Your Water Quality Matters
Your Water Quality Matters
While we are fortunate to have high standards for drinking water in Australia, it's essential to understand the challenges of water filtration, processing, sanitation and potential avenues of contamination.
In this post, we'll consider some of the potential contaminants in Australian drinking water and then look at a variety of in-home options that can drastically improve the quality of the water that you and your family drink.
The Purity of Australian Drinking Water
Australia boasts strict regulations and thorough monitoring of drinking water quality, so the general consensus is that our tap water is safe to drink. However, it's vital to acknowledge that potential contaminants may still enter our drinking water, despite our high standards and rigorous methods of testing [^1^].
Laboratory testing
Challenges With Water Filtration and Contamination
Traces of Heavy Metals: Lead and copper can still be detected in our tap water, albeit at low levels.
Disinfection By-Products (DBPs): Disinfection processes, that make tap water safe to drink, can lead to the formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids.
Microorganisms: While serious occurrences are relatively rare (in Australia), potentially harmful microorganisms can still find their way into the water supply, which increases use of disinfection and sanitisation chemicals.
Aging Infrastructure: Pipes can corrode and deteriorate, potentially introducing sediments, rust and other contaminants into the water supply.
Agricultural Runoff: Pesticides, fertilisers, and sediments can pose a threat to water quality, especially in regions with extensive farming activities.
Environmental Influences: Bushfires and floods can impact water quality by releasing ash and contaminants into drinking water catchment areas.
Pharmaceuticals: Traces of pharmaceutical (and potentially other) drugs can end up in our water supply through both human and agricultural excretion as well as improper disposal [^1^].
Corroded and blocked pipes
While levels of dangerous contaminants are typically low in Australian tap water, long-term health impacts related to continuous low-dose exposure to these and other potentially harmful substances is still ‘unclear’, so it is wise to consider limiting exposure wherever possible [^1^].
Considering the human body is mostly made of water, and water is literally the essence of life; ensuring you are drinking the best quality water available should become a top priority.
In-Home Water Filtration Options
(Number 6 is my favourite!)
To ensure you and your family are drinking the highest quality water available, you have a range of in-home options to consider:
1. Bottled Water:
While not technically an in-home filtration option as such, bottled water generally provides immediate access to clean drinking water. However, it's important to consider the environmental and health impacts associated with its collection and usage. The production and disposal of plastic bottles contribute significantly to pollution and can harm our natural ecosystems [^2^].
Furthermore, purchasing bottled water daily can lead to increased expenses and is a much less sustainable choice compared to in-home filtration options.
It is also essential to highlight the potential health risks associated with long-term exposure to chemicals that leach from plastic products, including well-known endocrine disruptors like BPA. Many of the chemicals used to replace BPA in plastic packaging have not been thoroughly tested for human safety [^3^]."
~ Stay tuned for my upcoming water pH test demonstration where I test 17 different types of bottled water against my town water supply and my personal choice of water filtration method - more on that in the next post! ~
2. Countertop (Gravity Fed) Filtration:
Countertop filtration systems, or other small gravity-fed systems (e.g. filter jugs), offer a cheap, easy to install/use and somewhat portable solution for obtaining clean water. Activated carbon is often used to eliminate impurities, improve taste, and enhance the overall quality of your drinking water [^4^].
Countertop systems are convenient but can have limited capacity (often just a few litres), which may not suit large households.
Gravity-fed systems also need to be filled manually, so if you forget, you have to wait for your water. Additionally, some products are bulky and occupy valuable countertop or fridge real estate. So this may not be ideal for more compact living spaces.
3. Under sink/tap cannister filtration:
Under-sink or on-tap cannister filtration systems are convenient and effective options for improving the quality of your tap water. These systems typically consist of a compact filter cartridge installed under your sink or directly connected to your faucet - providing options for renters and homeowners alike. Cannisters come either singularly or in a range of combinations to suit most types of source water and potential contaminants.
The filtration process involves passing water through the cartridge, which contains various filter media, such as activated carbon and/or ceramic filters. These media work to capture and remove impurities like chlorine, sediment, some heavy metals, and certain chemicals, providing you with cleaner, better-tasting water directly from your tap [^5^].
