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Why water quality is such a big issue.

Who would have thought 20 years ago that so many Australians connected to mains water supplies would today be buying bottled water to take home? There are even industry projections that the bottled water market will exceed the soft drink market by 2010!  Why?  Most problems with our water either go unreported or undetected, and health authorities in Australia often have no proof an illness was contracted by drinking contaminated water.

Water : The facts of life.

Fact: According to the World Health Organisation, contaminated water is the largest health problem in the world - thousands of people die each day worldwide due to waterborne disease.

Fact: The CDC estimates that in the U.S. 1,000,000 people get sick from microbiologically contaminated water each year and that 1,000 die as a result.

Fact: Waterborne gastrointestinal infections account for 80% of all diseases in the world.1. 2. 3.

Fact: 25% of all hospital beds worldwide are occupied by people who have become ill due to waterborne disease. 1. 2. 3.

In Australia we’re fortunate to have some of the best treatment and disinfection processes in the world however, problems can and do occur and it is only when large scale contamination issues arise, like Sydney in 1998, that we hear about them.

Bottled water apart from needing an ongoing and expensive commitment from consumers may still be the cause for concern. disinfection additives like Chlorine have their own unwanted problems.

Chlorine has been shown by many researchers to have serious health consequences when it contacts with organic matter. apart from these carcinogens, chlorine chemically bonds to the hair and skin destroying its natural ecological balance. There are some reports linking chlorine to eczema and psoriasis and others that show Trichlormethane's (THMS) are carcinogens or cancer causing chemicals. THMS’ are produced when chlorine contacts with organic matter such as soil or leaves (decaying matter) which possibly can be found in water mains and pipe work.

While chlorine is widely used as a water disinfectant and is necessary to kill bacteria and harmful waterborne parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia you don’t really want to drink or shower in it! (would you drink bleach?)   There is a question that chlorinating the water supply to prevent widespread waterborne disease outbreaks now, may be a trade off leading to an increased risk of cancer later. There are other means of disinfection (such as Ozone) but apparently the large scale ozonation of our water supplies has up to this point not been given serious consideration? Yet, there is little likelihood that the use of chlorine will be discontinued since it is currently the most economically acceptable chemical for bacterial control at this time.

People who think that buying bottled water ensures they are getting clean and pure water, need to read the labels to see what they are actually drinking. Read what WHO (World Health Organisation) says about bottled water.

Some bottled water may even contain Fluoride, which in a lot of peoples minds is a really hot issue!

Fluoride is another chemical that some water authorities are adding to public water supplies. Fluoride, while having a proven record of reducing tooth decay, also has conflicting reports surrounding it and the benefits it may or may not bestow on the consumer. The overall health benefits and long term consequences of its ingestion are open to wide ranging debates. Some say that while drinking fluoridated water may harden the exterior of the teeth, the actual teeth themselves may become more brittle and prone to breaking. The same is said to happen to bones and they are actually made more brittle by the fluoride. Mottled teeth or ‘dental fluorosis’ is also said to be caused by drinking fluoridated water. Whatever is said about fluoride the jury is still out, and I don’t intend to enter into a long pro’s and con’s about it here. For those wishing to read further on fluoride here are a few links  on the subject.

Aluminium or ‘Alum’ is used widely in the water treatment process. While I was water treatment plant operator a few years ago in a small plant, alum was one of the chemicals that was used in a process called ‘flocculation’ which removes suspended particles from the water, making it clearer. While most of the aluminium is filtered out in the plant small amounts can, and no doubt do, pass through. There are links with aluminium and Alzheimer's disease. Apparently some water authorities have phased out the use of aluminium in favour of other products.

