by Lori E. D'Ascenzo

Editor's note: It was quite a challenge to obtain objective, accurate information, since each manufacturer or distributor claims their product is superior and is not willing to admit to any drawbacks. We interviewed as many unbiased experts as possible, and studied published data. Water purification methods using ceramic candle filters, chlorinators, and iodinators were disqualified because of their toxic side-effects.

It is something we take for granted, something we rarely think about, and yet we each use about 800 gallons a week of it! It hydrates us, nourishes us, cleans us, and makes our life so much more pleasant and convenient in a myriad of ways. It is also one of the most hotly debated subjects today!

Water is an element that is irreplaceable in our lives. We lose almost a gallon a day due to bodily functions. Since our bodies are comprised of about 70% water, without replenishing it we would die in about three days.

As important as water is to your existence, do you even know where your supply originates, or how pure it really is? We took a look at water in the Niagara Peninsula, with some rather stomach-turning results.

With the exception of rural areas and part of Fonthill, all municipally supplied water in the Peninsula is essentially drawn from the Great Lakes. Whether the water comes from the Welland Canal, the Niagara River, or the lakes themselves, the source is essentially the same. However, in drawing from the river, Niagara Falls' water is additionally contaminated by over three hundred industrial sites that dump wastes directly into the river.

Farms and rural areas often rely on wells fed by spring or ground seepage. Those that purchase water for cisterns are using municipal supplies. Fonthill has an artesian well supplying part of the town. The balance is drawn from Welland.

Municipal treatment facilities do have standards in the water that they allow to be delivered to your homes. The bacteria count must be absolutely 0, hence the high levels of chlorine added to disinfect water, particularly in the warm summer months. Welland and Thorold also fluoridate.

Total dissolved minerals must not exceed a count of 500 milligrams per litre. This guideline is to prevent corrosion of pipes and food preparation equipment. In addition, mineral content affects taste, the effectiveness of soaps, and human physiology.

Total suspended particles, such as clay, algae or rock fragments, must not exceed 1 milligram per litre, because it interferes with the effectiveness of chlorination by shielding micro-organisms. Heavy metals also have maximum acceptable levels. However, periodic testing for the myriad of chemicals and toxins that seep into the water table or are dumped into our waterways, is prohibitively expensive and a time-consuming procedure. In addition, while there are guidelines for acceptable levels, these are not federally enforceable. Nor are municipal treatment facilities capable of removing the offending substances. Hence, this type of testing is not normal procedure.

Well and cistern owners are in a unique position, as are cottage owners who draw their water directly from the lake. Unless the deed changes ownership, water inspection or testing is not required. Health departments do provide free bacteria count testing if requested. Qualified water consultants will also provide a free analysis of the total dissolved minerals and metals. However, toxins, fluoride, radio-activity, and bacteria do not show up in this type of testing. If you want to know exactly what is in your water, element by element, you will have to go to a private lab and pay for an analysis.

Niagara Analytical Inc is the only Regional facility with full capability. Test costs start at $12 and can exceed $500, depending on what is required. For a quick test at home, freeze some water into ice cubes. If the water is cloudy you are seeing the suspension of oxygen, chlorine and total dissolved solids. When the cubes are melted, the deposit left on the bottom of the glass is the total dissolved solids that are are in that one little block of water.

Are you safe if you have a water purification system in your home? That depends on several factors. First, you must always have your water analyzed before you install a system, and then get qualified advice on the right one for your needs. You must also choose a system that has sufficient capacity for your requirements.

Each purification system has its own merits, perameters and limitations. For instance, most organic contaminants can only be removed via activated carbon or aeration. Bacteria and viruses need to be neutralized, rather than screened. Odours can only be removed by oxidating the water.

Plumbing systems also need to be purged. Hot water heaters are common offenders. Contaminated piping that delivers purified water will only re-pollute it. In fact, the more pure water becomes, the more aggressive its qualities. It will draw trace elements out of whatever it touches in order to fill up the vacuum created by extracting its minerals.

As a result, purified water will draw metals out of soldered pipes, contaminates out of hot water heater residues, chemicals out of plastic containers, and even calcium and other minerals out of the human body. For this reason, bottled purified water should be stored in glass, rather than plastic. Ideally it should not be stored longer than 24 hours, or in direct sunlight. Combine purified water with juices, broth or liquid chlorophyll to infuse food salts. Or, add clean mineral rocks or coral calcium packets to the water so it can re-absorb minerals. This will prevent the leeching effect on the body's own mineral stores.

Also, regardless of your system, all filters and parts must be regularly changed and maintained on your unit. Water quality fractionally decreases with each subsequent gallon of water that passes through a filter. Eventually accumulated contaminants begin to back-wash into the water. Regular testing is the only way to ensure your purification system is functioning adequately. For added piece of mind, monitoring devices can also be installed on most units.

