Introduce:

Countertop water filter;

Home use;

One standard cartridge used insided;

Clear housing;

All parts include; Easy to install

Water filter systems can be purchased either on line or at your local home supply store; be for certain to shop around for the best price. Without going to the store every two weeks getting bottled water you would have to drink faucet water; you can order a water filter system that will improve your home water. Water filter system is the method by which water is cleaned from all of the dissolved impurities and dust particles. After testing the drinking water from multiple homes and businesses, the lack of proper water filtering becomes very evident. You choose the correct filter water system that is affordable to you and your family; you may be able to find some special offers online.
You can either purchase a water filter system on line from a store that carries them; or you can get them at your local small appliance stores. About half of the water supply for the world is polluted in some way by the industrialization of mankind, with no end in sight. Without going through the details of how a water filter system works you should know that they decrease chlorine and toxins out of your faucet water. A high-end filter may also combine charcoal with materials that will remove particles as small as one micron.

Another Friend?

For dining the Nanyuan also provides a good selection of Western and Oriental cuisine. The best of these has to be Senile Western Restaurant which serves world-known cuisine and drinks. Other restaurants include the Imperial Garden famous for its Cantonese cuisine, the Flavor Court on the 2nd floor serves snacks from China and the West, and the Lobby bar.

The Nanyuan also provides a number of other facilities including a fully equipped business center, 3 grand ballrooms and 6 meeting rooms. Extensive audio-visual equipment and lighting system are available under professional control. Others apparatuses include: simultaneous interpretation system, slide projector, multi-scan data projector, LCD projector, laser disc player, portable computer etc.

For those on recreational pursuit there is a health club with a full range of fitness equipment, a massage center, gymnasiums, a sauna, a steam bath, a bowling alley, a games room, a decent swimming pool, club, disco and KTV rooms.

People say that the wonderful Internet is the fourth medium. For us at the Embassy, it is also the most effective way to reach out to the general public of the United States. As much as we would like to do a good job with our website, we know it is not easy, especially when people have such diverse and colorful interests to cater to. Thanks to the technological upgrading, our website can now link with almost all the major government and media websites in China and our diplomatic missions around the world. With a few effortless clicks, you may have China, an ancient country of 1.3 billion people with one of the world's fastest growing economies, unfold right on your computer screens.

I hope that  you will find here all the information you need about China, its people, its domestic and international policies, as well as useful information about traveling to China, including applying for Chinese Visas and Passports. 

I wish you an enjoyable and productive visit. We would like to hear your comments as to how we can further improve our service.

Tel: 613-7893434 Fax: 613-7891911

Website: http://www.chinaembassycanada.org

E-mail Address: chinaemb_ca@mfa.gov.cn

H.E. Lu Shumin

Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Canada


Huang Huikang

Contact Information

United States Embassy of Beijing, China
Ambassador Clark T. Randt, Jr.
Xiu Shui Bei Jie 3, 100600
Tel: (86-10) 6532-3831
Click here for the map

Public Affairs
Don Q Washington
Fax: (86-10) 6532-2039

Webmaster 
For technical problems regarding the website
Email: BeijingWebmaster@state.gov

Web Comments 
The Web Team does not answer or forward e-mail, but all comments pertaining to the US Embassy and issues are read. For comments on political and policy issues or for other messages or requests to the White House, please contact the offices of the President and Vice-President.
Email: BeijingWebcomments@state.gov

Consular
American Citizen Services
Michael B. Regan
Monday - Friday Hours: 8:30-12:00, 14:00-16:00
Fax: (86-10) 6532-4153
E-mail: AmCitBeijing@state.gov

Non-Immigrant Visas
Michael B. Regan
Monday - Friday Hours: 7:15-16:40
Fax: (86-10) 6532-3178
Visa Information Call Center 4008-872-333 (wthin China)
                                          (86-21) 3881-4611 (from overseas)

Immigrant Visas available only in Guangzhou
Fax: (86-20) 3884-4412
Visa Information Call Center 4008-872-333 (wthin China)
                                          (86-21) 3881-4611 (from overseas)

Management
James B. Lane
Fax: (86-10) 6532-5141

Information Resource Center
Suite 2801, Jingguang Center, Hu Jia Lou, Chao Yang District, Beijing 100020
Tel: (010) 6597-3242
Fax: (010) 6597-3006
Email: ircacee@state.gov

Department of Homeland Security
Steve Thomas 

ICE Fax: (86-10) 6500-3032

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
DHS/USCIS Attache
Joseph P. Martin
fax: 8529-6779

Economic Office
Robert Luke
Fax: (86-10) 6532-6422

Environment, Science, Technology and Health Office
Fax: (86-10) 6532-3297
Email: bjembst@public.bta.net.cn

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Christopher Metts
15 Guang Hua Lu, Jianguomen Wai Chaoyang District, Beijing
Tel: (86-10) 6504-2571
Fax: (86-10) 6504-5154

Foreign Agricultural Office
Maurice House
Fax: (86-10) 8532-2962

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS)
Gary Greene
12-21 China World Trade Ctr., 1 Jianguomenwai Ave., Beijing
Fax: (86-10) 6505-4574

Foreign Commercial Office
Barry Friedman
Tel: (86-10) 8529-6655
Fax: (86-10) 8529-6558/6559

Political Office
Aubrey Carlson
Fax: (86-10) 8532-6423

Regional Medical Office
Larry Padget
Fax: (86-10) 8532-6424

Regional Security Office
Robert Eckert
Fax: (86-10) 8532-6923

You can also send your inquiry in following ways:

Emal: sales#water2filter.com [when writing email to us, please replace "#" with "@" on the our email address.]

MSN messenger: steamiron@sohu.com

Tel: (0086)139 5837 4682

Fax:(00852)3016 4900

Salt-softened water feels mushy and has a slippery or slimy feel when bathing with soap. Many people do not like the feel of the water treated with a water softener, because it feels as if they can't ever completely rinse off the soap ¨C your skin feels like it has a slippery coating. Consumers are told that salt water softeners bring out the natural oils of your body. This is not true. It is a sign of over regeneration and over softening.

Water Softener AESTHETICS

Salt based water softener systems can prevent the scale build-up in pipes and water heaters by removing the hardness minerals of calcium and magnesium. Because of the sodium content, softened water unites with soap limiting bathtub rings, allows better results with clothes washers and dishwashers, and leaves shower doors virtually free of the usual soap scum build-up. Most laundry and dishwashing detergents contain a lot of sodium. Sodium causes more suds, however suds do not clean. Even though the minerals are gone, the total dissolved solids in the water has not changed and therefore when water is left, it will leave a residue on surfaces or around faucets which is simply wiped up. Salt softened water can also cause spotting depending on how much sodium is in the water.

SALT IS CORROSIVE

Those in The Navy are familiar with the term "Marine Whites." Sailors used to put their white clothes in ocean water to whiten them. Caution had to be used because if the clothes remained too long in the heavily salt-laden water, they would deteriorate. Salt is corrosive. Softeners use the same salt spread on icy roads, which destroys the underside of cars. Those living near oceans know well the corrosiveness of salt to cars, houses, etc. Many people with galvanized pipes found that salt softened water did prevent scale build-up, but the trade-off was the salt also corroded their pipes.

Homeowners with salt water softener systems will go through more water heaters because of the salt's corrosive effect on the heating coils. Always check with a manufacturer's warranty related to water. Softened water should not go to a pool or spa. Hard water and naturally soft water have their maintenance issues, however softened water offers potential problems that may imply or outrigh[FS:PAGE]t void the warranty on certain products.

Water Conditioning

PRINCIPLE

The EWS Water Conditioner combines both filtration and conditioning in one system. The filtration is accomplished with a very high grade of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC). Used extensively in both water and air filtration, GAC works on the principle of adsorption, where substances in water are attracted to, and adhere to the surface of the carbon. GAC is carbon that has been activated to produce an extensive intricate inner pore structure with a large surface area.

GAC is most widely used for the removal of chlorine, chloramines (chlorine and ammonia), bad taste and odors. It is also used to remove volatile organic compounds, phenols, herbicides, pesticides, and surfactants. Most minerals, having the same polarity as carbon, are not removed when filtering through carbon. Carbon is the last stage in both reverse osmosis and distillation systems for removal of chlorine and volatile organic compounds.

The ICN Conditioner causes a physical change of the minerals. The minerals break apart from the water molecules and bond together. Operating on principles of polarity, the calcium and magnesium are attracted each other rather than attaching to pipes and other surfaces. The minerals are put into a suspended state, making them less adhering. Technically, this is called "increased calcite nucleation". MORE INFO SECTION 1

FEEL

Water treated by the EWS has more of the feel of naturally soft water (water with lower mineral content). It does not feel slippery, slimy, or mushy soft, like salt softened water. No water in its natural state feels like salt softened water. Soaps produce more lather with The EWS conditioned and filtered water versus untreated water. However, these soaps will rinse off quickly and cleanly, unlike salt softened water. Less soaps, shampoos, coffee grounds, tea, etc., are needed with The EWS system. MORE INFO SECTION 2

AESTHETICS

THE EWS conditioned water will tend to sheet. If water is left to dry on any surface it will leave something behind. These spots will simply wipe off versus untreated water where more work and special products may have to be used. Those who are replacing a salt water softener must be told that there will be fewer suds with The EWS water. The sodium content of salt softened water causes more suds. This is particularly true with some of the biodegradable laundry detergents. You should not use more soap to get more suds. Clothes will get clean without the excess soap and suds and rinse out and dry easier. The same with your dishwasher - use the appliance properly and with less powdered detergent.

When showering, The EWS water rinses off quickly and cleanly. The EWS makes the water easier to clean up, just like a water softener, (our approach is different). A dishwasher still needs to be used properly, toilets need to be cleaned, and surfaces need to be wiped off.

