Find out about Micro-organisms, Toxic Minerals, Metals, Inorganic and Organic Chemicals, Chlorine, Fluoride, Flocculants Additives and water filtering.
When certain bacteria appear in environments where they do not normally reside, they can cause illness. If these bacteria are ingested through drinking water, they may lead to conditions such as diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. Common water-borne bacterial diseases include cholera, typhoid, bacterial dysentery, tularaemia, brucellosis, shigellosis, infectious hepatitis, Weil's disease, and anthrax. These diseases are typically transmitted through water contaminated with faecal material, which can result from faulty equipment, inadequate maintenance, improperly trained operators, or unusual water conditions, such as surface runoff contaminating drinking water supplies after heavy rains.
Viruses are the smallest of all pathogenic agents, some being as tiny as a single molecule. Generally, they are more dangerous and more resistant to disinfection than bacteria. Viruses found in polluted water include adenoviruses, Coxsackie and ECHO viruses, reoviruses, polioviruses, and those that cause infectious hepatitis. Treating viral infections is more challenging because viruses are not affected by common antibiotics. For viruses, prevention is indeed the best approach.
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that is increasingly found in water supplies across the country. This chlorine-resistant parasite can challenge the body's immune system. Individuals at highest risk include those with compromised immune systems, such as AIDS and cancer patients, the elderly, infants, and people with chronic health conditions. For these groups, drinking contaminated water can be potentially fatal.
Giardia is another cyst-forming protozoan that causes giardiasis, the most common waterborne disease in the United States and many other countries. Giardiasis leads to acute diarrhoea that can persist for months and may cause severe distress, particularly in children, the elderly, and those in weakened health, potentially leading to death. Similar to Cryptosporidium, Giardia forms a tough, protective coating known as an oocyst, which helps it survive standard chlorination processes. As a result, Giardia occasionally appears in municipal water supplies across the country.
A water filter system with 0.5 micron (or finer) filtration can remove 99.99% of the above cysts, such as the Pure Magic Double Under-sink Premium, Double Under-sink Ultimate, Triple Under-sink, Single Countertop Premium, Double Countertop Ultimate, Doulton Ceramic Countertop or superior systems such as Reverse Osmosis (0.0005 micron filtration).
Copper can naturally occur in water, but elevated levels in tap water typically indicate corrosion of plumbing pipes, which poses serious health risks. Dr. Fergus Kerr, a clinical toxicologist at Melbourne's Austin Hospital, notes that drinking water with copper levels above the recommended guidelines can initially cause gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal cramping. Long-term exposure can lead to more severe health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and renal failure, with untreated cases potentially resulting in death.
Lead is one of the most dangerous pollutants found in drinking water. It can cause serious health issues, including kidney damage, brain disorders, and central nervous system problems. In adults, lead exposure may result in miscarriages, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, impotence, various nervous system disorders, and potentially death. For infants, even small amounts of lead can lead to irreversible brain damage, intellectual and emotional development issues, numerous nervous system impairments, and stunted growth. High levels of lead have been associated with symptoms such as lethargy, behavioural changes, and cognitive impairments in children. Because lead accumulates in the body over time, it is crucial to prevent lead contamination in your drinking water supply.
Arsenic is a well-known poison that naturally occurs in many rocks, minerals, and soils. While it is used in various industrial processes, most man-made pollution stems from the use of arsenic-containing pesticides. Like lead, even small amounts of arsenic can accumulate in the body over time, leading to a condition known as chronic arsenicosis. Symptoms may take years to manifest and often begin with weakness, fatigue, dry, scaly skin, keratosis (skin pigmentation changes), ganglion cysts, and swelling of the mouth's lining. Over time, nerve degeneration may cause tingling and numbness in the hands and feet. Arsenic is also associated with cancer and can adversely affect the liver and heart. In its most severe form, chronic arsenicosis can be fatal.
Asbestos is a silicate mineral and a known lung carcinogen. It has also been linked to stomach cancers, possibly due to the ingestion of asbestos-laden lung mucus, which can come into contact with the stomach lining. Asbestos is widely distributed in the environment and can contaminate drinking water sources through the weathering of local geological deposits, pollution from iron mining and refining, or erosion of asbestos-containing water pipes and conduits. Studies from San Francisco have found associations between asbestos in water and increased risks of stomach, esophageal, and lung cancers.
Water filter systems with heavy metal removal include ion-exchange filters such as the Pure Magic Double Under-sink Ultimate and the Ion-Exchange Countertop, as well as Steam Distillers, and Reverse Osmosis, which is the most effective option.
This category encompasses a wide range of carbon-containing chemicals, including synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, disinfectants, paints, fuels, plastics, dyes, flooring materials, pharmaceuticals, and preservatives, among others. When synthetic chemicals are detected in a water supply, the source of contamination may be far removed - such as a leaking gasoline tank or industrial discharge many miles away - or it could be agricultural runoff, herbicide application along highways, or numerous other legal or illegal sources.
One particularly hazardous type of organic chemical is volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs can be absorbed through the skin when you come into contact with water, such as during a shower or bath. Additionally, hot water facilitates the rapid evaporation of these chemicals, which can be harmful if inhaled. VOCs can be present in any tap water, regardless of location or water source.
Moreover, new and potentially dangerous organic chemicals can form directly in the water. Chlorine, commonly found in Australian tap water, reacts with organic compounds to produce a group of toxic pollutants known as trihalomethanes (THMs). These substances have been linked to impaired fertility and cancer.
Most types of carbon filters will remove organic chemicals.
Chlorine is a highly effective and inexpensive disinfectant widely used in Australia and many other countries to treat municipal and individual water supplies. While chlorination has significantly reduced water-borne diseases, growing evidence suggests that it may pose serious health risks, particularly when high levels of free residual chlorine remain in the water by the time it reaches your tap. Dr. Joseph M. Price has highlighted that free chlorine in water can contribute to heart disease by promoting the formation of cholesterol deposits, or plaque, which can clog arteries and lead to heart attacks and strokes. Disinfection by-products (DBPs), such as trihalomethanes (THMs), are formed when chlorine reacts with organic matter in the water. A recent study by Harvard doctors found that DBPs may be linked to rectal and bladder cancers. Additionally, a large study of pregnant women and their babies revealed a significant association between certain birth defects and DBPs. THMs, a class of DBPs, are known to damage the kidneys, liver, and nervous system, and are associated with birth defects. Many THMs are also proven carcinogens.
Fluoride is added to drinking water to improve children's dental health. Proponents of fluoridation highlight studies showing significant reductions in tooth decay among children who drink fluoridated water. However, opponents present equally credible research indicating no noticeable difference in dental health between children in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas. Regardless of this debate, there are key facts to consider about water fluoridation. Regardless of this dispute, there are some important facts to remember about water fluoridation. First, fluoride is a highly toxic chemical, rated as more toxic than lead in chemistry indexes, whose level of ingestion must be carefully regulated. The difficulty is that no one knows for sure how much fluoride the average child is receiving. This is because, in addition to water fluoridation, children can ingest fluoride through toothpaste and through the fluoridated water that may be used in canned foods and beverages. Secondly, in addition to hardening children's teeth, there are many side effects like tooth mottling, and increased risks of bone diseases and cancer.
Flocculants: In addition to chlorine and fluoride, water treatment plants often add other substances to enhance the efficiency of the treatment process. Flocculants are used to cause particles in the water to clump together, making sedimentation more effective. One common type of flocculant is polyelectrolytes. However, several countries have banned the use of certain polyelectrolytes due to concerns that some of their components are carcinogenic and mutagenic (causing genetic mutations).
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