Industry is responsible for chemical pollution of many rivers and lakes, and of the aquifers deep beneath the ground which is tapped by wells. Chemicals used in production of everything from paper to steel were once dumped freely into near by rivers or lakes, and even now when the damage and danger of this practice is understood, it continues. Regulations are made to keep the waterways clean, but inefficient operation, evasion of the laws, and accidental spills continue to pollute.
If what you are drinking does not come from a lake or river, it may come from a reservoir, or a man made lake. These storage areas are often used for boating and recreational purposes, and can be ringed by residential development that sends runoff from lawns and driveways, as well as raw sewage in times of flood or heavy snow melt.
The other main source of drinking H2O is groundwater, which is underground in aquifers. You may think that your groundwater is safe if you live far from an urban area, but this is not true. One of the major sources of aquifer pollution is the run off of organic manures from feedlots and grazing livestock. Agricultural fertilizers also can leach through the soil into the aquifer, as can chemicals used as pesticides and herbicides. Furthermore, landfills and hazardous waste sites miles away may be polluting the groundwater beneath your house.
If this was not enough to scare you, there is also the danger of leaking storage tanks for gasoline and other petroleum products, the fact that your own pipes can be a source of contamination, and some natural minerals like arsenic or radon gas can taint your water, too. This doesn't even address the presence of harmful bacteria, which may be found even in sources treated with chlorine, which is in itself a harmful chemical and breaks down into even worse ones.
What can you do? Is drinking bottled water the answer? No. Bottled H2O can contain as many pollutants as what comes from the tap, which it often does anyway. The plastic from the bottle can be another source of concern, since many plastics are carcinogens.
A home filter is your best assurance of quality. There are many kinds of filters, from activated charcoal and reverse osmosis to home distillation processes. Whether you choose to install a whole house filter to make all household use safe, or use a counter top model for only the water you drink, filtering will make you safer. Some people trust reverse osmosis or carbon filters; others feel that only evaporation can truly purify H2O. There is technology that has been trusted for decades, and new ideas that are still being proved.
Drinking water pollution is a fact of life. For your health's sake, you must choose the best way to purify what you are about to drink.
Drinking water pollution is a very real concern all over the world. Get the low down from Eco Expert Rajagopalan on http://www.safefilteredwater.com/
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