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Archive for March, 2016

Do Counter Top Water Filters Work?

Posted by Rayne Water

We are fortunate to live in a country where we have somewhat unlimited access to clean, healthy, drinking water.  That being said however, there are still impurities in our water supply system that can be harmful for human consumption. From heavy metals to bacteria to pharmaceuticals, many of these contaminates find their way into our drinking water which is why we need to be vigilant in making sure we are filtering out these contaminants to protect us and our families.
There are numerous different water filtration systems on the market today, ranging from a pitcher in the fridge to high end drinking water systems; does it really make a difference which one you buy? The short answer is YES, it definitely makes a difference! It would be wonderful if we could just all go out and purchase an inexpensive counter top water filter or install a simple water faucet filter, but unfortunately they have limits on what they can do.
The biggest concern with a basic single stage water filtration system is that they give a false sense of security; homeowners think they are protecting their family from water contaminates when in fact they aren’t really filtering out much at all. Due to the fact that most of these types of water filters rely on carbon filtration only, they are ineffective in filtering out a whole host of contaminates. Carbon filtration will filter out chlorine and some other minor contaminates, but they leave behind some pretty major ones.  
Counter top water filters, water faucet filters and your basic filtration pitcher are not able to filter out many dangerous contaminates; arsenic, fluoride, nitrates, radium, asbestos, bacteria, human viruses, chromium, microbes, perchlorate and uranium can all penetrate past these simple water filters and can cause some serious illnesses and even death. They are also ineffective in filtering out inorganic minerals and pharmaceuticals which more and more are making their way into our water supply every day.
For truly effective water filtration, homeowners must look to reverse osmosis filtration or ion-exchange water filtration. Both types have the ability to filter out over 99 percent of these harmful contaminates, leaving you with the cleanest, safest drinking water available. While both are equally effective, choice tends to come down to preference and efficiency. RO systems provide superior tasting water, but with a significant amount of water waste. LINX Drinking Water Systems provide equally superior water, but with the ability to customize taste and without the water waste seen in RO systems. Whichever way a homeowner decides to go, they will be assured that their water is safe to drink. 

The Infamous Fluoride Debate

Posted by Rayne Water

Ahhh… yes. The infamous fluoridation debate that has experts grappling with whether or not adding fluoride to drinking water is good or bad for consumption. In our humble opinion, the fact that this is even a controversy in and of itself deserves some attention and concern. And if you’re living without a drinking water system in your home or if yours doesn’t filter fluoride from your tap water, you’ll want to keep reading.
The largest contributor to human fluoride intake is fluoridated water supplies which is exactly why it is a controversial issue. Fluoride is the simplest anion of fluorine. Its salts and minerals are important chemical reagents and industrial chemicals, primarily used to produce hydrogen fluoride for fluorocarbons. Supporting dental health is one of the biggest advantages and reasons for adding to tap water decades ago, but others claim that we get enough fluoride from other sources to need it on our water. Do the risks and dangers of over fluoridation outweigh the benefits? Many people aren’t sure anymore.
According to a recent article from Water Technology®, anti-fluoridation efforts have been increasing throughout the U.S. in recent years. Some communities have been removing fluoride from their drinking water through water filtration equipment. Equipment can be installed in areas with fluoridated public water supply or with private wells that have naturally occurring fluoride in the water. It is important to remember, however, that not all towns or cities have this equipment.
So why should you be concerned in the first place? The most important reasons are because water fluoridation might cause serious health problems, is not effective enough to justify the costs, and has a dosage that cannot be precisely controlled throughout the water distribution system. More adverse effects come when fluoride occurs naturally above recommended concentration levels. Unfortunately, this does happen. Over fluoridation isn’t overly common in this country, but there have been some cases that resulted in illness and death.  
So what do you do if you want to avoid fluoride in your tap water but your city’s water treatment plant doesn’t include water filtration equipment to remove the fluoride? You install a home drinking water system  that can. Our water filters and other drinking water systems are capable of removing many contaminants from your drinking water without wasting too much water and too much energy. Not all water filters are capable of removing fluoride from drinking water. Proven methods include reverse osmosis, particularly at the home level.
The fluoride controversy isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. As we move forward, developed and tested water technology can control the fluoride content of the water entering their own homes and is the best solution for individuals with their family’s health in mind. Is fluoridation worth the risk? The margin between toxic and safe is too narrow. Even the safe upper limit may be toxic to human health.

