily filtered out.
I personally filter my water at home and find that it improves the taste as well as gives me an increased level of comfort. Although I realize there may still be some pollutants present in the water I drink, I feel this is a good start. Remember it is important that we drink at least 64 ounces of water each day but the ideal amount is 1/2 your weight in pounds. This means if you weigh 160 pounds you should be drinking at least 80 ounces of water each day. This number may vary depending on any other health conditions you may have. Please consult your physician for any concerns.
Thank you for reading this blog. As always…This is Dr. Leslie, a board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician, Integrative Medicine expert, and founder of Sharpe Concierge. Through my personal concierge physician services, food planning, food sensitivity testing, weight management and supplementation program, I help busy professionals take control of their health to lead more vibrant lives. If you are ready to take control of your health, let’s work together!
