For most of us in the U.S, the path to good, safe drinking water begins with a sand water filter. This is because most of our municipal water treatment plants employ sand filtration as one of the first steps in water purification. The next steps are often to add chlorine (bleach) to the water to control viral or parasitic infections, and fluoride to reduce tooth decay in children. In this article, we will look at what is added to our water supplies and how safe it is for you to drink.



Many of the water treatment plants use a sand water filter to remove the larger particulate debris from the water. In order to aid in the removal of some of the smaller particles during this procedure, flocculants are often added, these are polyexectrolytes that entice the smaller debris to cling together.

Now we will take a closer look and these additives so we understand what is coming out of our taps at home.

1. Chlorine - A deadly poison to start with, but it morphs into even more deadly forms by the time it reaches our homes. These chlorine byproducts are called THMs (trihalomethanes) and they are formed when chlorine combines with organic matter in the water. Some treatment plants are now using less chlorine by adding ammonia to the mix, claiming it is safer. While it is true, there are fewer THMs produced with the chlorine- ammonia mix, new chemicals compounds are being produced as well, having, as yet, unknown toxicities.

2. Fluoride - Another deadly poison and I believe most people do not realize fluoride is more deadly than lead and only slightly less deadly than arsenic, if swallowed. Despite where it lies on the toxicity scale, between lead and arsenic, the EPA allows fluoride levels in water of up to 4,000 ppb (parts per billion) but only allows 15 ppb of arsenic and 50 ppb of lead. (Did you know a peanut sized dollop of fluoride toothpaste, if swallowed by a child under six, can lead to the child's death? Check out the warning label on any fluoride toothpaste container.)

3. Polyelectrolytes - Although some of these flocculants have been found to cause genetic mutations and have been banned in other countries, and EPA scientists have said they are likely carcinogens, they are still allowed to be used in the U.S. by the EPA.

So little testing has been done that no one really knows the effects of these three additives on our health risk. Drinking chlorinated water does cause heart disease, we do know that. And, drinking chlorinated water will increase your cancer risk over those who do not drink chlorinated water (it will be 93% higher). But, what happens when we consume all three at once? When they combine with each other or end up in combination with the host of other pollutants that are gaining access to our water supplies. What is our health risk then?

Who knows? Do we wait for concrete proof of the harm done by each toxin and every combination? After all, we are blessed with common sense, and common sense tells us we will be safer not drinking water containing poisons no matter what their levels. And common sense says we might even be able to flush out some of the toxins already in our systems if our bodies are given good, clean water.

So, while a sand water filter was a beginning, a small step, on our path to good, safe water, that gut feeling called common sense, urges us to protect ourselves and our families by filtering the tap water before we drink it or bathe in it.