--> The sale of home water filters increased by 26 percent since 1990 and reached $1.4 billion in 1996; more than 25 percent of adults use one or more types of home water treatment devices (The Houston Chronicle, 10/8/96).
Please also see update of "Our Water is Running Out," #5, 1981.
CHAPTER 6—1981
The True Causes ol American Economic Problems_
While the status of the U.S. economy often ranks among the top ten mainstream news stories of the year, the causes underlying our frequent economic crises don't make the news. This untold story was the top Censored story of 1981. |  Let the Buyer Beware
Since 1985, annual sales of home water filters have jumped 49 percent, to almost $2 billion. The most popular water treatment units—activated charcoal filters—remove chlorine and many organic compounds but may not remove some microorganisms, heavy metals (including lead) and other contaminants routinely removed by well-maintained municipal water systems. In addition, the charcoal filter units must be changed regularly, otherwise they can release hazardously high concentrations of pollutants back into the water.
The water-filter industry is also poorly regulated. |  If you live on the East Coast or your water
( GOOD WATER
Since exposure to many disinfection by-products comes mainly from inhalation from showers, washing machines, sinks, and toilets, I asked a number of scientists involved in home pollution if water filters at the main source of entry of the home would help. They all said no—that the gallons of water running through a house each day would overtax any filter within just one day. So I called up Greg Friedman at the Good Water Company in Santa Fe. He is a local water genius of sorts and very committed to helping people have safe water. |  Some companies that sell solid carbon block water filters are Multi-Pure, NeoLife, and Amway.
Carbon filters are rated by volume of water treated, since they can hold only a limited amount of sediment. They should be changed regularly to avoid dumping more bacteria and chemicals back into the drinking water and because the filtration slows down when they near the end of their effectiveness. The carbon filter may clean roughly 400-1,000 gallons, and each unit may vary depending on the amount of sediment in the incoming water. | | See "Treat it right: water filters" page 136, and page 207 for some excellent resources.)
IS BOTTLED BETTER?
Almost one out of every 15 households nationwide—and one out of every three households in California—consumes bottled water as their primary source of drinking water. The industry has grown approximately 400 percent over the last decade. Bottled water costs 500 to 1,000 times as much as public water. But does all that extra money buy you a safer product? Don't count on it. |  It doesn't matter if you've carefully eliminated all other pollutants, installed expensive air or water filters, and have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in all the right places—if radon levels are unacceptably high, your house is seriously unhealthy.
Radon—an odorless, colorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas—can accumulate in your home. It is estimated to cause from 5,000 to 20,000 cases of lung cancer each year, second only to cigarette smoking, according to the EPA. | | Box 191
Concord, CA 94522
Maker of all-stainless-steel water filters.
Hydromek, Inc.
4527-H San Fernando Rd.
Glendale, CA 91204
Simple kit for testing drinking water for lead levels, for $10.95 and up.
National Testing Labs, Inc. 6151 Wilson Mills Rd. Cleveland, OH 44143
Water Quality Assoc. 4151 Naperville Rd. Lisle, IL 60532
Provides information on suppliers and dealers of water treatment devices.
Water Test Corp. 33 S. Commercial St. Manchester, NH 03108
WOOD PRODUCTS AFM Enterprises, Inc. 1140 Stacy Ct. Riverside, CA 92507 Maker of AFM Water Seal.
DeGraco Coatings
Valspar Corp. |  If these are not available naturally, then water filters, full-spectrum lights, and air filters/ionizers are helpful. Avoid overexposure to dampness, and protect against other climactic extremes.
4. Supplements: Synthetic vitamins and inorganic minerals seem to work best for individuals with strong, robust signs (see "Excess" in following chapter), although they may benefit others also. Whole food supplements such as wheat- or barley-grass concentrates, sea vegetables, chlorella, and spirulina may be more beneficial for long-term use. | | Use water filters for drinking and cooking water.
10. Foster heightened concern about ecological and futuristic issues and take action to further natural harmony on Earth.
SOIL
Almost anything in the soil can get into food while it is growing. Plants absorb chemicals and minerals from the soil. Water is one way some of the chemicals keep recycling back into the soil and food. Since Earth and our body do not break down most of the new chemicals used, they accumulate and last a long time.
Nitrogen-based fertilizers are commonly used to stimulate plant growth and create bigger crop yields. |  Other water filters may work at eliminating fluoride for a short period of time, but fluoride binds so strongly and quickly to filter materials such as charcoal, that the binding sites become fully occupied after a short time. The best ways to avoid fluoride are to stay away from toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain it. (You can also become politically active and begin to educate your community about the harmful effects of fluoride.)
If you are at a high risk for osteoporosis, it's worth spending the money on a reverse osmosis water purification system. |  Activated charcoal is commonly used in air and water filters.
Activated charcoal, in addition to some other substances, has been used in Russia for the treatment of a number of disorders and diseases, including hyperlipidemia, liver, biliary tract and renal diseases. The practice is known as enterosorption and carbon sorption therapy, when activated charcoal is the principle therapeutic component. Oral activated charcoal is known to lower cholesterol levels. |  Ann Wigmore is the author of a number of books sold though the institute, which also sells a video about the program and numerous "accessories" such as juicers, dehydrators, sprouters, and water filters.
Optimum Health Institute 6970 Central Avenue Lemon Grove, CA 92045 619-464-3346
The Optimum Health Institute was formerly affiliated with Ann Wigmore's Boston organization, which at the time was called the Hippocrates Institute. |  Under-the-counter or countertop water filters are effective when the .filters are replaced as necessary. Once installed, under-the-counter units are the most convenient, as they have their own faucet. Freestanding units, such as the popular Brita filter, require pouring water into the filter. They are as inexpensive as $20 per unit.
Water Caltrop See Horned Water Chestnut.
WATER CHESTNUT
(Eleocharis tuberosa)
The most memorable property of the water chestnut is its crunch. | | It's no wonder then that in recent years, millions of Americans have either fitted their faucets with home water filters or abandoned municipal drinking water altogether in favor of bottled water. But according to GAO investigators, the sales tactics of the burgeoning "pure water" industry are sometimes dirtier than tapwater. Some marketers of bottled water and home filters have used scandalously deceptive tactics to scare consumers into spending small fortunes for water no purer than the H20 that flows from their taps. |  A randomized, controlled study published in the American Journal of Public Health reported that as many as 35 percent of gastrointestinal illnesses among tap-water drinkers were tap-water-related and preventable if micro-filters were used.32 water filters are available everywhere, and you can install them on your kitchen tap or purchase them as part of a filter-water jug set (see Appendix B).
Because tea is a mild diuretic (which causes you to lose water), you can consider a glass of tea equivalent to half a glass of water. | |
Email this page to a friend
