Water Quality & Your Health
Did you know?
As a general rule, people can only survive without water for about 3 days. Water is essential to life. And the quality of water we drink and bathe in matters to our health.
In Australia, it’s easy to take the supply of clean water for granted. The water we get from our taps appears clear and clean. We have what seems like abundant water supplies and we are very lucky compared to many places on earth.
That being said, if you’re interested in improving the health of yourself and your family, it might be worth taking a closer look at the water you drink. We assume our water is safe to drink but is it really? Have you considered the chemicals that are added to your water so that it can be delivered via the pipe network “clear and pure”?
Clean and pure water helps us stay healthy
There’s many reasons to ensure your intake of water is sufficient and of a high quality. Here’s just a few…
- Hydration
Dehydration, or not having enough water/fluids in your system, is a common cause of many health issues including headaches, migraines, brain fog, irritability, dizziness, constipation, joint pain, kidney stones and blood pressure problems. Complications from dehydration can affect your kidneys, heart, brain and blood vessels. - Digestive system
Our digestive system needs water to function well. It also allows our bodies to effectively flush out waste like urine and sweat. Water plays an important role in digestion, detoxifying and alkalinising the body. - Bathing and hygiene
Water is wonderful for bathing and hygiene. A relaxing bath can also stimulate blood flow and circulation while reducing swelling and inflammation.
Replacing high quality water intake with chemical-filled and/or sugar-heavy water alternatives like coffee, black tea, soft drink, flavoured water, beer, wine and fruit juice can be hazardous to our health.
Water is best!
Types of water supply at home
So where do we get our water and what water is best?
In Australia, our water is most commonly sourced from…
- Town water (tap water)
- Bottled water (from the supermarket)
- Tank water
- Bore water (or well water)
The best way to fully understand the quality of the water you use is to get it tested.
When is it important to have your water tested?
If you rely on bore water for your needs you should test the water at least once a year. The water should be tested for chemical and microbiological contamination by a National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) registered laboratory. Regular testing of tank water is also recommended. Testing is recommended even if water filters are in use.
The importance of water filtration
It you don’t filter your water, you are the filter!
Your intake of quality water plays an important life-supporting role in hydration, digestion, cellular metabolism, detoxifying and alkalinizing the body.
That’s why water filtration is a great idea. It not only provides better tasting and better smelling drinking water, good water filtration can also remove chlorine, chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals and nasty bacterial contaminants. Filtering water at the point of use is highly effective at preventing harmful substances from entering the body.
The water you are currently getting from your tap might not always compliment your family’s short or long-term health.
What type of water filter is best?
There is no simple answer to this question. Your choice of water filter will depend on a number of factors including…
- Budget – How much do you want to spend?
- Portability – Do you want a portable or plumbed in system? Your choice here might depend on if you are renting your home or not.
- Contaminants – What contaminants do you want your filter to remove?
- POU or POE – Do you want a Point of Use (POU) water filter at the tap or shower head? or would you prefer a Point Of Entry (POE) filter for the whole house. You could also do both. Keep in mind that a Point of Entry (POE) water filtration system will not remove contaminants that comes from your home’s plumbing like lead, copper and rust.
- Bench space and water pressure are also considerations when choosing a water filter
Tip: When you get your water filter, remember that the filters will need to be replaced regularly for best results.