| Boy, did I learn a valuable lesson. I didn't used to be | | | | parasites that are resistant to the effects of chlorine |
| choosy about what drinking water filter I used, but | | | | disinfection and can cause adverse health problems, |
| when I learned that my water filtration pitcher was | | | | especially in children. One particular cyst commonly |
| not removing all the contaminants lurking in my | | | | found in drinking water is cryptosporidium. If |
| water, I decided to search for a new filter to install | | | | swallowed, this parasite can invade the |
| under my counter. I wanted to find out more about | | | | gastrointestinal tract and cause diarrhea, abdominal |
| the contaminants that could be lurking in my water | | | | cramps, vomiting, headaches, and a low-grade fever. |
| and the filter I needed to remove these toxins. | | | | To remove these contaminants, you need a drinking |
| Here's what I found out. | | | | water filter equipped to remove far more than |
| Chlorine, a necessary disinfectant used to kill harmful | | | | chlorine. To protect your health, you should select a |
| bacteria and viruses, is not the only contaminant in | | | | filtration device that filters out all this bad stuff. To |
| our drinking water. Other contaminants that may | | | | verify that that the filter is certified to remove all |
| exist in our water include: volatile organic chemicals | | | | these toxins, make sure it includes a performance |
| (VOCs), trihalomethanes (THMs), lead, Methyl-t-butyl | | | | data sheet (PDS). |
| ether (MTBE), and Oocysts. | | | | A filter's PDS shows you the contaminants removed |
| VOCs cause short- or long-term adverse health | | | | in test trials performed by a nationally recognized |
| effects. Sources of VOCs include household cleaning | | | | independent agency. If a PDS is not included with a |
| supplies flushed into sewages. After flowing into the | | | | filter, it could be a sign that the manufacturer is hiding |
| sewage, they slip through the municipal water | | | | information about a toxin that filter does not remove. |
| treatment plant and return to our water supply. | | | | To protect your health, you should select a high-end |
| These chemicals can also come from pesticides that | | | | filter that includes a PDS. If you choose a pitcher |
| flow into our water supply from agricultural runoffs. | | | | filter, you can expect to pay anywhere from |
| THMs are the by-products of chlorine reacting with | | | | $20-$30 and get one filter cartridge designed to |
| organic chemicals already in the water. They can | | | | successfully filter just thirty gallons. But with a |
| cause cancer and birth defects, and the only way to | | | | high-end unit costing about $99, you would get a |
| get rid of them is to use a water filtration system | | | | twin cartridge set designed to safely filter about 500 |
| certified to remove them. | | | | gallons. |
| Lead is a metal known to cause learning disabilities | | | | A water filtration system is the best way to protect |
| and blood poisoning in children. It comes from old | | | | your health from a host of toxins that could have |
| plumbing fixtures and water faucets. Water sitting in | | | | negative effects on your health. Don't just settle for |
| the plumbing pipes and faucets can become | | | | a filter that claims to remove chlorine from your |
| contaminated with lead. | | | | water. |
| MTBE is a new toxin found in some drinking water | | | | Now that you are armed with this information, make |
| supplies. It is an additive commonly used in gasoline | | | | a wise decision to buy a high-quality drinking water |
| and it can make its way into your drinking water | | | | filter. When you see how much money it will save |
| through underground storage tanks next to municipal | | | | you when compared with buying bottle water, you |
| waterlines. At high levels of exposure, MTBE can | | | | will understand what a wise investment in your health |
| cause nausea and other health hazards. | | | | that you have made for you and your family. |
| Oocysts, often referred to as cysts, are tiny | | | | |