Water Safety

Visit www.Water2Drink.com to determine which point-of-use filter would work best for your family, or call for advice in selecting your #Multipure filter.

Everyone knows of the lack of water in arid areas like Los Angeles, CA and Las Vegas, NV. But what about Lincoln, NE? Cleveland, OH? Miami, FL? Washington, DC? San Antonio, TX? If you didn’t think these cities would be at risk for water availability, you might be surprised.  All of these cities are on the list of 11 US cities that have dramatically higher water usage than replenishment, according to NOAA’s Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) 2013 study. 

A recent article in the online magazine Water Conditioning & Purification (January 2014) outlines the global supply and demand and how these cities suffer the effects of their water demands.  Only a small fraction of the water used in the US (0.4 percent) is used for drinking.  Flushing toilets account for 27 gallons per person per day!  While we may want to believe that fresh clean water will always be available, many deficiencies in our water supply may be disguised in at-risk areas.

“Water-stressed regions frequently suffer from multiple economic and public health adversities, including food and water quality issues,” states the wpconline.com article.  Many water-stressed cities receive their water from locations that are many miles away, and it may travel in open canals or waterways that are subject to many levels of contamination.

The Huffington Post also wrote about the risks for these 11 cities, citing the CIRES report and additional sources.  If you live near or in these cities, you may want to begin looking at your water usage.  For the health and safety of yourself and loved ones, consider using a point-of-use water filtration system to ensure the quality of the water in your home.  You may want to begin talking to your neighbors about what conservation efforts may be in place in your area.  It is going to take awareness and action by all of us to change the trajectory of these vulnerable cities.

#Miami #WashingtonDC #SanAntonio #SaltLakeCity #Lincoln #Atlanta #SanFrancisco #ElPaso #Houston #Cleveland

For these reasons, it’s important to have a fresh, high quality water filter available that will strip contaminants from your water source.  Water2Drink.com sells only the highest quality Multipure drinking water filtration systems that are NSF-certified and have a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer. 

If you are unsure of what contaminants are reduced by a Multipure drinking water system, you can check out the NSF certifications list on our website by clicking here.

A major chemical spill in Charleston, WV. A coal ash spill in Virginia and North Carolina. A dike failure in Tennessee. Flooded farms that spread fecal matter and fertilizers. Ongoing droughts. And every day, the nation adds to the chronic, ongoing pollution of its drinking water with PPCPs (pharmaceuticals and personal care products).  While your water source may be safe today, are these events gambling with your health?

National Geographic, one of the nation’s most trusted sources for educational information, wrote a thought-provoking article that outlines the severity of these occurrences.

All of the above events have happened within the United States in the past decade alone.  While the majority of water treatment facilities are safe, it only takes an accidental leak such as the January 2014 MCHM chemical spill in Charleston to overwhelm the treatment facility.  A coal ash contamination may be even worse, such as the 2008 Tennessee dike failure and the 2000 Kentucky pond failure.  Coal ash contains heavy metals, arsenic, thallium, and other dangerous toxins.  Not only do these events immediately impact the environment (such as contaminating a nearby waterway), there is also lingering toxicity in the soil and nearby freshwater and groundwater sources.

Even the nation’s aging water transportation infrastructure adds to the problem. “In the American Society of Civil Engineers 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure, the nation's drinking water infrastructure was given a D grade for aging pipes, some of which date back to the Civil War. ‘At the dawn of the 21st century, much of our drinking water infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life,’" states the National Geographic article.

There is something you can do to ensure you and your family are protected. Educate yourself on the water quality being delivered to your home. Start by looking at the National Tap Water Quality Database.  Contact your local water authority and request a copy of your local water report. Use an NSF-Certified point-of-use water filtration system like the Multipure family of products.  You CAN beat the odds and protect your home against unexpected water contamination threats.

#CharlestonWV

#CoalAshSpill

There can be political divide in Washington, D.C., but when a gas-drilling operation threatens the waters of the nation’s capital, it is a good sign to see citizens, water utilities, and federal agencies working together to understand the risks involved.

Recently, in a WashingtonPost.com column by Robert McCartney (read it here), it is reported that the gas industry is pursuing the gas drilling method known as “fracking” in the George Washington National Forest.  This forest includes the Appalachian Mountains where the headwaters of the Potomac River are located.  However, local water utilities, local cities and counties near the forest, the Environmental Protection Agency, and citizens are suggesting a decision be delayed until the release of a major study on the effects of fracking by the EPA.

If you believe this is just another problem within the political halls of D.C., or an “inside the Beltway” issue, consider that the decision reached about fracking in National Forests may impact the future of other national forests.  The George Washington National Forest is near to adopting a new 15-year management plan, which may affect decisions made in other national forests throughout the country.

Awareness and involvement is key.  Seek out information regarding fracking near your water source, and get involved in local efforts that support your position. If you are or could be affected by fracking, you can protect yourself and your loved ones by using an effective point-of-use water filtration system, like the ones listed here.

#fracking

#GeorgeWashingtonNationalForest

#PotomacRiver

That used to be the question at gasoline pumps up until the 1970’s.  Leaded gasoline was phased out about 1975.  But since that time, lead has continued to be identified in other products such as paint, canned food, glazed ceramics, leaded crystal, mini-blinds, and imported food.  With increased awareness of lead poisoning, most of these products have been modified to reduce or eliminate lead.  However, lead can still be found in drinking water!

According to information from the New York State Dept. of Health, lead seldom occurs naturally in water supplies.   Rather, it primarily enters the water system as materials containing lead are corroded in the water distribution system, and also by the use of lead-based solder within plumbing products.  (You can read the detailed NY State Health Dept. information regarding sources of lead by clicking here.)

It has long been recommended to avoid ingesting lead to avoid lead poisoning. Children in particular are most commonly affected by lead poisoning, but you do continue to accumulate lead in your body as an adult unless you actively avoid lead exposure.  One way to do this is to use a water filtration system that is NSF-certified for lead reduction.  All Multipure Drinking Water Filtration Systems are certified for lead reduction as well as other contaminants, such as mercury and VOC’s (volatile organic compounds).  Do your research and verify that your water filtration system is NSF-certified!

You can find Multipure’s complete line of certified water filtration systems at www.Water2Drink.com.  Insist on “unleaded” – fresh, filtered water for yourself and your loved ones!

In focusing on the improvement of your drinking water, an often overlooked topic is the condition of your water supply distribution system.  Most cities had their greatest population growth and infrastructure expansions during the late 1800’s, around World War I, through the 1920’s, and post-World War II.  The materials, lifespan, and even the manufacturing processes of the pipes laid during these times, all affect the quality of the water delivered to your home today.

The Water Science and Technology Board released their first report of The Committee on Public Water Supply Distribution Systems: Assessing and Reducing Risks in 2005, which studied the public water supply distribution systems and their potential risks. Since the report was requested by the EPA, it was written toward a more governmental perspective. However, we feel our customers should begin to learn more about our aging water distribution infrastructure, specifically by reading Section 2, Trends Relevant to the Deterioration of Drinking Water in Distribution Systems.  Understanding the potential problems can lead you to make a more educated decision about taking personal control of your water filtration choice.