The EWS will preve[FS:PAGE]nt new scale and corrosion in pipes, and will de-scale existing pipes and fixtures. Older water heaters should be drained to remove scale and sediment after an initial installation. Water heaters will work more efficiently, and a savings on fuel and/or electricity will result. After de-scaling water heaters, they should be drained at least once a year. Water heater manufacturers recommend this procedure as preventive maintenance. MORE INFO SECTION 3

Water Filters : The basic concept behind nearly all filters, is fairly simple the contaminants are physically prevented from moving through the filter either by screening them out with very small pores and/or, in the case of carbon filters, by trapping them within the filter matrix by attracting them to the surface of carbon particles (the process of adsorption)

There are two main types of filters (sediment and activated carbon), and sometimes they are combined into a single unit.
When it comes to how good the filter is at removing particles from the water - smaller is better. A 1-micron filter will remove more particles than a 10-micron filter, but it will also clog faster. One micron is about 1/100 the diameter of a human hair. (For an illustration of micron purification levels click HERE ). A filter that removes particles down to 5 microns will produce fairly clean-looking water, but most of the water parasites, bacteria, cryptosporidium, giardia, etc will pass through the pores if present. A filter must trap particles one micron or smaller to be effective at removing cryptosporidium or giardia cysts. (Reverse osmosis filters at 0.001 microns) A benefit of home filtration systems is that they are passive. That is, they require no electricity to filter the water - normal home water pressure is used to push the water though the filter. The only routine maintenance required is periodic replacement of the filtration element. As long as the cost of the replacement filter elements is reasonable, owning a even a high-end water filter can be very inexpensive if you look at the long term costs and compare it with other solutions.

Sediment Filters : Solid particles are strained out of the water. Fiber sediment filters contain cellulose, rayon or some other material spun into a mesh with small pores. Suspended sediment (or turbidity) is removed as water pressure forces water through tightly wrapped fibers. These filters come in a variety of sizes and meshes from fine to coarse, with the lower micron rating being the finer. Depth type sediment filters are constructed typically from melt blown polypropylene, and trap sediment in an ever-constricting matrix as the water flows through the filter structure. The finer the filter, the more particles are trapped and the more often the filter must be changed. Sediment filters will not remove contaminants that are dissolved in the water, like lead, mercury, trihalomethanes or other organic compounds.

Activated carbon filters: particles of carbon [FS:PAGE]that have been treated to increase their surface area and increase their ability to adsorb a wide range of contaminants. Coconut shell carbon and bituminous (coal) carbon are the most common sources of carbon in activated carbon filters. While bituminous carbon is the more cost effective type of carbon, coconut shell carbon is preferred in home applications due to the superior taste it imparts on the product water. The raw carbon source is slowly heated in the absence of air to produce a high carbon material. Passing oxidizing gases through the material at extremely high temperatures activates the carbon. The activation process produces the pores that result in such high adsorptive properties.

Activated carbon is particularly good at adsorbing organic compounds. You will find two basic kinds of carbon filters - Granular Activated (GAC) and Solid Block Activated.

Granular Activated (GAC) : In this type of filter, water flows through a bed of activated carbon granules which trap some particulate matter and remove chlorine, organic contaminants, chemicals, and undesirable tastes and odors The main problems associated with GAC filters are: channeling, and dumping. Water flowing through the filter can "channel" around the carbon granules and avoid filtration. Pockets of contaminated water can form in a loose bed of carbon granules. With changes in water pressure and flow rates, these pockets can collapse, "dumping" the contaminated water through the filter. The GAC filters used in the Tap Master series, Value Line Chemical Fighter series, and the Tap Master Jr F2 water filters use spring loaded pressure disks to compress the granular activated carbon and prevent channeling and dumping. High quality GAC filters will expose each drop of water to more carbon surface area than in solid carbon block filters.
KDF Medium: KDF filter additive employs a matrix (generally small granules) of a zinc/copper alloy, which eliminates contaminants from water by utilizing electrochemical oxidation-reduction. Chemical properties of KDF include the ability to remove chlorine, kill algae and fungi, and control bacterial growth in the filter. KDF controls and inhibits microorganisms by setting up an electrolytic field and also by forming peroxide and hydroxyl radical by redox reactions. Types of KDF will also remove hydrogen sulfide, iron, lead, cadmium, aluminum, mercury, arsenic, and other inorganic compounds. Zinc and copper are the preferred metals used in the KDF alloy since both are relatively good reducing agents with respect to common inorganic contaminants (such as chlorine), and both can be tolerated in solution in moderate concentrations without adverse side effects. Zinc chloride is soluble, while cupric sulfide and ferric oxide are insoluble therefore, both copper sulfide and ferric oxide must be backwashed off the KDF granules so the insoluble contaminants will not inhibit the working efficiency of the KDF granules.
KDF is the only filter medi[FS:PAGE]um that removes contaminants from running hot water (unlike carbon filters where hot water can release trapped contaminants into the water stream). This makes them ideal for use in the shower. The filters change the chlorine some people are allergic to into a form (zinc chloride) that is much more easily tolerated. KDF filter media must be used in conjunction with other filtration technologies, such as GAC and/or reverse osmosis, in order to remove organic chemicals (pesticides, disinfection byproducts, MTBE, etc), or parasitic cysts (giardia and cryptosporidium).
Carbon Block: Activated carbon is the primary raw material in solid carbon block filters; but instead of carbon granules comprising the filtration medium, the carbon has been specially treated, compressed, and bonded to form a uniform matrix. The effective pore size can be very small, down to 1 micron. Carbon block filters provide a small pore size to physically trap particulates. In some cases bacteria that become trapped in the pores do not have enough room to multiply, eliminating the problem described above for GAC filters. By combining other specialized materials with carbon block, greater capacity ratings for certain contaminants like lead, mercury, etc can be achieved.

Shower Filters: Our shower filters use an innovative dual-filter process. Stage 1 removes chlorine with a natural copper/zinc mineral media called KDF-55. Stage 2 uses coconut shell carbon for the removal of synthetic chemicals and VOCs. These shower filters will not only filter out chlorine, dirt and odors from the shower and has one of the best shower sprays available, it can also be extended 24 inches in any direction. Shower Falls delivers an exhilarating spray from a variety of angles including directly from above. 

List of Chemical Contaminants Which
Can Be Removed By Carbon Filtration

List of Chemical Contaminants Which
Can Be Removed By Carbon Filtration

pH, or Hydrogen potential, is a term used to indicate the alkalinity (base) or acidity of a substance as ranked on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Acidity increases as the pH value decreases, alkalinity increases as the pH value increases. See the graphic below for the pH of some common liquids.

The pH scale measures the logarithmic concentration of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions, which make up water (H+) + (OH-) = (H2O). When both types of ions are in equal concentration, the pH is 7.0 or neutral. Below 7.0, the water is acidic (there are more hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions). When the pH is above 7.0, the water is alkaline, or basic (there are more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions). Since the scale is logarithmic, a drop in the pH by 1.0 unit is equivalent to a 10-fold increase in acidity. So, a water sample with a pH of 5.0 is 10 times as acidic as one with a pH of 6.0, and pH 4.0 is 100 times as acidic as pH 6.0.

 

Role of pH in Digestion and Illness

The stomach is designed to function at a very low pH. Most foods are acidic and human physiology is geared towards handling mostly acidic intake. The enzymes that process digestion are activated by low pH. Alkaline adjustments to the body would only be recommended in the case of an overly acidic stomach. Furthermore people who consistently ingest antacids such as Tums or others will experience a decrease in the ability of their stomach acid to kill the germs entering their body. This is because the strong alkalinity of these medicines neutralizes the highly acidic and sometimes bothersome stomach acid, which kills food borne bacteria. Normal stomach acid plays an important function in defending the human body against sickness.

 

High pH or ?Alkaline? Water

A search of the Internet shows several products that produce "alkaline ionized water" with such claims as to help aging and cancer. A quick search of the Medline literature shows 6 references to "alkaline ionized water" all from the same Japanese group. The scientific literature showed that when given to pregnant or nursing rat females and offspring, the animals grew faster. However, they also reported significant cardiac muscle pathology. No other data were presented, certainly none on increased life span or reduced risk of cancer. Any health related claims should be regarded with caution.

 

Water has very limited ability to buffer against changes in pH. Increases in pH to 9-12 range require very little added base. Although there are those who feel that drinking alkaline water is healthy, there are no proven medical benefits. While ?alkaline water? can neutralize no more than 1 mEq of acid (HCl) - Antacids, which are given to neutralize gastric acid, are capable of neutralizing at least 10 mEq of acid, and contain far more calcium.

Major Tap Water Contaminants

Contaminant

Average Influent Concentration (mg/L)

Average Effluent Concentration (mg/L)

Average Percent Reduction

Arsenic

0.28

0.0035

98.70

Barium

10.2

0.207

97.90

Cadmium

0.036

0.0005

98.60

Chromium (Hexavalent)

0.15

0.013

91.30

Chromium (Trivalent)

0.17

0.01

94.10

Copper

3.1

0.03

99.00

Cysts

149357 #/ml

5 #/ml

99.99

Turbidity

10.2

0.26

97.50

Fluoride

8

0.5

93.90

Lead

0.15

0.002

98.60

Radium 226/228

25 pCi/L

5 pCi/L

80.00

Selenium

0.1

0.008

92.00

Other TDS contaminants reduced by up to 98%: Aluminum, Ammonium, Bicarbonate, Calcium, Chlorine, Chromate, Cyanide, Ferro cyanide, Iron, Magnesium, Mercury, Manganese, Nitrate, Phosphate, Silicate, Silver, Sodium, Strontium, Sulfate, Sulfite, Thiosulfate, Zinc.

Note: Your results may vary depending on regular maintenance, general condition of unit, and initial water supply. Tap Master is not designed to treat microbially unsafe or non-potable water.

The auto shut-off valve and flow restrictor combination regulates the flow and use of water in the RO system, serving three very important functions - it holds the water in the RO membrane so that it is purified fully, it reduces water waste, and it prolongs system life. Due to our advanced flow restriction configuration only 3.5 gallons of water are made brine per gallon of drinking water, compared to 8-9 gallons of water made brine per gallon of drinking water on competitors RO systems. The automatic shutoff consists of 2 diaphragms and a plunger. The plunger moves up or down in the housing based upon diaphragm pressures.
The lower diaphragm pushes the plunger up allowing feed water to flow through the inlet/outlet port until the storage area pressure exceeds one half the inlet pressure. At this point, the storage area pressure on the upper diaphragm is great enough to push the plunger down stopping the flow of feed water. Flow will not start again until the storage area pressure drops because of water withdrawal at the faucet.
Furthermore without the auto shut-off valve, water would rush through the system wearing down components and sending purified water down the only open valve ? the drain ? after the reserve tank has been filled. This is one reason why most competitors rate their membrane life to only 1-2 years. With the Tap Master you can reasonably expect your membrane to last 4-5 years.

