To Filter or Not To Filter That Is The Question

Let us keep things in perspective - the water supply throughout North America when compared to some other countries in the world is relatively safe. But this doesn't mean that North American water quality monitoring operates flawlessly.

If media reports over the past 10 years are anything to go by, consumers have a right to be concerned about water safety.

Drinking Water Contaminants

Over the past decade, a host of drinking water contaminants have been discovered in various studies. Pharmaceutical drugs and rocket fuel are just two of the shocking discovers of what is in tap water.

Some people put forward the argument that these contaminants were only found in trace amounts in our water supply and are therefore harmless. But scientists are concerned that over the long term - these contaminants could cause serious health problems

What About Chlorination

Even the use of the almighty chlorine has been called into question. Whilst it has been used for decades to kill harmful pathogens in your water supply, it can still pose health risks.

Chlorine is a major asthma inducer. It can cause healthy people to get asthma or worsen the condition of current asthma sufferers. Just ask the U.S swim team. They have a have a disproportionately higher number of asthma sufferers than other members of the U.S Olympic team.

Even worse, chlorine has been linked to cancer.

Possible Solution - Bottled Water

You could buy bottled water. Most of them have gone through additional filtration processes and are of good quality. They certainly taste better than tap water.

Problem is that per gallon, they cost a lot more than regular tap water. Additionally, the plastic bottles that contain the water itself can be a source of contamination as it leaches chemicals into its contents.

How About Water Filtration Systems

An increasing amount of people are turning to home water filters to get rid of harmful drinking water contaminants and improve the taste and appearance of tap water.

Even with the upfront cost of buying one of these devices and the cost of filter cartridge replacement, they produce purified water at a much lower cost per gallon than bottle water.

Depending on the filtration device, it can provide safer drinking water to every faucet in your home or to an individual tap. There are household filtration devices that can remove bacteria, chemicals and sediments.

When you consider the potential health risks associated with consuming unfiltered tap water, you realize that purchasing a water purifier is a small cost to ensure that your family consumes the best water possible.