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Read Dr. Elena Krasnov's Weekly Column in the Health & Fitness section of the 24 Hours Magazine. Look for new articles every week!

Monday, April 05, 2010

Wondering about Water Quality

Q: I have been questioning the quality of water from my tap. Is having a filtering system better for home use?

Signed, Jenny

A: I always tell my patients to drink plenty of pure water, but I also advise them to get a good filter. Bottled water is not a good solution because of the environmental impact, high cost and questionable quality. I generally don’t advise drinking tap water if at all possible.

Despite government regulations and incredible advancements in water technology, the water issuing from home taps is still quite contaminated. Although municipal water treatment plants are intended to provide clean, healthy water to all city residents, such plants must work with heavily contaminated water. The water contains disease-bearing pathogens, pesticide chemicals, and industrial sludge, to name only a few of modern water contaminants.

City officials must provide the healthiest water to municipal residents which modern technology affords. Considering the dirty water with which they have to work, this task can be quite daunting. Disinfection and disease control remain the main goals of such water treatment plants. Consequently, city residents receive chlorinated, and often fluoridated, water. Chlorine has been linked to asthma and other respiratory diseases, and excessive fluoride intake can lead to yellowed teeth, dental problems, and other serious health problems for young children.

City water treatment plants are simply unable to provide pure, chemical-free water to city residents. Even when water is purified at a municipal water treatment plant, it often picks up lead and other chemicals when traveling through a home’s plumbing system.

Disinfection By-Products

During disinfection processes at local or regional water treatment facilities, low levels of by-products can form when a disinfectant (typically chlorine or chloramines) reacts with naturally occurring organic matter. These compounds are referred to as disinfection by-products. Some of these compounds are suspected carcinogens, and are of increasing concern. Different disinfectant by-products may be reduced with varying degrees of success by activated carbon.

My preference is with reverse osmosis filters. They efficiently remove solid contaminants, bacteria and spores as well as chemicals such as chlorine, bromine, etc. Water contamination by disposing of prescription medication down the drain must also be taken into consideration when thinking about what water filter to use.  Although it is not perfect, in my opinion it is the cleanest water to use. Distilled water is also a possibility, but one should not use it exclusively because it will tend to wash out body minerals if used in excess. Some advocates speak about alkaline water as being restorative to health. It may be true, but I would want to be assured that the ionizers that are available on the market also have the filtering capabilities. So far I have not found one that does both.

Inorganic Contaminants

A good filtering system effectively removes lead, mercury, and asbestos. Lead is rarely found naturally in water, but can enter into drinking water through lead pipes or from solder which contains lead. Even at low levels, lead poisoning – particularly in children – may cause IQ deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention spans, hyperactivity, and other behavior problems.

Mercury gets into water through erosion of natural deposits, discharge from refineries and factories, and runoff from landfills and farms. It may cause kidney damage. Asbestos can get into water by eroding from natural deposits, or in runoff from glass and electronics plant wastes. Chronic exposure can cause skin damage, circulatory system problems, and an increased risk of cancer.

Pesticides and Pesticide By-Products

Pesticide contamination of groundwater and surface water is an increasing concern, particularly in agricultural areas. Although pesticide contamination of drinking water does not appear to be widespread, surveys have shown contamination does occur. The extent of drinking water contamination and the health effects of consuming low levels of pesticides are not known yet.

Volatile Organic Compounds ( VOCs)

VOCs are a group of organic chemicals that may leach into ground water or are discharged into lakes and streams in wastewater from chemical, plastic, or petroleum plants, landfills, dry cleaners, or gasoline storage tanks. They may cause liver problems, anemia, kidney or spleen damage, or an increased risk of cancer.

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Dr. Elena Krasnov is a registered Naturopathic Doctor and Clinic Director of the Toronto Naturopathic Clinic. Submit your questions online at 24hrs.ca

Co-written by Miranda Tallon-Malisani Holistic Nutritionist