Are you eating organic food but drinking tap water? Many of use eat organic food for the purpose of avoiding pesticides and other additives. I know I do. But did you know these same chemicals you’re attempting to avoid may be present in your tap water? Start by finding and reviewing your local water quality report. If the chemicals, such as atrazine (a pesticide) are regulated then they will be listed on your local water quality report. If they are unregulated, such as numerous nematicides commonly used in farming, then they will not be listed. Still, if you live in an area where there is farming upstream of you, it is very likely that they are in your water.
Studies conducted by the US Geological Survey (USGS) have found nine unregulated nematicides ( pesticides used to kill nematodes) in all Midwestern rivers. Similar studies have found mercury in every fish in every river in the western US. Because these chemicals are not yet regulated by USEPA they won’t be listed on the water quality report provided by your local water company.
There are other contaminants that may also be present. If there are cities upstream of where you live then you most likely have pharmaceuticals in your water. If there is farming you may have nitrates at dangerous levels. Radioactive metals are often present in quantities that may be harmful yet allowed.
Are you eating organic food but drinking tap water? The point of all this is that if you are really wanting to live an organic lifestyle you have to employ the appropriate water filter to do so. And you can’t just pick any filter. To know which filter you need you start by looking at your water quality report and asking questions.
Look first for the regulated contaminates which will be listed. Some of those may be removed with a simple carbon filter. Others required a purification system like reverse osmosis for drinking. After that you have to do some sleuthing to figure out what unregulated contaminants may be in your water.
These are things that are not yet regulated by USEPA but may still be dangerous to drink. This can include a wide variety of pharmaceuticals from cities upstream. Have you ever taken vitamins and then witnessed your bright yellow pee in the toilet? Well when you take medications some of these also go down the toilet. And that means they also flow downstream to the next city. If you’re downstream then you’re drinking a toxic mix of anything anyone upstream has taken.
This is not meant to scare you but rather to alert you. If you’re eating organic food but drinking tap water then you need to take action. Start by finding and reviewing your local water quality report. and then purchase the water filter that removes the contaminants in your water.