The easy adapter with ball valve isn?t that much easier to install than the piercing valve, but it is easier to maintain the system once it has been installed. It will also solve some borderline ?low pressure? problems without having to resort to a high priced pump.
The piercing valve supplies water to your RO system by poking a tiny hole in your water line. The easy adapter with ball valve upgrade leaves your plumbing intact and supplies your RO with full pressure though a ?? line. After 6+ years the hole in your piercing valve will eventually plug up from all the sediment in your tap water, requiring you to get under the sink and give your piercing valve a few extra turns to re-pierce the hole. This isn?t a big inconvenience if you remember to check the piercing valve first, in the event that you get no water from your RO system. Also the easy adapter with ball valve?upgrade will not loosen with age.?Most competitors will?limit their feed water hardware to?a piercing valve, but we?offer the easy adapter with ball valve option for greater system performance and customer satisfaction.

We have been told we should drink eight glasses of water per day, but few recognize this equates to 64 oz. of water, or a half-gallon. Instead, we consume coffee, tea, and soda¡ªbut these should not be substitutes for our daily water consumption. Who remembers the original size of a bottle of Coke was 8 oz., not the 64 oz. Big Gulps so common today?

Even in the medical establishment water is seldom granted much attention. A search of the medical and scientific research databases yields amazingly few papers of interest, and many of these research reports would not stand up to strict scientific scrutiny.

There is a considerable amount of "pseudo-science" found when searching for information about water and water quality, and even the topic of BEV water is sometimes distorted and misrepresented with colorful language and unsubstantiable claims. Phrases like "it causes body frequencies to dance" or "BEV water is music" have no place in a scientific discussion, and have no relationship to the body of research and correlational studies performed by Prof. Vincent.

Unfortunately, there are people who will exploit the lack of scientific training in the general population. They will cite research reports and papers that don't exist, and they will even create words that sound impressive to make their claims. We encourage you to be cautious when evaluating systems for treating your drinking water, and beware the myths and misrepresentations of unscrupulous profiteers.

The purification systems manufactured by Pure Water Systems are developed from an understanding of the extensive body of scientific research performed by Professor L.C. Vincent. The result is water with purity unmatched by any other residential system available today¡ªwater meeting the BEV standards for purity and biocompatibility.

The water coming out of your faucet may not be as clean as it should be. NRDC is working toward the day when all Americans can drink and shower in tap water without worry, but if you have immediate concerns about the water in your home, an independently certified water filter can be a good temporary fix for your kitchen faucet. Some filters aim to produce clearer, better-tasting water, while others work to remove contaminants that could affect your health. This guide will help you determine what type of filter might be right for your home.

Find Out What's in Your Water

In many cities, healthy adults can drink tap water without cause for concern. However, pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems are particularly vulnerable to some contaminants in tap water. If you're shopping for a water filter, first find out what pollutants might be in your water. Check the NRDC report What's On Tap?, and ask your water utility (the company that sends you your water bill) for a copy of their annual water quality report. ("Making Sense of Your Right to Know Report" can help you decipher reports issued by your water utility.) NRDC recommends that you test your tap water for lead contamination, particularly if you have young kids, are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, since lead is especially dangerous and levels can vary enormously from house to house. A lead test costs about $25 (see, for example, University of North Carolina's low-cost testing information). Once you know what's in your water, you can find a filter that's geared toward getting rid of the specific pollutants, if any, that may be present.

Select the Right Filter

Household water filters generally fall into one of two categories: point-of-entry units, which treat water before it gets distributed throughout the house; and point-of-use units, which include countertop filters (e.g. filter pitchers), faucet filters, and under-the-sink units. Some filters use more than one kind of filtration technology. As a general rule, look for filters labeled as meeting NSF/ANSI standard 53 and that are certified to remove the contaminant(s) of concern in your water. While the NSF certification program is not flawless, it does provide some assurance that at least some claims made by the manufacturer have been verified. NSF-certified filters have been independently tested to show that they can reduce levels of certain pollutants under specified conditions. Those that meet standard 53 are geared toward treating water for health, not just for aesthetic qualities.

For many people, an activated carbon filter bearing NSF Standard 53 certification will filter out most pollutants of concern. But if you've got perchlorate, a rocket fuel ingredient, in your water, for example, a simple countertop filter won't do the job. The list below will you help you determine what type of filter will work best for you. Once you've got a general[FS:PAGE] idea, visit NSF International's drinking water treatment units online product database.

• Activated Carbon Filter

  How it works : Positively charged and highly absorbent carbon in the filter attracts and traps many impurities.

  Used in : Countertop, faucet filters and under-the-sink units.

  Gets rid of : Bad tastes and odors, including chlorine. Standard 53-certified filters also can substantially reduce many hazardous contaminants, including heavy metals such as copper, lead and mercury; disinfection byproducts; parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium ; pesticides; radon; and volatile organic chemicals such as methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE), dichlorobenzene and trichloroethylene (TCE).

  
  

• Cation Exchange Softener

  How it works : "Softens" hard water by trading minerals with a strong positive charge for one with less of a charge.

  Used in : Whole-house, point-of-entry units.

  Gets rid of: Calcium and magnesium, which form mineral deposits in plumbing and fixtures, as well as barium and some other ions that can create health hazards.

  
  

• Distiller

  How it works : Boils water and recondenses the purified steam.

  Used in : Countertop or whole house point-of-entry units; can be combined with a carbon filter.

  Gets rid of : Heavy metals such as cadmium, chromium, copper, lead and mercury, as well as arsenic, barium, fluoride, selenium and sodium.

  
  

• Reverse Osmosis

  How it works: A semipermeable membrane separates impurities from water. (Note: This filtration technique wastes a substantial amount of water during the treatment process.)

  Used in: Under-the-sink units; often in combination with a carbon filter or UV disinfection unit.

  Gets rid of: Most contaminants, including certain parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia; heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead and mercury; and other pollutants, including arsenic, barium, nitrate/nitrite, perchlorate and selenium.

  
  

• Ultraviolet Disinfection

  How it works: Ultraviolet light kills bacteria and other microorganisms.

  Used in: Under-the-sink units, often in combination with a carbon filter and sediment screen.

  Gets rid of : Bacteria and parasites; class A systems protect against harmful bacteria and viruses, including Cryptosporidium and Giardia , while class B systems are designed to make non-disease-causing bacteria inactive.

Maintain Your Filter Properly

No filter will give you good performance over the long term unless it receives regular maintenance. As contaminants build up, a filter can not only become less effective, but actually can make your water worse, by starting to release harmful bacteria or chemicals back into your filtered water. To keep your filter working properly, follow the manufacturer's maintenance directions. Some filters only require a cartridge change, while others are better maintained by a certi[FS:PAGE]fied professional. Many filter distributors offer maintenance and service contracts for their products. Before buying any water treatment system, compare not only filter prices, but also operating and maintenance costs for the different units. To find a dealer in your area, see the Water Quality Association's online listings.

Sarah's journey was captured in real time in the documentary The Long Walk, by Alice Hobbs. But her story is by no means unique. One billion people around the world don't have access to clean, safe water. Developed countries have essentially eradicated diseases such as cholera, typhoid and malaria, but in developing nations, these and other waterborne illnesses kill 5 million people each year -- 6,000 children every day. And global warming is exacerbating this crisis as severe, prolonged droughts dry up water supplies in arid regions and heavy rains cause sewage overflows. In terms of the sheer number of people affected, the lack of access to safe water and basic sanitation is a massive problem. Yet it is a problem with proven solutions.

What Makes Water Unsafe?

Drinking water contaminated with chemicals or bacteria can make people sick, especially children and the elderly. Water can be contaminated with bacteria when it comes into contact with untreated human waste. Nearly half the people on the planet -- most of them in China and India -- don't have a system to safely dispose of human waste and keep it away from areas where people can come into contact with it. As a result, disease-causing bacteria can enter the water supply and spread through a population. Children are particularly vulnerable to these waterborne diseases. Their small bodies take in a disproportionately large quantity of water and its contaminants, and their immune systems are not equipped to fight off invaders such as E. coli, giardia and the typhoid bacteria. More than 2 million children are killed by such diarrheal diseases each year, and 90 percent of them are kids under five.

Chemicals from industrial waste, pesticides that wash off from farms, or naturally occurring arsenic can also contaminate drinking water. Millions of people drink arsenic-laced well water every day, mostly in Bangladesh, West Bengal (India), China, Taiwan, Nepal and pockets of South America. The footprint of a contaminated well is painfully easy to spot: an epidemic of skin lesions, vascular and cardiac problems, and widespread bladder, lung, and skin cancer in affected areas.

Safe Water: Keystone of Environment, Health, Economy and Security

People who fall ill from waterborne diseases can't work. Women and girls like Sarah who travel hours to fetch clean water for their families can't go to school or hold on to a job. Without proper sanitation, human waste pollutes waterways and wildlife habitat. Global warming and population pressures are drying up water supplies and instigating conflict over scarce resources. Expandin[FS:PAGE]g access to clean water and sanitation will have ripple effects throughout local economies and societies.

The U.N. estimates that if the proportion of people without access to safe water and basic sanitation were halved, countries around the world would save $7.3 billion per year in health care costs, and the annual global value of adult working days gained because of less illness would be almost $750 million. Relocating wells or boreholes closer to users, installing piped water supply in houses, and building latrines closer to home would yield annual time savings worth $64 billion.

Simple Solutions Can Make Water Safer

Simple sanitation improvements, like digging pit latrines and treating drinking water with chlorine, filters and other simple, existing technologies can save millions of lives. The challenge is to put the right strategies to use in the right places, as needs vary from country to country.

The long-term goal is to provide safe sources of treated drinking water and improved sanitation for all. In the meantime, simple, shorter-term strategies can save millions of lives. The list of successful safe drinking water projects is growing, using simple household approaches, such as:

• Household chlorination or other chemical treatment
• Solar disinfection -- leaving transparent bottles of water in the sun to kill microbes
• Hygiene education and promoting hand-washing
• Boiling water using excess heat from cooking
• Filtering water using sand, cloth, ceramics or other existing materials.

Chemical contamination such as arsenic pollution can be more difficult to solve, but strategies like these have been successful in particular regions:

• Accessing low-arsenic water through shallow groundwater or deeper aquifers
• Rainwater harvesting
• Pond-sand filtration
• Household chemical treatment
• Piping in water from safe or treated sources.

