Most people get their water from the household tap. This water originates from lakes, rivers, streams, and underground sources. The majority of water goes through a system of cleaning at the local water treatment plant. However, because of a lack of funds to provide the necessary technology, many harmful pollutants and water borne diseases may be present in the finished treated water.
Our tap water is treated only to minimum standards, by sedimentation, filtration, chemical conditioning and disinfections with chlorine. The toxic metals, pesticides, industrial chemicals,... as well as the chemicals used in the water treatment are present in the already treated water, along with the dead bacteria killed by the chlorine, as are the carcinogenic Trihalomethanes from the chlorine itself.
According to the scientists from the World Health Organization (WHO), it has been estimated that between 60 to 80 percent of all cancer is caused by the chemicals in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. Cancer will afflict one out of every four people. Over 20 years ago concerns were expressed that increases in carcinogens in water and our inability to remove them at the treatment plants could result in serious exposure of the general population. Bacteria, viruses, synthetic compounds, metals, and radio nuclides are the contaminants that can become incorporated into our drinking water, and have the potential to cause health effects ranging from low grade sub-clinical illnesses such as colds and flu to death from cancer.
There are more than 60 000 chemical contaminants in water. Any municipal water supply is likely to have at least a thousand of these. Water authorities do what they can, but it is too great and expense to ensure our tap water is healthy enough for us to drink.
An ever-increasing amount of industrial toxic waste is being poured into our lakes and rivers. Chemicals, fertilizers and toxic sprays used on the land as well as insufficient treated sewage continue to pollute the waterways. Water from public water systems and even from many wells and springs is likely to be loaded with poisonous chemicals and toxic trace elements.
Much evidence continues to be discovered in regards to plumbing systems and their contribution in polluting water. Zinc, copper, cadmium, lead, and other trace elements are released in excessive quantities by the chemical action of the water in the metals of water pipes.
The Environmental Protection Agency recently reported that unsafe levels of lead in American drinking water accounted for growth retardation and lowering of intelligence in children as well as blood ailments and pregnancy problems. Similarly, according to a recent World Health Organization report, a substantial portion of disease outbreaks can be attributed to deficiencies in drinking water disinfections. In addition, it's common knowledge that the majority of municipal water companies use as many as 50 different chemicals to clean water.
Chlorination was first introduced in the U.S. in 1908 in the water supply of the Chicago stockyards and subsequently in the urban water supply of Jersey City. Because chlorine is an extremely inexpensive chemical and readily adapted to the large-scale use necessary for drinking water, the process began to be utilized extensively throughout the world.
Studies have shown that chlorine reacts with a host of chemicals, including human made chemicals from industrial and municipal wastewater or runoff as well as naturally occurring human substances, to produce chlorinated organics. Trihalomethanes are the most commonly occurring organics found in drinking water and appear at the highest concentrations.
There is mounting evidence showing the side effects of using chlorine in water treatment. Chlorine is known to promote carcinogens by combining with other water borne pollutants and has been identified as a major cause of many degenerative diseases, especially of the cardiovascular system.
Fluoride, in the levels added to drinking water, causes a host of disorders, birth defects, heart and kidney disease, allergies, cancer, and more. Combine these chemicals with the liberal quantities of industrially produced toxic agents (asbestos, pesticides, heavy metals and a variety of other cancer causing substances) in our water and it becomes no wonder that many scientists point to our drinking water as a contributing factor towards the majority of human cancers.
There are two forms of minerals, organic and inorganic. An inorganic mineral refers to non-vegetable or non-animal matter, i.e. not living. This includes carbonate and lime compounds, calcium, iron, and magnesium. Because these components are non-living, our bodies cannot make use of these minerals and our cells reject them. The result of ingesting these minerals is an accumulation of debris in our bodies. Organic minerals on the other hand are living, and are found in the vegetables, fruit, seeds, grains, meats, and nuts, which form our daily diet. These are easily assimilated by our cells and are essential for good health. If you rely on water a source for your required minerals, you will be sadly lacking. The minerals in water are inorganic, and the body cannot make use of them. The body continually assimilates the much needed minerals from the food we eat.
No, this is physiologically impossible. Some have been lead to believe that because distilled water is so pure, it will leach healthy minerals and trace elements from the body. Distilled water will do this with pipes. In our bodies distilled water cleans out our impurities and replenishes the essential nutrient required for human life; pure, clean, healthy water. Our cells use the organic minerals for body growth and maintenance; however, the impurities that the body cannot make use of are flushed out with distilled water. Distilled water flushes out all the inorganic minerals and pollutants which would otherwise be retained in the body and accumulate in vital organs such as liver, kidneys, intestines and fatty tissue. Drinking impure water gradually increases these minerals and pollutants. A continuous or prolonged exposure to these minerals and pollutants may cause carcinogens to form within tissues. The cancer may only manifest itself months, years; even decades after such contacts have ceased. And often the causative agents may have totally disappeared from the tissues.