Filtering the water we use everyday has become an important step in ensuring we have healthy home water. Unfortunately, our water supply has become increasingly toxic over the past few generations. The average glass of tap water has a wide range of pollutants. The EWG (Environmental Working Group) analyzes millions of samples from across the United States and have found 278 different contaminants in our drinking water. Over 160 of these have not been tested for their effects on human health. For other chemicals, they may still fall within safety limits, but are above what studies have shown to pose health risks. Some of these limits haven’t been updated in almost 50 years! The contaminants in our water range from pesticides, heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs and the nasty PFAS family of chemicals, among others.
Water is a unique substance with an incredible ability to dissolve and hold onto a wide range of material, including toxins. Water has even been shown to respond to emotional intention and hold memory; as seen through the work of Masaru Emoto and Dr. Luc Montagnier. Our understanding of water and the role it plays in our health is still evolving. Ensuring that you are using the best possible water is important when moving towards a healthier home.
There are over 160 different chemicals found in our water that have not been tested for their health effects.
Water Filtering Options for Your Home
To get an idea of which filtration system is right for you, knowing what’s in your water is the first step. If you’re on city water, you could check the latest water quality report from your city, or pick up a basic test kit. Watersafe has good, at-home test kits to give you an idea of some of the contaminants that may be lurking in your water. There are a variety of options for adding filtration to your home:
Whole Home Filtering System
A Whole home filtering system is the best choice for healthier home water, but also the most expensive. A unit like this one from Aquasana is a complete solution. It features salt-free conditioning, 5 filtering stages, and UV to ensure any bacteria and viruses get eliminated. There are a variety of other multi-stage home systems that are great, like this one from Springwell, or a system from Ophora, who have some incredible, albeit expensive, options. Whole home water systems are wonderful as they ensure every tap you use is giving you clean, filtered water, even the shower. They require installation and some maintenance, but once they’re up and running they’re usually easy to maintain. Whole home systems are a fantastic option if your budget allows for it.
Counter Top Units
A counter top unit is an easy, effective way to improve the health of your water. There are many options, some of which do a fantastic job. Filtering using a counter top system allows you to get much healthier drinking and cooking water. One option is putting a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system under the sink. There are many companies with good options out there. They require some installation, but do a fantastic job of filtering water for a healthier home. There is a good counter top RO option available from AquaTru, just be sure to get the older model, not the newer WiFi enabled one.
One of my favourite options for a counter top unit is a Berkey System. They do a robust job of filtering out a wide range of contaminants in your water. They have the additional benefit of being gravity operated and don’t require power. You just pour the water in the top reservoir and it filters down into the bottom. Berkey Systems have a proven track record of effectiveness too, used by UNICEF, Peace Corps, and the Red Cross. They can easily last 5 years on city water before needing a filter replacement
Shower Head Filters
Showering with unfiltered, chlorinated water is more damaging to our health than we realize. One issue is that chlorinated water is damaging to your skin’s microbiome. This microbiome plays a pivot role in our immune system. It’s one of our body’s first lines of defence against any invading pathogens. Using chlorinated water to bathe and shower kills off some of these beneficial bacteria, weakening our immune system’s defences (read more here). The major issue with showering in hot, chlorinated water is the inhalation of the steam. Steam from chlorinated water has nasty chemicals called THM’s (trihalomethanes), one of which is chloroform. The steam is inhaled into your lungs and gets into your bloodstream (see study here). Chlorinated water use has been linked to a variety of serious health issues. A shower filter can be a great option if you don’t have a whole house filtration system. They remove chlorine, along with some other contaminants, and are fairly inexpensive. Showering with filtered water helps improve your skin and hair too! Berkey and iSpring both sell good shower filters.
Easy Bath Water Fix
If you’re having a bath with unfiltered water there’s a simple way to fix the chlorine issue. Put 1/4 tsp of vitamin C powder in the bathtub, let it sit for a few minutes and all the chlorine will be neutralized! (see study here)
Add Some Life Back In
Once you have filtered your water for drinking, it’s a good idea to add a little life back into it. The process of city water being treated and transported through piping systems to your house, changes its quality. If you picture a pristine mountain stream and water tumbling over rocks, exposed to sunlight and running through nature, this gives it life, structuring it in a certain way. Adding a tiny bit of Himalayan Sea Salt to your water, vigorously stirring to create a vortex, in each direction, and letting it sit in sunlight for a little while is a great way to add oxygen, minerals and life back into your water. Becoming conscious of your water quality and adding water filtration to your home is an excellent way to move towards greater health for you and your family!