Safe Water by 2015: How to Get it Done

Safe water is a critical environmental and public health issue, as well as a means to lift people out of poverty and ensure human security. Yet the number of people without safe water is increasing. Water supply and sanitation programs can't be developed in isolation from other development issues. Global warming is affecting water supplies, creating shifts in agriculture and where people live. AIDS patients especially need access to clean water so they don't fall ill from common waterborne germs that healthy adults can fend off. Integrating safe water programs into larger development strategies often involves complex, many-sided reforms, which requires high-level coordination and firm political will to get the job done.

The United Nations included safe water in its Millennium Development goals, with the intention of reducing by half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

In 2005, the United States Congress codified the goal into law by passing the [FS:PAGE]Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act. The act made the provision of safe water and sanitation a cornerstone of U.S. foreign aid by integrating water sanitation into all U.S. development programs. However, Congress has failed to designate any funds for its implementation.

Providing safe water is an essential step for human health and development. Global awareness of this issue is rising, but our leaders need to take concrete action in order to solve this crisis in the next decade. NRDC is urging the U.S. Congress to fully fund the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act, and is helping provide concrete recommendations to implement the act successfully. By encouraging leadership and generating momentum for solutions, we can save millions of lives over the next 10 years.

Pinellas County, home of lovely St. Petersburg, is bounded on the west by the Gulf of Mexico and on the south and east by Tampa Bay. The soil is sandy and porous, perfectly suited for the engineering works of gopher tortoises. The beaches are classic Florida, bone-white sand lapped by blue water, beneath a wide arc of subtropical sky. In 1539, when Hernando de Soto marched up the Gulf coast, the Pinellas Peninsula was an open woodland of pines and palms and oaks. A dense coif of mangroves punctuated by salt marshes rimmed Tampa Bay, while the bay itself, covering nearly 400 square miles, was a mosaic of sea grass beds and oyster bars, mudflats and open water. In season, birds from across the continent convened in and around Tampa Bay to gorge themselves on the flats and beaches and in the woodlands and shallows, where shoals of fish moved from the Gulf to spawn or feed in the fecund estuarial waters. Sea turtles nested on the beaches. Manatees grazed the sea grass beds. Back then, before the dredging of shipping lanes, a man could have threaded his way across the shallow bay without wetting his hair.

Tampa Bay remained a symphonic wilderness well into the nineteenth century, but its despoliation was swift. In the late 1880s, the hub of Pinellas County was an unnamed community, population 30. In 1892, the community incorporated into St. Petersburg, population 400. Early in the last century, to meet future water needs, Pinellas County and the city of St. Petersburg bought land in the hinterlands of Pasco and Hillsborough counties, north of Tampa Bay. Eleven well fields set in remote wetlands supplied the city with the potable groundwater that the peninsula itself could not provide.

By 1920, the population of Pinellas County had reached 28,000. Five years later, after a six-mile bridge was built to connect Pinellas County and Tampa, the populati[FS:PAGE]on had grown to 50,000. By 1950, it was 159,000. By 1970, it had soared to 522,000. Today, as Pinellas County's population reaches nearly a million, Pasco and Hillsborough counties have undergone population explosions of their own, further stressing the well fields. Surrounding wetlands have become fire hazards and nearby lakes have receded from their shores. The faucets of some Pasco County residents literally have run dry.

On the face of it, the Tampa Bay region would seem to have an abundance of aqueous resources. Buried among the layers of sedimentary rock beneath Florida and its continental shelf lies an ancient bubble of freshwater, the Floridan Aquifer, one of the largest in the world. Like the state, the aquifer is bounded on three sides by salt water. The layered rocks hold roughly two quadrillion (that's 2,000,000,000,000,000) gallons of water. To this hefty amount add 50,000 miles of rivers and streams, nearly 8,000 lakes and ponds, and 600 springs, some so large they become navigable rivers when they reach the surface. All this water sits on, or under, or slices through, more than three million acres of wetlands. When compared to other Sun Belt states, Florida appears submerged in good fortune. The question arises, then: Why are the 11 well fields that serve the greater Tampa Bay area running out of water?

One reason is that groundwater does not behave like surface water. Wells take longer than lakes to recharge, and the lower pressure created by depleted wells pulls surface water downward. The more water drawn out of a well field, the deeper and wider the zone of lower pressure, and the more surface water fills the void. As surface water drains away, wetlands dry out, and even though particular localities sit atop a subterranean sea of freshwater, they may suffer a dramatic loss.

Prior to the passage of the state's 1972 Water Resources Act, which established five regional water management districts within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, anyone could drill anywhere. After 1972, the water management districts began to issue consumptive use permits. Twenty years later, when Pinellas County's groundwater[FS:PAGE] permits expired and Pasco County balked at having them renewed, the crisis moved from the faucets to the courts, eating up millions of dollars in legal fees.

In 1997, after a lengthy and contentious review process, the Southwest Florida Water Management District agreed to cofund a search for new supplies of freshwater for the Tampa Bay area. In an effort to alleviate Pasco County's water shortage, the water management district agreed to scale back pumping of the well fields. The goal was to reduce the level of pumping by more than half -- from 192 million gallons a day (mgd) in 1996 to an eventual low of 90 mgd by 2008. This reduction, hydrologists hoped, would be enough to restore the health of the aquifer. By 1998, continued water shortages forced the governments of Hillsborough County, Pasco County, Pinellas County, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, and Tampa to try something new. They decided to commission the construction of what would be the largest desalination plant in the country.

However, as desalination technology improves, lowering the cost of producing freshwater, more planners are looking to the ocean as the droughtproof guarantor of continued growth. Throughout the Sun Belt, metastasizing communities have outstripped existing water supplies and begun to look seaward. Last year, municipal water agencies from California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Florida pooled resources and formed the U.S. Desalination Coalition, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group that lobbies the federal government to invest in new desalination projects.

Today there are more than 12,500 desal plants in 120 countries, mostly in the Middle East and Caribbean. Saudi Arabia meets 70 percent of its water needs by distilling salt water; the British Virgin Islands Tortola and Virgin Gorda rely on desalination for 100 percent and 90 percent of their respective water needs. The American Water Works Association, the largest organization of water professionals in the world -- its 4,500 utility members serve 80 percent of America's population -- forecasts that the world market for desalinated water will grow by more than $70 billion in the next 20 years.

California will soon be in the vanguard in the United States. It has[FS:PAGE] already planned or proposed about a dozen desal plants along its coast, including a $270 million plant in northern San Diego County slated for completion in 2007. Early last year, the federal government reduced the amount of Colorado River water allocated to Southern California, forcing the state to accelerate its search for alternative sources after years of helping itself to the dun-colored Colorado at the expense of other western states (and Mexico).

To learn about the potential impact of desalination, I visit Mark Luther at the University of South Florida's Marine Science Center, in St. Petersburg. After a slow drive across the Pinellas Peninsula, traffic congealing at every intersection, I pull into the science center parking lot. It's an early December afternoon, hot and dry, the sky blue from seam to seam. High above the lot, an osprey throws a tantrum, lobbying for issues beyond my comprehension. From the second floor of the building I can see the desal plant across the bay on Apollo Beach, white like the salt it removes. Luther is the oceanographer who studied the bay's circulation patterns as part of the environmental assessment team that helped Tampa Bay Water determine where to site the facility. We settle at a black laboratory table in his bright, cluttered office. Luther, 50, wears a powder-blue yacht club T-shirt and sockless moccasins. His eyes match his shirt. His sand-colored, shoulder-length hair hangs in a ponytail. Luther tells me that, on average, 60 cubic meters of freshwater a second flow into the head of Tampa Bay, courtesy of four main rivers -- the Hillsborough, the Alafia, the Manatee, the Little Manatee -- and a number of smaller tributaries. The freshwater, lighter than salt water, is stirred by the tides before draining into the Gulf of Mexico.

"No matter where you take freshwater, it's going to have some impact on the environment," Luther says. "The goal is to distribute the sources to reduce that impact." Besides operating the desal plant, Tampa Bay Water pumps two new groundwater sites and diverts water from three of the rivers that feed Tampa Bay. "Taking river water has a much larger impact on the bay than the desalination facility," he says. "Of all the ways to get potable freshwater, building a desal plant is no worse and probably better than overpumping well fields or diverting too much river water." It's hardly a ringing endorsement, but it also suggests that an intelligently planned desal plant is not something a sensible environmentalist should lose too much sleep over.

You can't locate a desalination plant just anywhere, however. You need an energy source to operate the plant and a circulation pattern that removes the discharged brine. Brackish water, being less salty than seawater, costs less to desalinate. Hence, the plant was built inside the bay, on Apollo Beach, where salinity, though varying seasonally, averages 20 parts per thousand (ppt), 15 ppt lower than in the Gulf of Mexico. The [FS:PAGE]Big Bend coal-fired power plant sits next door, providing a ready source of water and energy. Of the 1.4 billion gallons the power plant uses each day to cool its condensers, Tampa Bay Water recycles 44 million gallons for desalination. Because the plant already passes intake water through a pair of screens to filter out fish and other sea organisms, from fish eggs to plankton, the desal facility does not cause any additional loss of aquatic life. From the 44 million gallons of salt water it receives daily, the plant produces 25 million gallons of freshwater. The highly concentrated salt water that remains is mixed with the power plant's effluent before being returned to Tampa Bay.

This discharge water adds only marginally to the salinity of the bay, says Luther. A little more than a quarter of a mile from the discharge site he could not detect any increase in salinity. "We're at least an order of magnitude less than natural variability," he reports. The circulating currents and tides, aided by a 43-foot-deep shipping lane dredged decades ago, wash the brine away from Apollo Beach.

Not everyone believes the desal plant is benign. According to an advocacy group called Save Our Bays, Air and Canals (SOBAC), which has its headquarters in Apollo Beach, Tampa Bay takes two years to flush. The briny discharge, SOBAC claims, is equivalent to dumping a truckload of salt in the bay every 16 minutes. The group says that part of the littoral zone off Apollo Beach is already hypersaline. Luther does not believe the desal plant will add to the problem. This part of Tampa Bay flushes about every two weeks during the summer, he tells me, less frequently during the winter. "The waters off Apollo Beach are constantly refreshed. That's why the site was chosen.

Bottled Water

Our tap water is contaminated with synthetic chemicals, toxic heavy metals, parasites, chlorination by-products and literally thousands of health threatening compounds.