4. Whole House Filtration:
Whole House Filtration systems are designed to provide water purification for your household by removing sediments, chemicals, and a range of other contaminants [^6^]. This type of system uses large (often external) cannister filters to remove impurities and improve mains water before it enters the house, which is a great option for some homeowners.
However, installation and maintenance often requires professional assistance which can add to the initial and ongoing costs. Furthermore, due to access and connection requirements, whole house filtration systems may not be appropriate for those in apartments, high-rise buildings or renters.
5. Reverse Osmosis (RO):
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is highly regarded for its effectiveness in eliminating impurities like heavy metals, microorganisms, and various other contaminants [^7^]. However, RO is also incredibly effective at removing everything from the water - including natural minerals (e.g. calcium, magnesium and potassium). Due to this, remineralisation is often required with RO systems.
However, the quality of remineralisation products can vary greatly and cheap alternatives may have potential long-term negative impacts on health (more about that in an upcoming post). While RO offers outstanding purification, it's worth noting that a moderate amount of wastewater is also produced during the filtration process. Therefore, collection and reuse options should be considered to minimise waste.
6. In-Home Water Ionisation:
When it comes to the ultimate choice for water quality, in-home water ionisation stands in a league of its own. But firstly, it's important to understand that water ionisation and water filtration are actually two distinct processes.
While any decent water ioniser will include a high-grade internal filter, source water varies greatly (as discussed above). Therefore, to optimise the water ionisation process, it is advisable to consider prefiltration. Prefiltration helps eliminate impurities like dirt and sediments, ensuring premium results from the ionisation process. Under sink/on-tap cannister, whole house filtration and RO systems can all be used in conjunction with a high quality water ioniser.
So, you are probably wondering why would you even bother with a water ioniser if you are already filtering your water?
Well, this is where this innovative machine stands alone. Unique Japanese technology transforms ordinary water into antioxidant-rich, ‘living’, alkalised, electrolysed reduced water (ERW) which is full of dissolved molecular hydrogen [^8^]. Extensive research has explored the potential health benefits of ERW, including its antioxidant properties, which I’ll be delving into in an upcoming post so stay tuned!
In summary, each water filtration option offers unique advantages and considerations. The choice you make depends on your specific needs, preferences, and environmental concerns.
Exploring these options allows you to select the method that aligns best with your goals for clean and healthy water for you and your family.
Coming up next…
If you are interested in learning more about Electrolysed Reduced Water (ERW) and what it can do for the health of your water, stay tuned for my upcoming post, The Water I Choose to Drink and Why.
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References:
[^1^] National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) (Updated Septmenber 2022). Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011. Link
[^2^] Koelmans, A. A., Mohamed Nor, N. H., Hermsen, E., Kooi, M., Mintenig, S. M., & De France, J. (2019). Microplastics in freshwaters and drinking water: Critical review and assessment of data quality. Water Research, 155, 410–422. Link
[3] Hossain MB, Yu J, Banik P, Noman MA, Nur A-AU, Haque MR, Rahman MM, Albeshr MF and Arai T (2023) First evidence of microplastics and their characterization in bottled drinking water from a developing country. Frontiers of Environmental Science. 11:1232931. Link
[^4^] CHOICE. (2023). Do you need a water filter in Australia? Link
[^5^] Bosscher, V., Lytle, D. A., Schock, M. R., Porter, A., & Del Toral, M. (2019). POU water filters effectively reduce lead in drinking water: A demonstration field study in flint, Michigan. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A, Toxic/Hazardous Substances & Environmental Engineering, 54(5), 484–493. Link
[^6^] Filter Systems Australia. Whole House Water Filters. Link
[^7^] Huang Y, Wang J, Tan Y, Wang L, Lin H, Lan L, Xiong Y, Huang W, Shu W. Low-mineral direct drinking water in school may retard height growth and increase dental caries in schoolchildren in China. Environ Int. 2018 Jun;115:104-109. Link
[^8^] Hanaoka, K., Sun, D., Lawrence, R., & Kamitani, Y. (2013). The mechanism of the enhanced antioxidant effects against superoxide anion radicals of reduced water produced by electrolysis. ScienceDirect. Link
