Your Water Company's Dirty Little Secret

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Misty L. Trepke

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Your Water Company's Dirty Little Secret

 

Back-Flow Contamination: Your Water Company's Dirty Little Secret

By Brian Cronin, director of AquaMD

 

Read the whole story at:

http://mercola.com/2003/nov/19/back_flow.htm

 

Most of us want to believe that our public water distribution system

is safe, sanitized and sealed. The truth is that it may not be the

secure, self-contained system that your water provider wants you to

believe.

 

In fact, as I was doing some research on water system vulnerability I

had the chance to talk to some water utility executives. When I

brought up the subject of back-flow contamination, I was strongly

urged not to talk about it publicly. That only made me dig deeper,

and my findings were startling.

 

 

The " Back-Flow " Hazard

 

" Pressurized " tap water is transported to your home through the

underground network of mains and pipes. But, when the water pressure

drops, the water naturally starts to flow backward, creating a " back-

siphon " that can suck dangerous contaminants back into your water

supply.

 

This problem is a regular occurrence in public water systems. It

happens in a section of the system whenever large amounts of water

are drawn out of some part of the system, such as when water is used

to fight a fire, when a water main breaks, when large companies put

heavy demands on the system, or during periods of heavy residential

usage.

 

 

Don't Be Fooled

 

In many instances, you cannot tell if water is contaminated by taste,

smell or by how it looks. Many common pesticides, herbicides,

chemicals and cleaners are so toxic that laboratory equipment

measures them in parts per billion (micrograms). Your senses are

simply unable to detect contaminants in micrograms.

 

Also, the water filter on your faucet or under your sink may not be

providing the protection you believe. That's because it may not have

been manufactured to remove the specific contaminants that are in

your water. And remember that you are still using unfiltered water

for showering, bathing and washing your hands. Toxins can be absorbed

through the skin and inhaled in shower steam.

 

 

A Note To Well Owners: Have your water tested a least once a year.

You are solely responsible for your water quality. If you don't test

regularly, you are relying solely on soil and rock to filter the

surface water that refills your well's water source. Testing is the

only way to monitor your water quality and keep your family safe.