Recent reports suggest that bottled water isn't any better than tap water, it just costs more. There are many good home water filtration products available today that can provide water superior to any brand of bottled water, at the touch of a button and for only pennies a gallon. The purpose of this site is to show you what products are available, how to determine what is the best product for you and to increase general awareness of this important topic.

Today in our industrialized society over 75,000 toxic chemicals are used, with over 1000 new ones being developed each year. We have learned the hard way that any chemical we use will eventually wind up in the water we drink... we don't have "new water", our planet just keeps reusing the same water over and over. As our use of synthetic chemicals has increased, so has the levels in our water supplies.

Contrary to popular belief, water treatment plants are not designed to remove synthetic chemicals or toxic metals like lead. For the most part, municipal water treatment is the same as it was 100 years ago, we filter out the visible sediments and add bleach! We do not standardly employ methods for removing toxic contaminants.

Just 70 years ago, before we had this multitude of chemical compounds in our environment, 1 in 50 people could expect to get cancer in their life time... today, 1 in 3 Americans... 1 in 2 males, will become cancer statistics! 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer, childhood cancer has risen sharply... and it can all be linked to the build up of man made contaminants in our body.

Cancer is a man made disease, and almost completely preventable. The purity of our water is one of the most important factors in the prevention of degenerative disease. Water is what our body uses to purify and flush out these toxins. If the water we use already contains contaminants, our body is less able to use it to our benefit. With the risk so great and the solution so simple... why take the chance?

In-home water filtration is the easiest, most effective and most economical means of providing safe, healthy water for you and your family.

1. Isn't bottled water safer than tap water?

No, not necessarily. NRDC conducted a four-year review of the bottled water industry and the safety standards that govern it, including a comparison of national bottled water rules with national tap water rules, and independent testing of over 1,000 bottles of water. Our conclusion is that there is no assurance that just because water comes out of a bottle it is any cleaner or safer than water from the tap. And in fact, an estimated 25 percent or more of bottled water is really just tap water in a bottle -- sometimes further treated, sometimes not.

2. Is bottled water actually unsafe?

Most bottled water appears to be safe. Of the bottles we tested, the majority proved to be high quality and relatively free of contaminants. The quality of some brands was spotty, however, and such products may pose a health risk, primarily for people with weakened immune systems (such as the frail elderly, some infants, transplant and cancer patients, or people with HIV/AIDS). About 22 percent of the brands we tested contained, in at least one sample, chemical contaminants at levels above strict state health limits. If consumed over a long period of time, some of these contaminants could cause cancer or other health problems.

3. Could the plastic in water bottles pose a health risk?

Recent research suggests that there could be cause for concern, and that the issue should be studied closely. Studies have shown that chemicals called phthalates, which are known to disrupt testosterone and other hormones, can leach into bottled water over time. One study found that water that had been stored for 10 weeks in plastic and in glass bottles contained phthalates, suggesting that the chemicals could be coming from the plastic cap or liner. Although there are regulatory standards limiting phthalates in tap water, there are no legal limits for phthalates in bottled water -- the bottled water industry waged a successful campaign opposing the FDA proposal to set a legal limit for these chemicals.

4. How can I find out where my bottled water comes from?

A few state bottled water programs (e.g., Massachusetts and New York) maintain lists of the sources of bottled water, but many do not. Try calling or writing the bottler to ask what the source is, or call the bottled water program in your state or the state in which the water [FS:PAGE]was bottled to see if they have a record of the source (your state's health or agriculture department is most likely to run the bottled water program). If you choose to buy bottled water and are concerned about its safety, buy brands with a known protected source and ones that make readily available testing and treatment information that shows high water quality.

5. How can I determine if bottled water is really just tap water?

Often it's not easy. First, carefully check the bottle label and even the cap -- if it says "from a municipal source" or "from a community water system" this means it's derived from tap water. Again, you can call the bottler, or the bottled water program in your state or the state where it was packaged.

6. What actions can I take to improve bottled water safety?

Write to your members of Congress, the FDA, and your governor (see below for contact information) and urge them to adopt strict requirements for bottled water safety, labeling, and public disclosure. Specifically, point out to these officials that they should:

• set strict limits for contaminants of concern in bottled water, including arsenic, heterotrophic-plate-count bacteria, E. coli and other parasites and pathogens, and synthetic organic chemicals such as "phthalates";
  
  
• apply the rules to all bottled water whether carbonated or not and whether sold intrastate or interstate; and
  
  
• require bottlers to display information on their labels about the levels of contaminants of concern found in the water, the water's exact source, how it's been treated, and whether it meets health criteria set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control for killing parasites like cryptosporidium.

Members of Congress and governors should also pass legislation providing the resources for the FDA and state regulators to actually enforce the law.

To take further action, you can encourage your bottlers and the International Bottled Water Association (a trade organization that includes about 85 percent of water bottlers) to voluntarily make labeling disclosures such as those above.

Contact information:

FDA
Jane E. Henney, M.D.
Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Congress/State Legislators
Go to our action center to find contact information for your members of Congress and state legislators.

FDA
Jane E. Henney, M.D.
Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Congress/State Legislators
Go to our action center to find contact information for your members of Congress and state legislators.

7. How does drinking bottled water affect the environment?

In 2006, the equivalent of 2 billion half-liter bottles of water were shipped to U.S. ports, creating thousands of tons of global warming pollution and other air polluti[FS:PAGE]on. In New York City alone, the transportation of bottled water from western Europe released an estimated 3,800 tons of global warming pollution into the atmosphere. In California, 18 million gallons of bottled water were shipped in from Fiji in 2006, producing about 2,500 tons of global warming pollution.

And while the bottles come from far away, most of them end up close to home -- in a landfill. Most bottled water comes in recyclable PET plastic bottles, but only about 13 percent of the bottles we use get recycled. In 2005, 2 million tons of plastic water bottles ended up clogging landfills instead of getting recycled.

8. If I drink tap water should I use a filter and what types of filters are most effective?

The real long-term solution is to make tap water safe for everyone. However, if you know you have a tap water quality or taste problem, or want to take extra precautions, you should purchase filters certified by NSF International (800 NSF-MARK). These filters designate which contaminants they remove, and you can look for one that removes any contaminants of special concern such as cryptosporidium. Such certification is not necessarily a safety guarantee, but it is better than no certification at all. It is critically important that all filters be maintained and replaced at least as often as recommended by the manufacturer, or they might make the problem worse.

9. How can I obtain test results on my tap water?

Under new "right-to-know" provisions in the drinking water law, all tap water suppliers must provide annual water quality reports to their customers. To obtain a copy, call your water provider (the one that sends your water bills).

You also can test your water yourself, though this can be expensive. There are state-certified drinking water laboratories in virtually every state that can test your water. Call your state drinking water program or the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800 426-4791) for a list of contacts. Standard consumer test packages are available through large commercial labs at a relatively reasonable price.

Based on BOTTLED WATER: Pure Drink or Pure Hype? a March 1999 report by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

By Dr. Christopher Vasey, ND

It is said that water is the ideal drink for the human being, and that drinking water is good for one's health. The reasons why this would be the case, however, are rarely stated. As a consequence, water, as a drink, is often neglected as a factor in health.

Who could imagine that fatigue, energy depletion, depression, eczema, rheumatism, high and low blood pressure, high cholesterol, gastric disorders, and premature aging could all be caused by a chronic lack of water in the body? Science has discovered that these problems ¨C and a great many others ¨C can be effectively prevented or treated by correct hydration.

Most people assume they are drinking enough fluids. Certainly they consume copious amounts of coffee, tea, and all sorts of soft drinks, but these beverages are far less effective in hydrating the body than plain water. Furthermore, in today's world, our bodies' need for water is much higher that it once was. Our food is too rich, too concentrated, and too salty, and the use of dehydrating substances such as alcohol and tobacco is very widespread. Stress, overheated and artificially ventilated homes, offices, and stores, air and water pollution ¨C all contribute to our increased need for water.

As a consequence, large numbers of people do not realize they are chronically dehydrated, much less that lack of water is the cause of many of their health problems. There is only one solution: drink a lot more water. But for people to make a permanent change in their habits, they need to know why water is so important. What exactly happens when water enters in the body? What are the health conditions that can be traced to dehydration? How much should we drink, and what water should we choose? Theses are just a few of the many questions answered in this book.

The Harm Caused by Dehydration:

Our bodies are constantly dealing with liquid deficiencies.

Every day we expel 2.5 liters of water from our bodies in the form of urine, sweat, water vapor from the lungs, and the liquid contained in stools. When an equivalent intake of water is maintained, the body's hydric budget is in balance. Conversely, if the liquid intake is insufficient, this balance sheet goes into the red, and the process of dehydration begins.

The dehydration of the body can occur quite quickly. Although human beings can survive for a fairly long period without food (more than six weeks, as is shown by certain therapeutic fasts), the same does not hold true for going without liquid. Three days without any liquid, either in the form of drinks or what is bound to solid food, is sufficient to create serious physical breakdowns. Two or three days longer is fatal.

What precisely happens when the body is deprived of liquids over a long period?

First, blood volume tends to shrink, surrendering part of its own constituent water to the kidneys, the sudoriferous glands, and the other excretory organs that re[FS:PAGE]move toxins from the body. But blood volume cannot be reduced too much without causing loss of consciousness , as well as problems supplying the cells with the oxygen and nutrients they need.

It is therefore necessary for the body to adjust. As it is no longer receiving water from external sources, it must draw what it needs from the nearest internal source: the extracellular fluid. Unfortunately, this withdrawal means that the cells are no longer surrounded by a sufficient quantity of liquid, and this degrades their functioning so it is intermittent and incomplete.

The situation cannot help but continue to deteriorate, because the blood continues to give an uninterrupted supply of liquid to the excretory organs, forcing the interstitial compartment to give up its water. This reduction of interstitial liquid cannot go on for long without generating new disorders. The thickened interstitial fluid is no longer capable of ensuring that the exchanges between the blood and the cells take place as they should.

To remedy this, the body is again forced to find another solution, and begins to draw liquid from the intracellular fluid, withdrawing water the cells normally use when it's available but can do without if needed be. But the rest of their water is indispensable, and if the cells were forced to give it up, it would compromise their ability to function. If the body still does not obtain water from an external source, after taking all the other adaptive measures described, it draws water from this deep level of the body. The water content of the cells then shrinks inexorably, as the body has no other additional area from which it can withdraw water.

