Home filtration of tap water is a necessity.
There are just too many different contaminants in our public supplies.
Some of them are cancer causers.
Others cause minor illnesses.
Yet others cause chronic health problems and life threatening health problems.
Here's what you need to know.
Chlorine has been used for nearly 100 years to control waterborne illnesses caused by bacteria, protozoa, parasites and other microbes.
Some scientists blame the increasingly high number of cancer cases on chlorine and other chemicals that are present in the air and in our water supplies.
They say the incidence of cancer started to go up when we started to chlorinate our water.
Only recently have we learned exactly why there is that correlation.
Chlorination and other disinfection methods produce chemical byproducts, commonly referred to as THMs.
THMs are known carcinogens.
We have known that for years.
But, only recently have we been able to accurately measure the amount that is in our water.
Home filtration of tap water should include special resins that remove THMs, because researchers have shown that the amount that we are normally exposed to on a daily basis doubles our risk of bladder cancer and increases our risk of colorectal cancer by about 42%.
Over the years, we have learned that public disinfection methods don't kill all of the microbes that cause waterborne illnesses.
When protozoa are in an early stage of development, their egg-like shell makes them resistant to UV and chemical disinfectants.
They are referred to as cysts and can only be killed by boiling, but they can be filtered out with any system that filters down to one micron or less.
Home filtration of tap water should include a submicron particle filter, because cysts cause illnesses that can be fatal to those with weakened or poorly developed immune system function.
In older cities and older homes, there is a relatively high lead content in the tap-water.
Chlorine degrades lead pipes and solder-joints, so now the use of lead solder and lead containing pipes is not allowed.
But, of course, no one dug up all of the old pipelines and homeowners were not required to replace the pipes.
Lead is also a naturally occurring element.
You could have testing conducted to confirm the presence of lead in your supply, but unless you repeated the testing on a regular basis, you could never be really sure.
Home filtration of tap water should include an ion exchange step to remove all traces of lead.
Exposure to even small amounts over the course of one's lifetime plays a contributing role in high blood pressure and heart disease.
Kids with a measurable level of lead in their bloodstreams have more learning and behavioral problems.
Lead can also be inhaled and absorbed through the skin.
So, you need a filter in the kitchen and in the shower, at the very least.
That's what you need to know about home filtration of tap water and the steps that a system should include.