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Public drinking water purification systems were implemented to protect the population from contaminants in the raw form. The goal of any drinking water purification system is to produce a product that is fit and satisfactory for human consumption, but in some cases the treatment facilities fall short of this goal. Drinking water purification systems used municipalities vary considerably. They include ultra violet (UV) light filtration, water softening, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, deionization, powdered activated carbon treatment and disinfection, among others. Flocculation is usually used early on in the treatment process to clarify the water. Most public drinking water purification systems will remove sand, organic material, parasites, giardia, cryptosporidium, bacteria, algae, viruses, fungi, minerals and metals. Other, optional drinking water purification systems may be used to further enhance the quality of the water by reducing odor and by improving taste and appearance. You may have noticed that chemical contaminants absent from this list. The water quality standards in this country are set by the EPA. Treatment facilities must test the final product, before rendering it safe to drink. The problem is the standards being enforced are relatively low and are based on the premise that everyone weighs 175 pounds. Additionally, there's an assumption that only one chemical contaminant is present at any given time. Scientists have sent reports to the EPA warning that this is a dangerous assumption. Studies have shown that the presence of two or more chemicals can increase their toxicity thousands of times. Appeals for a better public drinking water purification system that can remove these chemical contaminants, have fallen on deaf ears. We have the technology to enable the installation of drinking water purification systems that can remove 99% of chemical contaminants. Yet, there's one other critical piece of the puzzle, and that is Chlorine. Chlorine is added after other purification processes have been complete. Chlorine is added in order to prevent bacterial contamination developing between the facility and your home. If treatment facilities installed a drinking water purification system that blocked all chemicals, then the possibility of bacteria growth in the pipes would increase dramatically and create a public health risk. So, a new appeal has been suggested. Warn the public that point of use drinking water purification systems are needed to block chemical contaminants and to insure safety. To do this would force the government to admit that their standards are not safe and the Government is not likely to do this, without significant pressure. It is impossible to tell if what comes out of your tap is safe, simply by looking at it. Obviously, if the source is questionable, you must have it tested. Only then, can you determine which of the numerous drinking water purification systems available to you, is right for your family. Even spring water, which was once considered "safe," should now be tested to insure that treatment is not necessary. If the source is a public treatment facility, you know that chlorine and other chemical contaminants are present. And, even though lead has been removed at the treatment plant, you should still test for lead, as it is often reintroduced as water flows through the pipes to reach your home. A good in-home drinking water filter system will remove lead. In fact, there are home drinking water filter systems that remove toxic metals and practically every chemical contaminant known to man, along with the parasitic cysts that are not killed through chlorination. The technology is available. You have the power - you just have to make use of it.
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