Overall dehydration of the body engenders two serious metabolic problems that are the main causes of all the various disorders caused by dehydration: enzymatic slowdown and autointoxication (poisoning by toxins produced within the body).

Enzymatic Slowdown

The role of enzymes is to perform the many biochemical transformations necessary for the body to function. To do this they need, among other things, an environment richly supplied with water.

When the volume of blood and cellular fluids shrinks, the substances normally held in suspension in them become more tightly packed. The body fluids become more highly concentrated, which gives the enzymes an environment poorly suited for their activity, a situation that continues to deteriorate as long as dehydration remains an issue.

At first, the enzymes continue to work, but at a slower pace. Later, this rhythm slows further, and the biochemical transformations become intermittent and incomplete.

Enzymatic slowdown eventually paralyzes all the body's activity, as the production of energy, hormones, reparative substances, and so on necessary for the body to perform properly gradually decreases.
The influence of dehydration on physical abilities has been calculated to a very precise degree in sports medicine. The figures supplied by[FS:PAGE] this research clearly show the speed with which dehydration has an effect on body function. A loss of liquid equivalent to 1 percent of total body weight is enough to diminish the body's working capacity by 10 percent. At a 2 percent loss, this capacity becomes 20 percent less efficient. The reduction in effectiveness continues at the same pace until around 10 percent, the stage at which the dehydrated individual loses consciousness, along with all motor and physical effectiveness.

For a person weighing 160 pounds, 1 percent of body weight is equal to 16 pounds, or 0.7 liter of water, a quantity that is easily lost through the sweat caused by one hour of physical exercise at an ambient temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit (18 degrees Celsius). At 82 degrees Fahrenheit, the hydric loss borders on 3 liters an hour, equaling more than 4 percent of total body weight and a 40 percent loss in physical ability.

Autointoxication

Every day, cells produce wastes and metabolic residues. The essential support medium for evacuating wastes is water: sweat is composed of 99 percent water, urine 95 percent, and exhaled air and stools 80 percent.

When the body does not have the liquids it needs to perform its functions properly, elimination continues, but with a reduced quantity of water. Urination is less frequent and the urine is thicker; sweat is more concentrated; and stools are dry and hard. Under these conditions, toxins are eliminated at a reduced rate. Waste products accumulate in the excretory organs, are deposited on the walls of the vessels, and congest the organs. The content of toxins in the blood and cellular fluids increases. All these factors contribute to the autointoxication of the body, which is considered in holistic medicine as the starting point for every illness.

The situation can deteriorate even further. When the body has been deprived of liquids for a long time, eventually there is not enough liquid to eliminate the toxins the body continues to produce. The toxins then become concentrated inside the body. At this point, the body begins to suffocate in its own wastes; cellular activity comes to a halt, and death follows.

These two situations, enzymatic slowdown and autointoxication, engender all the disorders characteristic of dehydration.

Acute and Chronic Dehydration

Most people don't think they need to worry about dehydration. To them, dehydration is something that happens to travelers in the desert when they run out of water.

But there is a chronic form of dehydration that does not have the sudden and intense nature of the acute form. Chronic dehydration is widespread in the present day and affects everyone who is not drinking enough liquid.

The troubles that result from chronic dehydration are not as pronounced as those created by the acute form. The liquid loss is always less than the 10 percent of body weight cited earlier as the cause of serious physical problems that can threaten a person's survival[FS:PAGE].

Chronic dehydration is not severe enough to result in death or serious illness, but it is enough to cause numerous functional and lesional disorders that are more or less irritating or painful. These disorders are many and varied, because the lack of water brings about a general weakening of the body's internal cellular environment. Of course, the weakest organs give way first, and these are where the disorders appear.

Here are several examples of the health problems that can result from chronic dehydration of the tissues. These problems can have a variety of different causes, but dehydration is a possible cause of each one.

Health Problems That Can Be Caused by Chronic Dehydration:

Fatigue, Energy Loss

Dehydration of the tissues causes enzymatic activity to slow down, including enzymes that are active in the production of energy. This production can fall so low in the case of acute dehydration that the individual suffering from it may not even be capable of standing up. He or she remains prostrate and motionless, in a somnolent or even unconscious state.

Although it does not go to this extreme, chronic dehydration nonetheless engenders a sense of chronic fatigue and lassitude. The effect on a person's psychic state is a noticeable lack of enthusiasm while working and a loss of joy in living.

If a person in this situation starts drinking sufficient quantities of water again (the question of quantity is discussed in chapter 6 of my book), his or her energy returns. A generous intake of water retriggers enzymatic activity, hence the return of energy. Regaining strength and energy is one of the effects mentioned by the majority of people who increase their water consumption to bring it back to normal levels.

Constipation

When an alimentary bolus (a mass of chewed food) enters the colon, it contains too much liquid to allow stools to form properly. The excess water is absorbed by the wall of the colon to reduce this content. The removal process continues until the stools acquire their normal consistency, which allows easy evacuation.

With chronic dehydration, however, the removal of liquid can be excessive. As the body is not receiving enough water from the outside, it seeks to obtain it from all possible sources. One of the means it has available is to withdraw it from one part of the body to put it at the disposal of another. In this case, the body withdraws more water from the stools than it would normally. They then become dry and hard and difficult to eliminate.

Constipation caused by chronic dehydration can be corrected only by increasing daily water consumption. The body then ceases to make extra withdrawals of water from the stools, and they regain the necessary moistness to be eliminated normally.

Digestive Disorders

Various digestive disorders can be caused by a lack of water: poor digestion, gas, bloating, pain, nausea, indigestion, and loss of appetite. In fact, the body produces 7 liters of digest[FS:PAGE]ive juices daily. In the event of chronic dehydration, the secretions are less abundant, and the digestive process cannot perform properly.

In this case, water should not be consumed during meals but separately, throughout the day, especially thirty minutes before mealtime . An amount of 10 ounces or 3 deciliters at a time would be appropriate . This ensures that the quantity of water available for the production of digestive juices is sufficient.

Gastritis, Stomach Ulcers

To protect its mucous membranes from being destroyed by the acidic digestive fluid it produces, the stomach secretes a layer of mucus. This mucus is composed of 98 percent water and 2 percent sodium bicarbonate. The large quantity of water forms a thick barrier between the mucous membranes and the acids of the gastric juices. Because of its alkaline properties, the bicarbonate that permeates the mucus also neutralizes the acids that attempt to cross this protective barrier.

In a state of chronic dehydration, the stomach does not have enough liquid available to properly manufacture the mucus. Among people who are predisposed to these kinds of disorders, some zones of the stomach do not have a good lining of mucus and thus are poorly protected. These zones can be attacked by the acids, which first cause an inflammation of the mucous membrane (gastritis), then lesions (ulcers).

In such cases, rather than resorting to artificial palliatives, it is preferable to assist the body to produce its own palliative, or protective mucus, by drinking more. A fairly generous consumption of water helps the stomach again produce sufficient amounts of mucus so it can protect its walls from attack.

Excess Weight and Obesity

Those who are overweight are eating more than their bodies are capable of using and eliminating. But why do we have a tendency to eat more than our physiology needs? There are numerous possible reasons, but one of them¡ªthirst¡ªis rarely mentioned.

There are two ways to satisfy thirst: we can drink a lot of fluids, or we can eat foods rich in water. If we opt for the second solution, the body receives the liquids it needs, but it also takes in nutritive substances it doesn't need, which contribute to its weight. More often than we might think, when we are thirsty we make the mistake of eating rather than drinking.

Although the two sensations are distinct, thirst is often confused with hunger. One reason is that eating can soothe thirst. A second reason is that the fatigue that accompanies dehydration is wrongly interpreted as a lack of energetic fuel, that is, sugar. In both cases we are dealing with a false sensation of hunger.

When we confuse thirst and hunger, a vicious circle is rapidly generated, because the more we eat, the greater is our need for water with which to manufacture digestive juices. So the more we eat, the thirstier we become. And because we are already confusing the sensation of thirst with that of hunger, we again eat instead [FS:PAGE]of drink, which only increases our need for water, which is again mistakenly interpreted as hunger.

To break this vicious circle and reduce the quantity of food ingested, water consumption must be considerably increased. If we drink much more than we normally would (more than 2 liters a day), these false sensations of hunger cease. The quantity of food consumed shrinks and adjust to the body's needs.

In addition to the beneficial effect of the reduction of food intake, the overall metabolism is stimulated. This occurs because the rehydration of the tissues retriggers enzymatic activity, and thus the combustion of excess fat as well.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of the body's most useful substances. It is harmful only when present in excessive amounts, and then its greatest threat is to the circulatory system.

Out of the total quantity of cholesterol found in our bodies, one third comes from food, and the body produces two thirds. This production takes place in the liver and intestines. Hypercholesterolemia, the medical term for excessive cholesterol in the blood, can therefore have either an external cause (the foods we eat) or an internal cause (endogenous overproduction).

Among the numerous functions it performs, cholesterol takes part in the construction of the membranes (or walls) of the cells. Its role consists primarily of making them impermeable. The cells' need for cholesterol is constant, so the body produces it constantly. But this production can become excessive under certain circumstances and lead to hypercholesterolemia. This is notably the case with dehydration.

How does this occur?

When dehydration causes too much liquid to be removed from inside the cells, the body tries to stop this loss by producing more cholesterol. A higher level of cholesterol effectively enables the cellular membrane to become less permeable, which in turn prevents too great a loss of their fluid. But while this overproduction remedies the ill effects of dehydration, it also has the negative consequence of increasing the cholesterol in the bloodstream.

In such cases, regular consumption of abundant water limits the production of cholesterol. This can be accomplished with no change in diet, because food is not the cause of the overproduction.

Cystitis, Urinary Infections

The harmful influence of liquid deficiency is well known in connection with urinary infections. If the toxins contained in urine are insufficiently diluted, they attack the urinary mucous membranes and create microlesions. These lesions then form entranceways for germs, which settle in the membranes, multiply, and engender painful infections.

Drinking large amounts of water to dilute the urine and ensure that the germs are carried away is thus perfectly justified. But the water also intervenes in another way. The microbes responsible for urinary infections often originate in the intestines. They are microorganisms of the intestinal flora that were origina[FS:PAGE]lly beneficial, but then mutate and become virulent when intestinal transit is too slow. Subsequently migrating elsewhere in the body, among other destinations toward the nearby urinary tract, these microbes engender infections.

