Choosing the Right Water Filtration System
The water crisis in Flint, MI woke a lot of people up to the disadvantages lower-income families face when getting their basic needs met. What many don’t know is that there are thousands of other cities with pipes just like Flint that are dispensing water full of lead. We expect that our cities will take care of our safety, but the reality is that they cannot always be relied on. What’s in your water and what can you do to protect yourself against it? Learn the basics of water filtration here.
Tap water usually comes straight from a river, so it must be quickly treated with harsh chemicals to ensure it will not make anybody sick. These chemicals are usually chlorine and fluoride, but violations are widespread. 77 million Americans got drinking water from systems that violated federal protections in 2015 (nrdc.org). This was never reported to the affected consumers. In fact, this number is probably on the low side considering many violations are never reported and plenty of harmful chemicals present do not have to be regulated. Even relatively new pipes can still leach chemicals into the water supply.
Chemicals in your Water Supply
Atrazine can wreak havoc on the body. Mold can also develop on residential water filtration systems. These are some easy solutions to implement in order to make you safer, despite the state of your cities’ water. Choosing what filtration system you want depends on your needs. Do you simply want to make your water a little cleaner, or do you want to remove absolutely all chemicals? Not all companies comply with Environmental Protection Agency requirements–it is essential to buy only those who do.
Start with taking a DIY home water test to find out what chemicals are in your water, and which ones you want to get rid of.
Water Filtration Systems
Pelican Water’s 10 GPM Carbon Filtration System is the best whole house option. It will protect your family from chlorine and other chemicals and is a good option at a reasonable price.
The other options are a shower water filter, refrigerator water filter, faucet water filter, and portable water filters. The names are pretty self explanatory–when purchasing one of these filters, check to make sure it is EPA certified. A good rule of thumb is to make sure they filter out heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pathogens, and farming chemicals.
You will find that immediately drinking a large glass of water when you wake up will improve your energy more than any amount of coffee. Enjoy your increased health and productivity.