Lead is known for the effect it has on the brain and that's why lead pencils and paint with lead in it were banned, and cars must now have un-leaded fuel. It is possible lead could be in your water! Lead may leach out of plumbing fittings and solders and contaminate home water supplies. Although this is not likely to be occurring with the stringent standards that are in place today. However, if you have a tank and are using it for drinking water, make sure your house roof hasn't been painted in the past with a lead based paint. If you are health conscious, it is worth bearing in mind and perhaps researching further. Start here

Asbestos is a well known carcinogen and, yes, it could be in your water. There are countless kilometres of asbestos/lined water main pipelines in Australia! And it has been shown to exist in tap water, although as I understand it there is no known link between cancer and drinking asbestos contaminated water. Having said that, for obvious reasons it would be a good idea to keep asbestos contaminated water out of humidifiers/evaporative coolers. 

Copper also is widely used in home plumbing systems and again there are reports on the consequences of ingesting this.

Copper is an essential nutrient, but at high doses it has been shown to cause stomach and intestinal distress, liver and kidney damage, and anemia. Persons with Wilson's disease may be at a higher risk of health effects due to copper than the general public.

Sorry it doesn't end there, if you aren't connected to a municipal water reticulation system you may have additional problems with your potable (NO not portable) water supply.

Nitrates seep into the water supplies. both above and below ground surface waters can be affected. They can be from fertilisers that are put onto the ground as well as animal, human and industrial wastes. These are the cause of "blue green algae" outbreaks and are responsible for "blue baby syndrome"

Arsenic may give you arsenicosis, a nice name for something that can cause skin cancer as well as cancers of the bladder, kidney and lung, and diseases of the blood vessels of the legs and feet, and possibly diabetes, high blood pressure and reproductive disorders

Pesticides and hydrocarbons are also things that are entering our water supplies with more potential for both long and short term consequences to us and the environment.

Whether you have a public or private water supply, have your water tested if the following situations arise:

• If family members or house guests have recurrent incidents of gastrointestinal illness--test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, and sulfate.
• If household plumbing contains lead pipes, fittings, or solder joints--test for pH, corrosion index, lead, copper, cadmium, and zinc.
• If you are buying a home and wish to assess the safety and quality of the existing water supply--test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, lead, iron, hardness, pH, sulfate, total dissolved solids (TDS), corrosion index, and other parameters, depending on proximity to potential sources of contamination.
• If a water softener is needed to treat hard water--test for iron and manganese, which decrease the efficiency of cation exchange softeners, before purchase and installation.
• If you wish to monitor the efficiency and performance of home water treatment equipment--test for the specific water problem being treated, on installation, at regular intervals after installation, and if water quality changes.
• If water stains plumbing fixtures and laundry--test for iron, manganese, and copper.
• If water has an objectionable taste or smell--test for hydrogen sulfide, pH, corrosion index, copper, lead, iron, zinc, sodium, chloride, and TDS.
• If water appears cloudy, frothy, or colored--test for color, turbidity, and detergents.
• If pipes or plumbing show signs of corrosion--test for corrosion index, pH, lead, iron, manganese, copper, and zinc.
• If water leaves scaly residue and soap scum and decreases the cleaning action of soaps and detergents--test for hardness.
• If water supply equipment (pump, chlorinators, etc.) wears rapidly--test for pH, corrosion index, sand, and silt.
• If a new baby is expected, it is a good idea to test for nitrate in the early months of a pregnancy, before bringing an infant home, and again during the first 6 months of the baby's life.

There are many contaminants both naturally occurring and man made that could be in your drinking water. While it may be true that you probably would be pretty unlucky to have them all, there's bound to be something there you really would rather do without. Unfortunately the cost of having your water supply analyzed by a reputable laboratory can be high, then you still have to pay for the system to take out the nasties. If you really get stuck contact us and we'll either advise you what to do or as a last resort we will do our best to have your water tested. Laboratory testing is not the sort of area we want to get involved in at this stage. The costs of testing can be high, and with additional air freight costs we would be embarrassed to give you the bill! In the very near future we will be offering simple home test kits that we will hopefully be able to sell at reasonable prices.