An increased consumption of liquid is thus not only beneficial in the urinary tract, but also at the starting gate for infections: the intestinal milieu (for example, preventing constipation).

Premature Aging

The normal aging process involves a gradual loss of volume of the extracellular and intracellular fluids. As we saw earlier, the body of a newborn child is composed of 80 percent liquid, but this percentage declines to no more than 70 percent in an adult and continues to decline with age. This water loss contributes to the slowing down of exchanges and the loss of volume in the flesh that is characteristic of natural aging.

However, loss of water in the tissues can be intensified and accelerated when the liquid ingested on a daily basis is not enough to meet the body's needs. Older people who do not drink enough aggravate the normal dehydration process that accompanies natural aging. They age much more quickly than necessary, simply because of poor hygiene.

Drinking enough liquid is essential throughout life. Unfortunately, the elderly often do not drink enough, perhaps because they do not always clearly perceive the sensation of thirst.

To avoid dehydration, the body pushes us to drink by triggering a disagreeable sensation: thirst. Theoretically, it should therefore not be possible to become dehydrated. And yet the fact remains that many people do not drink enough.

Dehydration is a frequent etiology of morbidity and mortality in elderly people. It causes the hospitalization of many patients and its outcome may be fatal. Indeed, dehydration is often linked to infection, and if it is overlooked, mortality may be over 50%. Older individuals have been shown to have a higher risk of developing dehydration than younger adults. Modifications in water metabolism with aging and fluid imbalance in the frail elderly are the main factors to consider in the prevention of dehydration. Particularly, a decrease in the fat free mass, which is hydrated and contains 73% water, is observed in the elderly due to losses in muscular mass, total body water, and bone mass. Since water intake is mainly stimulated by thirst, and since the thirst sensation decreases with aging, risk factors for dehydration are those that lead to a loss of autonomy or a loss of cognitive function that limit the access to beverages. The prevention of dehydration must be multidisciplinary. Caregivers and health care professionals should be constantly aware of the risk factors and signs of dehydration in elderly patients. Strategies to maintain normal hydration should comprise practical approaches to induce the elderly to drink enough. This can be accomplished by frequent encouragement to drink, by offering a wide variety of beverages, by advising to drink often rather than large amounts, and by adaptation of the environment and medications as necessary.

Nephrol Dial Transplant. 1996;11 Suppl 9:9-17.

Some sodium, potassium and water changes in the elderly and their treatment.

Andreucci VE, Russo D, Cianciaruso B, Andreucci M.
Chair of Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, University Federico II of Naples, Italy.

Creatinine clearance decreases with age by 1 ml/min/year after 40 years of age, although serum creatinine remains constant because of reduction of muscle mass. Reduction of water intake may occur in the elderly because of a reduced sensation of thirst; this is associated with a tendency to lose water with urine. The capacity to respond to sodium load is impaired in aged kidneys, thereby leading to extra cellular volume (ECV) expansion and hypertension. But there is also, in the elderly, a reduced capacity for retaining sodium (FENa is higher than in young subjects), making old subjects sensitive to salt depletion and ECV contraction. Hypernatraemia (Nas > 150 mmol/l) is not infrequent in the elderly (1%) and is usually due to water deficiency (old subjects should be forced to drink), and rarely to iatrogenic excess of sodium. It is the abrupt occurrence of severe hypernatraemia that causes neurological symptoms due to dehydration and brain shrinking, which may lead to cerebral haemorrhage and death. Hyponatraemia (Nas < 130 mmol/l) is frequent among the elderly (7-11%) and is mainly[FS:PAGE] due to water overload, which is usually iatrogenic. Hypovolaemic hyponatraemia occurs when salt depletion causes ECV contraction > 10%, and is due to water retention in an attempt to normalize ECV. Hypervolaemic hyponatraemia is due to ADH hypersecretion because of a decrease in 'effective' circulating blood volume. 'Pseudohyponatraemia' may occur because of hyperlipidaemia or hyperproteinaemia. It is the abrupt occurrence of severe hyponatraemia that causes neurological symptoms (water intoxication), secondary to the oedomatous swelling of the brain within the skull. While rapidly occurring hyponatraemia may be lethal, slowly occurring hyponatraemia is usually asymptomatic. Rapid correction of hyponatraemia may cause cerebral dehydration and 'osmotic demyelination syndrome' ('central pontine myelinosis'). Decrease (e.g. by diuretics) or increase (e.g. by ACE-inhibitors, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, beta-blockers) or serum potassium may occur in the elderly. Diuretics should be used with caution in elderly subjects to avoid salt depletion, hypotension and renal function impairment.

Semin Nephrol. 1996 Jul;16(4):277-88.

Abnormalities of water metabolism in the elderly.

Ayus JC, Arieff AI.
Harris County Hospital District, Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX.

Hypernatremia (high sodium in the blood that occurs with excessive fluid loss) is a frequent problem at the extremes of age, but particularly so in elderly individuals. Changes in the physiological responses to water deprivation with increasing age may be of particular interest in understanding the pathogenesis of hypernatremia in the elderly. When comparing healthy elderly men to younger controls, there are differences in the response to water deprivation. In older men, there are deficits in both the intensity and threshold of the thirst response. The ability to concentrate the urine also declines with age. There is both a decline in glomerular filtration rate and an increased incidence of renal disease with advancing age, which may contribute to impaired ability to conserve water. Because of a decrease in the percent total body water with age, equal volumes of fluid loss in young and old individuals may represent more severe dehydration in the elderly. Hyponatremia is seen in all age groups, but there are important differences in the elderly. When compared with postmenopausal women, menstruant (of childbearing age) women are over 25 times more likely to suffer permanent brain damage as a complication of hyponatremic encephalopathy. Furthermore, menstruant women suffer seizures or respiratory arrest at far higher levels of plasma sodium (110 to 130 mmol/L) than occurs in postmenopausal women (95 to 123 mmol/L).

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Dec;86(12):5996-7.

Potassium depletion and salt sensitivity in essential hypertension.

Coruzzi P, Brambilla L, Brambilla V, Gualerzi M, Rossi M, Parati G, Di Rienzo M, Tadonio J, Novarini A.

Unita Cardiovascolare,[FS:PAGE] Istituto di Semeiotica Medica-Fondazione Don C. Gnocchi-ONLUS, University of Parma, I 43100 Parma, Italy. paolo.coruzzi@unipr.it

To evaluate the actual role of potassium depletion on blood pressure, 11 hypertensive patients were placed on a 10-day isocaloric diet providing a daily potassium intake of either 18 or 80 mmol, with each subject serving as his or her own control; the intake of sodium (220 mmol/day) and other minerals was kept constant. On day 11 each patient was also subjected to central volume expansion by water immersion associated with either normal or low potassium intake. After a 10-day period of low potassium intake, systolic blood pressure increased (P < 0.02) by 5 mm Hg, whereas serum potassium decreased (P < 0.001) by 0.9 mmol/L; no significant changes in urinary sodium and a marked increase in urinary calcium excretion (P < 0.001) were found during the 10-day low potassium intake. PRA (P < 0.02) and plasma aldosterone (P < 0.04) concentrations also decreased during low potassium intake in hypertensive patients. Even though an identical natriuretic response was found during the water immersion experiments with either high or low potassium in the whole hypertensive group, the evaluation of hypertensive subjects in relation to salt sensitivity enabled us to disclose pronounced differences in the natriuretic and calciuretic response. In fact, although an impaired natriuretic ability and moderate calcium loss were particularly found during water immersion in those hypertensive subjects exhibiting a lower salt sensitivity index, a predominant calcium depletion appeared to be the most important consequence of potassium depletion in the hypertensive subjects with a higher salt sensitivity index. By confirming that potassium depletion may exacerbate essential hypertension, our data also suggest that not only sodium restriction, but also potassium and calcium supplementation, could be particularly advisable in salt-sensitive hypertensive patients.

Clin Exp Hypertens. 2005 Jan;27(1):95-112.

Potassium, magnesium, and electrolyte imbalance and complications in disease management.

Weglicki W, Quamme G, Tucker K, Haigney M, Resnick L.
George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia 20052, USA. wweg@gwu.edu

Electrolyte balance is a critical issue in managing comorbid conditions in both diseased and elderly patients. Patients with hypertension and diabetes need careful regulation of their calcium and magnesium levels, whereas in patients with congestive heart failure, sodium and potassium levels also are critical. Herein we report the outcome of a round table discussion at which issues of renal magnesium clearance, magnesium and arrhythmic risk, ion balance in heart failure, diabetes, ischemic stress, oxidative stress in the cardiomyopathy of magnesium deficiency, roles of magnesium and potassium in bone metabolism and the aging population, and the role of electrolyte balance[FS:PAGE] in hypertension have been discussed. In all these issues the maintaining homeostasis of potassium and magnesium is critical and the various therapies that impact on retaining these ions were discussed. Hallmark studies, i.e., Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial and Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction, have provided insight into treatment of patients with cardiovascular and progressive heart failure. These studies and the availability of potassium- and magnesium-sparing diuretics for use in these disorders provide relevant perspectives for treatment.

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• Can Skin Absorb Volatile Organic Compounds?
• Why Filter Your Shower Water?
• Cholrinated Shower Water - Quotes for Respected Authorities
• How Filtration Can Remove Chlorine from Shower Water

Chlorinated Water and Unknown Hazards of the Shower

There is another side to the chlorine-water story. When we return from a gym workout or a jogging session or a game of squash, not only are we thirsty but we usually shower or bathe. We have been taught that cleanliness and health go together, and indeed they do, when chemical-free water is used.

When chlorinated water is used, however, bathing may be much less healthy that we ever supposed. Gasses are as a rule less soluble in hot water, and when water is heated or the free chlorine content in water is greatly reduced, the chorine escaping into the air. When we have a hot shower or run a bath we can sometimes smell the chlorine released as it escapes from the hot water. In a confined shower recess, however, especially one with poor ventilation, the chlorine escapes from the water as we continue the hot shower and steadily increases in concentration in the air we breathe. The olfactory threshold for chlorine is about 3.5 PPM (parts per million) so when we can smell chlorine the concentration is already above this level. The lethal concentration for ten-minute exposure is about 600 PPM and we suggest that regularly taking hot showers with chlorinated water could pose a health risk.

