Do we really need a home water filter? Can't we just assume thewater that flows from our kitchen and bathroom tap issufficiently treated for contaminants by our municipal waterfacility? In order to answer these questions, we need to obtaina little more background information.

Next to air, water is the most important element for oursurvival.

Water is an integral part of our life and we use it for manyhousehold tasks throughout the day, such as: drinking andbrushing our teeth, steaming fish and vegetables, washing saladgreens, face and hand washing, showering and bathing, feedingthe pets and watering our plants.

Most of us take it for granted that our tap water is safe todrink and use for common household tasks. The U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA), however, estimates that 45,000,000people drink tap water that is polluted with chemicals, lead,germs, parasites and other impurities.

A large majority of the major U.S. cities still employ the samebasic water treatment technologies that have been used sincebefore World War I. In cities such as Atlanta, Boston andWashington, D.C. consumers are relying on pipes that are, onaverage, over a century old. Many people don't realize that ourmunicipal water treatment plants are not designed to removesynthetic chemicals and as a result we find traces of healththreatening contaminants in most of our public water supplies.

Situations arise when our tap water is polluted with more thanthe usual amount of contaminants. Municipal treatment plantshave breakdowns that take time to repair. Lead leaches into ourdrinking water from old pipes and private wells. Smallerwater-supply sources can become contaminated from agriculturaland other environmental pollutants.

It is difficult to be sure of the exact amount of toxins in ourwater supply. The EPA has estimated that, in our modern society,we use in excess of 75,000 toxic chemicals and more than 1000new chemicals are developed each year. The Ralph Nader ResearchGroup‚ after reviewing thousands of pages of EPA documentsacquired through the Freedom of Information Act‚ concluded thatto date more than 2100 toxic chemicals have already beendetected in U.S. water supplies.

Our planet earth reuses the same water over and over again,which means there is no "new water". Every single chemical usedin our society, eventually winds up in our water supplies. Asthe use of synthetic organic chemicals increases, so does thetoxicity of our water. The earth's natural filtration process isnot effective at removing these toxic synthetic organicchemicals.

The human body is made up of over 70% water. The proper functionof each organ system, as well as every healing process thathappens inside our body, takes place with water. Optimalfunctioning is only possible when water, our body's transportmedium is clean. Wastes form during the body's metabolism and ifthese wastes are allowed to accumulate through insufficientwater intake, fatigue and even illness results.

If we drink water that contains chlorine or other organic andinorganic chemicals, we force our liver and kidneys to act as afilter for these contaminants. The liver purifies and detoxifiesthe blood of waste products and toxins. In addition toregulating the body's water balance and maintaining optimal pH,the kidney also removes metabolic waste products from thebloodstream.

By providing the liver and kidneys with water, a universalsolvent and transport medium, they are assisted in their role asa natural body filter. Bombarding these organs with water thatcontains traces of additional toxins only hinders the bodydetoxification process and delays waste removal.

Water may not cure every ailment, but it is a primary ingredientthat allows our body to dilute and eliminate toxins that haveaccumulated over time.

What Can We Do To Provide Healthy Water For Our Family?

The simplest, most effective and also the most economical way totreat municipal tap water is a home water filter. Multi-mediawater filters that combine activated carbon with iron exchangemedia such as KDF are an excellent choice.

Carbon and KDF work together to remove or reduce traces ofcontaminants such as chlorine, lead, Cryptosporidium and Giardiacysts, synthetic chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs),MTBE, pesticides (lindane, atrazine), chemicals linked to cancer(benzene, TTHMs, toxaphene) and hundreds of other chemicalcontaminants that may be present causing bad taste and odors inyour drinking water.

The result is healthy, great-tasting water that still containsnatural trace minerals that are beneficial to optimal wellbeingand health.

© Copyright 2005 Andie Klein