When asked, most people have no idea where their water actually comes from and unfortunately they’re also very unaware of all of the chemicals and foreign particles picked up on it’s way to their faucet. It’s rather unsettling to learn the water we drink, brush our teeth with and even bathe in is full of toxic chemicals and foreign particles we’d never even imagine ourselves consuming; but how does this happen? The EPA regulates about 200 different chemicals in our water and while these poisonous chemicals may play an important role in disinfecting our water from many water borne illnesses, they’re appallingly never filtered back out of our water. This water, still full of toxic chemicals, comes straight out of our faucets and shower heads into our bodies causing tremendous health effects. Pregnant women, people undergoing chemotherapy, infants, children and anyone with a chronicle medical condition are at an even higher risk of the diseases and harmful health effects associated with the toxic chemicals lurking in our tap water. The majority of people assume their tap water is clean and safe to drink and shower in because that’s what they’re deceived into believing but let’s look closer at the entire process of where your tap water actually comes from and the disturbing reality of just how dirty and chemically toxic your water really is.
The main source of our water is rivers, streams or underground water sources. This water is then pumped into your local water treatment plant. This water then goes into a flash mixer. A flash mixer is a large mixing machine that distributes the carcinogenic chemical known as Chlorine throughout the water to eliminate algae growth in the mixer and kill aquatic life. Coagulant chemicals are then added and the heavier particles present in the water sink to the bottom of the flash mixer while the finer particles float to the top. An additional job of these coagulants is to break down fine particles and remove the cloudiness appearance from the water. These coagulants, however, pose some serious health hazards and can be rather harmful to your body. Coagulant chemicals often consist of metallic salts such as aluminum sulfate. Even at diluted concentrations, aluminum sulfate can cause an upset stomach, burning of the mouth and throat, respiratory inflammation and skin and eye irritation. Other coagulant chemicals often added during this flash mixing process are Lime, Quicklime and Sodium aluminate; a corrosive chemical that can also have rather uncomfortable burning and irritating effects on your body.
During the second step of the water treatment process, a splinter box guides the water from the flash mixer into five different flocculators, then sedimentation basins. The flocculators mix these malignant coagulants more thoroughly into your water before it flows into the sedimentation basins. While in the sedimentation basins, the water continues to settle and prepare for the filtration process. The chemically infused water then moves indoors through approximately a dozen different filters inside the plant. These filters are called mixed-media filters and are made of layers of anthracite coal, sand and several different layers of gravel. The water is then slowly filtered through this mixture and the foreign particles that didn’t get picked up in the sedimentation basin will collect in the mixture.
Finally, the water is tested and goes into a place called a clear well where fluoride, corrosion inhibitor and more carcinogenic chlorine, which causes skin irritation and respiratory inflammation, is added. The water is then pumped into a building where it’s then distributed through piping systems to homes. During your water’s travel though the piping systems, your water could also pick up foreign particles such as dirt and rust. During pipeline repairs, your water is even more likely to pick up these foreign particles and other impurities such as sand, sealant and metal shavings. Let’s face it, by the time your water reaches your faucet and shower head, it may be clear of water borne illnesses but it’s full of hazardous chemicals and impurities that can cause tremendous harm to both your body and health. Lethal contaminants are creating a toxic mix of chemicals in your tap water that you can be sure were most never meant to be consumed and bathed in.