Chlorine causes pulmonary edema, and it would seem likely that regular exposure to chlorine gas even at low levels such as in normal showering may reduce the oxygen transfer capacity of the lungs. This could be a critical factor for athletes and for others prone to heart failure. Another aspect to be considered is our skin. Our skin is an important protective barrier for our bodies. When we shower with chlorinated water we are essentially exposing our skin to a relatively large volume of a dilute chlorine solution. Some of this chlorine reacts with the oils in the skin to form chlorinated compounds and it is these compounds which may then be absorbed by the body. It seems very likely, considering strong oxidizing power off chlorine, that regular exposure to chlorinated water serves also to promote the aging process of the skin, not unlike extended exposure to sunlight. Moreover, chlorine may actually enhance the aging effects of ultraviolet radiation by reinforcing the process of cell deterioration.

Another skin factor to be considered with the destruction by chlorine is the natural bacteria balance on our skin. Our skin has an ecology, all of its own, which needs to be preserved in order to maintain healthy skin and its associated beauty.

Skin Absorbtion as a route of Exposure For Volatile Organic Compounds

By the American Journal of Public Health 1984 74:479-484 

HYDRATION

The more hydrated the skin, the greater the absorption. If the skin is hydrated (through perspiration or immersion in water) or if the contaminant compounds are in solution, diffusion and penetration will be enhanced.

TEMPERATURE

Increased skin or water temperature will enhance skin absorption capacity proportionately. During swimming and bathing, it may be expected that greater hydration of skin surfaces will take place.

SKIN CONDITION

Any insult (i.e. sunburn) or injury (i.e. cuts, wounds, abrasions) to the outer layer of skin will lower its ability to act as a barrier against foreign substances. A history of skin disease such as psoriasis or eczema acts to lower the natural barrier of the outer skin layer, as do rashes, dermatitis, or any chronic skin condition.

REGIONAL VARIABILITY

Skin absorption rates vary with the different regions of the body. Underestimated is the case of whole body immersion during swimming or bathing. The epidermis of the hand represents a relatively greater barrier to penetration than many other parts of the body, including the scalp, forehead, abdomen, area in and around the ears, underarms, and genital area. Penetration through the genital area, in fact, is estimated to be 100% as compared to 8.56% for the forearm.

OTHER ROUTES OF ENTRY

Other significant routes of absorption include oral, nasal, cheeks, and mouth cavity, and eye and ear areas. These routes have been underestimated in their ability to absorb contaminants during immersion in water. Inhalation serves as yet another route. In the case of swimming or bathing, the volatized chemicals are likely to gather near the surface of the water and are readily inhalable. In addition, water may be swallowed in these situations.

INDIVIDUAL VARIABILITY

Absorption rates obtained from healthy adults will again tend to underestimate absorption for children or populations that are more sensitive.

Why filter Your Shower Water?

Chlorine is a toxic chemical. It is used in water treatment to reduce and kill forms of biological agents, such as bacteria and viruses found in water systems. Chlorine is harmful to you when you drink it and when it is absorbed into our skin and inhaled into your lungs when you shower. It has been estimated that the "shower steam" in your bathroom can contain up to 100 times the amount of chlorine than the water, because chlorine evaporates out of water at a relatively low temperature. If you bathe or shower in unfiltered tap water you are inhaling and absorbing chlorine into your body.

Conditions contributed to or aggravated by chlorine exposure:
¡¤ Respiratory Conditions (nose, throat, lungs, sinuses): Asthma, bronchitis
¡¤ Hair: Dry, brittle
¡¤ Skin: Dry, flaking, dandruff, itching, rashes (especially with infants and children)
¡¤ Eyes conditions

Chlorine is universally used to chemically disinfect water. I[FS:PAGE]t kills germs, bacteria and other living organisms. Chlorine readily passes through the cell wall and attaches to the fatty acids of the cell, disrupting the life sustaining functions. The human body is composed of billions of cells. Most people are aware that the quality of their drinking water can be improved by filtering their tap water or buying bottled water. However, many do not realize that they are addressing only a part of the problem.

One half of our daily chlorine exposure is from showering. Chlorine is not only absorbed through the skin, but also re-vaporized in the shower, inhaled into the lungs, and transferred directly into the blood system. In fact, the chlorine exposure from one shower is equal to an entire day's amount of drinking the same water. Drinking filtered or bottled water only does half the job. For people who are concerned about their health and are willing to take the responsibility to do something about it, the Sprite Shower Filter is an affordable solution to the problem.

Showering in Chlorinated Water: Quotes from Respected Authorities

Americans are becoming more aware of the contaminants in our nation's water supplies and many are installing water filters to purify their drinking water. Yet most continue to bathe and shower straight from the tap, unaware that inhaling unfiltered shower vapors (steam) is more harmful than actually drinking the water itself. During a shower, toxic chloroform evaporates into the surrounding air you breathe. In addition, The Center for Study of Responsive Law's, Troubled Water on Tap report, states that over 2,100 contaminants have been found in drinking water. Of those 2,100, 190 are known to cause adverse health effects. In total, 97 carcinogens, 82 mutagens and suspected mutagens (cause cell mutations), 23 tumor promoters and 28 acute and chronic toxic contaminants have been detected in U.S. drinking water. According to East West magazine, consumers should purchase shower head filters which remove chlorine and other contaminants to prevent exposure to chloroform [and other toxic substances]."
-Center for Study of Responsive Law, Consumers Research Magazine, East West, July 1989.

"A long, hot shower can be dangerous. The toxic chemicals are inhaled in high concentrations."
- Bottom Line - August 1987, J Andelman, Ph. D.

"We conclude that skin absorption of contaminants in drinking water has been underestimated and that ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure."
-American Journal of Public Health, May, 1984, Vol. 74, No. 5

"Ironically, even the Chlorine widely used to disinfect water produces Carcinogenic traces. Studies indicate the suspect chemicals can also be inhaled and absorbed through the skin during showering and bathing."
- U. S. News & World Report - 29 July 1991, Is your Water Safe - The Dangerous State of Your Water

"Taking showers is a health risk, according to research presented last week in a[FS:PAGE] meeting of the American Chemical Society. Showers - and to a lesser extent baths - lead to a greater exposure to toxic chemicals contained in water supplies than does drinking water. The chemicals evaporate out of the water and are inhaled. They can also spread through the house and be inhaled by others."
- New Scientist -18 September 1986, Ian Anderson

"Studies have documented the presence in the drinking water of many potentially toxic volatile organic chemicals (VOC's)- from chloroform and pesticides to carbon tetrachloride. Such findings have spurred investigations into the inhalation hazards these compounds may pose when released in the air during baths and showers. However, because shower and tub equipment, as well as other design features, differed widely in these experiments, air releases for a single VOC could vary up to 10-fold from one studied system to another."
-John C. Little, Lawrence Berkeley (California) Laboratory, Science News, August 15, 1992

"The steamy air of a shower contains significant amounts of a least two cancer-causing chemicals that evaporate out of water."
-J Andelman, Professor of Water Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh

"Almost two decades have passed since known or suspected human carcinogens were first found in municipal water supplies. One of them, chloroform, produced by the chlorination process, exposes millions of Americans. The potential for a major public health problem is unquestionably there, and yet, progress has been slow."
-Dr. Peter Isacson, M.D., Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine

"Skin absorption of contaminant has been underestimated and ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure."
- American Journal of-Public Health - Dr. Halina Brown

"Showering is suspected as the primary cause of elevated of chloroform in nearly every home because of the chlorine in the water. Chloroform [a known carcinogen] levels increase up to 100 times during a ten-minute shower in residential water"
- Environmental Protection Agency - Dr. Lance Wallace

"I tell my friends to take quick, cold showers", said Julian B. Andelman, Professor of Water Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, who claimed that the longer and hotter the shower, the more chemicals build up in the air.
San Jose Mercury News, September 11, 1986

"Many investigators have reported on the toxicity and unexpected high penetration rates of volatile organic chemicals."
-American Journal of Public Health

"A Professor of Water Chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh claims that exposure to vaporized chemicals in the water supplies through showering, bathing, and inhalation is 100 greater than through drinking the water."
- The Nader Report, Troubled Waters on Tap - Center for Study of Responsive Law

"The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 200 to 1000 people die in the United States each ye[FS:PAGE]ar from cancers caused by ingesting the contaminants in water. The major health threat posed by these pollutants is far more likely to be from their inhalation as air pollutants. The reason that emissions are high is because water droplets dispersed by the shower head have a larger surface-to-value ratio than water streaming into the bath."
- Science News-Vol. 130, Janet Raloff

How Filtration Removes Chlorine and Purifies Shower Water

The state-of-the-art technology that filters chlorine, sulfur, smell, rust water and traces of heavy metals in The Filter is multi-fold: KDF™ (copper-zinc) and Chlorgon™ (mineral salts).

The Filters are designed to use a replaceable cartridge that is easy to install, user-friendly, and earth-friendly.

In the presence of rushing water, the KDF media acts like poles of a battery, the copper becoming the cathode (negative pole) and the zinc becoming the anode (positive pole), thereby creating a minute electrical current. Because free (pure) chlorine is a very unstable compound, in the presence of KDF the chlorine molecule gives up its outermost electron, allowing it to immediately bond with the copper and zinc elements, thus forming harmless, chelatable body salts (cupric and zinc chlorides).

KDF™ is a compound made of copper and zinc, two dissimilar elements in a granular form that operates by the law of opposites. It effectively removes up to 99% of free chlorine, varying amounts of iron oxides, hydrogen sulfide and small amounts of lead and keeps the unit bacteriostatic.

CHLORGON¡® is a mineral salt that removes combined chlorine.

CHLORINE: It is a toxic, inorganic chemical that kills bacteria and living organic matter, including epidermal (skin) cells and cells within the body. It is a bleaching agent that causes dry skin, brittle hair and has been linked to colon and bladder cancer. When vaporized in a hot shower or bath, it is also an irritant to the lungs and mucous membranes.

HEAVY METALS: In the presence of the KDF media and the minute electrical current it generates, small traces of lead and larger amounts of iron oxides literally remove themselves from the water by bonding with the copper and zinc compound, similar to electro-plating. Iron and sulfur readily bond to the media, so much so that if there is an excess of these two elements in the water, the life span of the filter will be slightly shorter, resulting in the need for more frequent cartridge replacements.