Finally, purifying water just for consumption still leaves you vulnerable. Your skin can absorb more than you would normally ingest. For instance, you absorb more chlorine in a ten minute shower than you consume in two quarts of water! Also, water containing a high count of dissolved solids such as minerals and metals reduces the effectiveness of soaps and cleaning agents by up to 80%!

We discovered that, while there are recommendations and guidelines, there are no mandatory regulations regarding bottled water quality. The only criterion it must meet is 0% bacteria and E. Coli. Many bottled spring waters do not meet recommended standards for materials such as inorganics, toxins or metals. In addition, chlorine may be added. All you can do is read the label.

Consumer and Corporate Affairs does have rules regarding labelling. For instance, a popular spring water has over 500 parts per litre of Total Dissolved Solids. While it tastes good, that means the total mineral count exceeds the maximum that the body is able to properly process. This can place stress on the liver and kidneys.

The alternative is to install a water filtration or purification system in your home, cottage or business. Your individual requirements will dictate the kind of system you install. For instance, a rural property with a well and septic bed will probably require a water softener, a UV light and a back-wash carbon filter. Softening is required prior to filtering because the high concentration of natural minerals within well water will make it too hard to pass through a filter and even harder to disinfect. After that, bacteria must be eliminated by using a UV irradiator.

The owner of a rural home with cistern and septic bed will have to consider the amount of water wasted by Reverse Osmosis. For every gallon of water purified, 3 1/2 to 9 gallons go down the drain. In addition, Reverse Osmosis is less effective on very cold water, as well as with lower water pressure, such as a cistern's pressure pump would deliver. Both the output and the purity decline. And, although cisterns store municipal water supplies in bulk, chlorine dissipates as water sits for any period of time.

Therefore, this home might be better off with a distillation unit, or it could still require an Ultra Violet irradiator for killing micro-organisms after the water flows through a filtration system. On the other hand, an urban dweller would only require a simple Reverse Osmosis or distillation unit to remove chlorine, minerals, inorganics and chemicals in their water.

Distillation uses a simple method of boiling water and then collecting the condensed steam. This effectively destroys all micro-organisms as well as virtually eliminating salts, minerals, chlorine, inorganics such as metals, and organic chemicals that have a higher boiling point than water. However, in addition to being a very slow process and requiring electrical hook-up to operate, this method actually concentrates some types of organic chemicals, especially those that are petroleum or alcohol-based, and volatile organic compounds. Also, unless the unit is vented, it will not remove toxins. The biggest drawback is that the unit has to be cleaned and maintained regularly. It is also comparatively expensive to run because of the hydro costs. However, there are no filters or parts to regularly replace. Automatic, vented systems start at about $1,200. Adding a carbon filter is recommended.

Reverse Osmosis is the most popular purification method used today. Normal water pressure diffuses water through filters and a cellulose acetate membrane, leaving up to 98% of the contaminants behind, including parasites, viruses and bacteria. Minute trace elements remain. Stored in a holding tank, the water then passes through a carbon filter to reach the tap, removing the chlorine. The quality of the unit and the number of filters will determine its overall effectiveness.

No hydro is required for installation, and units of any size are available from about $600 up installed. Many fit right under the sink. The unit self-cleans by back-washing the residue from the pressure side of the membrane down the drain. However, check to make certain your unit meets plumbing codes. For instance, it must be vented. Depending on the quality and quantity of your source water, the various filters need to be changed from 1 to 5 years, and the post carbon filter every 2 years. Filters start at $6 and can cost more than $100 to replace, depending on the filters and where they are purchased. Reverse Osmosis should not be used directly on water above 10 grains of hardness. Use a water softener to remove excess minerals.

Distillation and Reverse Osmosis are very similar in the quality of water they produce. They also require storage tanks. The differences lie in the convenience, maintenance, quantity, space requirements, power source, and cost to produce the water.

Ultra Violet irradiators are environmentally friendly disinfectors that use light to destroy any micro-organism's ability to reproduce. They are more effective against viruses than other disinfectants, particularly chemicals. However, suspended solids and humic acids or tannins reduce the effectiveness of the ultra violet energy, and they are impotent on fecal cysts, such as one would find in cottage areas. Extremely hard water or high iron content may also force frequent cleaning of the quartz sleeve. Without a quartz sleeve, disinfection is reduced by up to 85%. Therefore, UV irradiation should only be used in conjunction with filtration systems or other pretreatment devices. When installing a unit be sure to purge your entire plumbing system first with chlorine bleach. This is also necessary each time you change the bulb. It takes about 20 minutes per gallon, or about 6 hours standing time for the average home. Consider having a professional conduct your maintenance.