E. coli in American Drinking Water

Posted by Rayne Water

E. coli is nothing to mess with, that’s why when bottled water is recalled to due E. coli contamination, most people pay attention. Hopefully, enough people are aware though. It’s not the first time this has happened and unfortunately, it probably won’t be the last. Drinking water that doesn’t run through a water filter first is getting quite the bad rap lately. Last year, an article from CNN discussed how Niagara Bottling LLC was removing some of its products. In fact, 14 brands of bottled water were recalled due to possible E. coli. Now, there is another article that shows how some of our home septic systems could also be adding E. coli to our drinking water.
In the first situation, the company claimed that the recall was not really due to water contamination but due to caution. There apparently were no signs of its product being contaminated or reports of consumers falling sick, it said. Either way, something sparked the recall and consumers deserved to know how to protect themselves from contaminants – especially with bottled water! The recall began when the plant was notified by the Department of Environmental Control and the Department of Agriculture of the positive test result for E. coli.
This “voluntary” recall affected water bottled from June 10 through 18 in two Pennsylvania plants only. The company’s spokesperson said those two facilities represent less than 3% of Niagara’s overall volume. Right after, there were several negative samples which led the company to believe that it was just the one bad lab result. Their claim was that water goes through a strenuous disinfection process, which “is working perfectly, because it’s killing every bacteria.” This may be such, but the circumstances showed that positive results CAN and WILL happen at some point. Although most strains of E. coli are harmless, others can make you sick. Some kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses.
Septic systems are not functioning like they need to be and Michigan State ​University ​researchers ​have sampled 64 ​river systems ​in the state ​for E. coli and ​the human fecal ​bacteria B-​theta and found just that – ​freshwater ​contamination ​is stemming from ​septic systems. We now need more evaluation of ​water quality ​and health ​implications ​and the impact ​of septic ​systems on ​watersheds. ​
Too many consumers rely on bottled water because they believe it is “safer” than tap water, but this is just not true. This article stands to debunk the myth that bottled water is safer than the water from your tap. It is also way more expensive and much less eco-friendly. Skip the bottled water and consider a home drinking water system. Your tap water can benefit from a water filter  and you’ll enjoy safe drinking water without the worry of drinking water contamination, failed sample tests or adding to toxic waste in landfills. Bottled water has so many disadvantages – give your tap water the ultimate advantage with one of our drinking water systems.
Contact our water treatment technicians today and see what home water filter would be best for your household and your family. Whether your threat is from bottled water or your home’s septic system, you’ll be safer than ever.

Water Conservation: Now We’re Cooking!

Posted by Rayne Water

Learning how to conserve water has become a lifestyle change. Let’s look at it in terms of a diet; a diet is a temporary set period of time where we deprive ourselves of something, a lifestyle change is a permanent new way of thinking and becomes a natural part of our everyday routine. Water conservation is a lifestyle change that Californians must embrace if we are going to survive and prosper during this ongoing water crisis. Today we are going to look at new concepts of water conservation in the kitchen – habits we can all incorporate into our daily routine.
One of the first things to consider is the food we are consuming. All food production incorporates water to produce, but some takes more than others. Beef production, for example, is one of the largest water consumers out there; it takes almost six times more water to produce one gram of beef protein than it does a gram of protein from other plant-based sources such as lentils or beans. There are even some restaurants in California that have limited beef on their menu now and some have even taken to not serving beef on certain days of the week, in an effort to conserve water.
Another change we are seeing in our kitchens is the way food is being prepared. Cooks are steaming more and boiling less, using cold water instead of hot to fill pots, recycling used water for plants and landscaping, defrosting food in the fridge instead of in water and even scraping food off plates instead of pre-rinsing them. One restaurant chef in Big Sur gained notoriety by actually rigging up an air compressor to blow food off plates before putting them in the dishwasher. Obviously this isn’t something a home cook would do, but the ingenuity speaks to a greater commitment of water conservation. 
The type and quality of food we are seeing is changing as well; if you’ve noticed in the grocery store lately, many fruits and vegetables are noticeably smaller than they were before the drought. They also tend to ripen at a much faster rate and if not eaten quickly, can be wasted. The upside of this is that their flavor is much more concentrated. When fruit doesn’t receive an abundance of water during the growing process, their cells won’t retain water, which means that they will be smaller, but more intensely flavored. Dry-farmed fruits and vegetables is actually a preferred method for some growers to gain better flavor. So when you see those smaller fruits and vegetables in the produce section, don’t pass them up – they are most likely delicious.
We realize that water conservation in our kitchens is probably a drop in the bucket in the overall scheme of things, however it does make a difference. Choosing the right water filter is another great way to conserve water; check out our LINX high-efficiency drinking water system.  It is just one more way to help residents gain some control over a situation that they have no control over. This is going to be a long-term issue for Californians, so committing to a water conserving lifestyle now will definitely make a difference in the long run.