Units are available in any size, but require installation and hydro. Also, the lamp must operate at 104* for optimum results. Cold water minimizes its effects. Consuming energy similar to that of a 60-watt light, the bulb functions continuously, eliminating the need for a storage tank. However, the bulb must be changed annually. Units start at $180 plus installation and replacement bulbs run about $32.

Ozonation is another disinfection method. Oxygenating water creates a hostile environment for bacteria. However, suspended solids must first be removed and this system does not effectively remove fecal cysts. Also, it requires a hydro source, is relatively expensive to operate, and needs regular maintenance. Units can be installed under the sink starting at about $700.

Carbon filters improve the taste of water by removing chlorine and suspended particles. Working on the principle of absorption, they are only as effective as the length of contact time they have with the water. Carbon filters are the most economical filtration method to purchase, and easiest to install. However, they do not reliably disinfect water, nor do they remove metals or chemicals. In fact, if carbon filters are not regularly changed, bacteria can actually form on them. They also become less effective with each successive use, eventually back-washing accumulated contaminants into the water. Therefore they require regular and diligent filter replacement. Also, it is imperative that the filter not touch anything, including your skin, before it is installed.

If this is the sole method of filtration, only fifty to one hundred gallons can be processed before a new filter is needed. Units range upwards from $60 for tap-mounted models, to $130 and up plus installation for an under-counter unit. Back-wash carbon filters are large units designed to filter the entire water supply of your home or business. They remove chlorine, fluoride, foul odours and taste but do not eliminate the dissolved solids or bacteria. Starting at about $500 for a combined UV irradiator and carbon filter system, they require a hydro source.

Water softeners are pre-purification units used primarily to remove excessive minerals from water. They reduce the required amount of cleaning solutions by up to 80% and eliminate the need for bleach or fabric softener. Skin condition improves and there is no scale or deposits left on sinks or shower walls. More importantly, exposure to chemical toxins within cleaning solutions is significantly reduced.

Softeners work on the principle of ion exchange. They attract particles based on positive and negative charges. Food-grade resin beads in a holding tank are used to attract calcium and magnesium out of the water. In the process, sodium bicarbonate is produced. On average, the amount is less than or equivalent to the sodium levels naturally found it water. However, you should have the end product analyzed. Often a necessity on properties with wells, these systems are actually beneficial to regulation septic beds, because they are enzyme-friendly. Costs start at about $1,200 including installation.

Conditioners work on the same principle as softeners, but add a carbon bed to remove chlorine. These systems are designed to soften municipal water supplies. In lieu of a conditioner, consider a chlorine remover for your shower head. Only about $50, the cannister easily attaches to your regular shower head and lasts for about 900 showers.

To further improve the quality and palatability of your water you may want to consider magnetizing, oxygenating or re-mineralizing. It is oxygen content that actually makes your water taste great, not purity. Eight liquid drops of dissolved oxygen electrolytes added to a bottle of water can give you an energy boost all day long. However, you must drink it over a period of time so the body can properly absorb the gas. Oxygen drops will also kill bacteria and fecal cysts. They are available at your health food store.

Magnetizing is accomplished via a tap-mounted carbon filter system. Magnetizing helps to regulate the body's pH, influences the autonomic nervous system and dissipates toxic deposits within the body's connective tissues. When water is magnetized, some of its physical and chemical properties are altered. Density, boiling point, electrical conductivity, viscosity and surface tension all change because hydrogen ions become more active and oxygen decreases. The result is stimulated brain activity, and improved digestive function.

Re-mineralizing water has several beneficial effects. First, it eliminates the aggressive, leeching effect of purified water. Second, minerals, particularly magnesium, potassium and sodium, aid in intestinal digestive processes and nutrient absorption. Many people argue that minerals normally found within water do not supply the body with nutrition. They do, but that is not their primary function. Water's primary function is to cleanse and detoxify the body, and minerals suspended in water are indispensible in this process. Cells require these colloidal minerals for their processes. Also, without natural minerals, purified water will leech the body's own mineral supply, particularly calcium. Therefore, an excellent diet or regular mineral supplements are necessary to counteract the effect of reverse-Osmosis or distilled water.

You can make your own mineral water by adding clean stones of Amazonite, Peridot and Bloodstone to a gallon of purified, disinfected water. Make certain you use a glass container. Shake the bottle vigorously or place the water in the sun for two or more hours. These inexpensive gemstones will impart high counts of potassium, silica, magnesium and ferrous iron to the water without perceptibly changing its taste.

Whether your water is contaminated, excessively hard, or high in chemicals and metals, you may want to consider a water filtration or disinfection system. Before buying, make certain the company provides proper installation and, even more importantly, qualified servicing. Look for an NSF listing to tell you the unit has met high standards in independant testing.

Renting a unit initially can help you determine the right system for your home or office, ultimately saving you headaches. Some companies allow a free trial period. Also consider environmentally-conscious products now available to help you conserve water and reduce expenses.~~