Category Archives: Health & Lifestyle

Is it Safe to Drink my Tap Water?

 

Having clean, safe water for drinking, showering and even cooking your food is key to ensuring a healthy lifestyle. Most people today unknowingly drink chlorine-treated water that still contains harmful bacteria, chemicals and other contaminants. Every person needs to have enough water each day for the body to function effectively, but how is that possible when only a small percentage of it is healthy to drink?

 

In recent years, we’ve seen cities like Flint, Michigan deal with high levels of lead in their drinking water. Situations like this have caused many to ask, “Is my tap water safe to drink?”

 

Tap Water Safety Guidelines

 

According to a study done by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), this nonprofit identified over 260 contaminants that regularly turn up in public water supplies, yet more than half of those contaminants were unregulated chemicals. The Safe Water Drinking Act mandates the regulation of 91 contaminants, meaning the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not currently have safety standards for many contaminants.

 

Common hazardous drinking water contaminants that can be found in your water are lead, chlorine and nitrates. These contaminants are difficult to remove from drinking water and you need the right equipment to do it.  Also, the EPA has yet to regulate many other known contaminants that have been shown to be harmful to humans and animals.

 

Health Risks of Tap Water

 

With public health officials not having set safety standards in place for tap water, this leaves consumers susceptible to a wide range of health risks.

 

The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) cautions consumers, specifically “pregnant women, young children, the elderly, people with chronic illnesses and those with weakened immune systems [that they] can be especially vulnerable to the risks posed by contaminated water”. If this applies to you then it is best to obtain a copy of your city’s annual water quality report and review it with your physician to ensure you are not putting yourself at risk.

 

Investigate your Water Supply

 

Public drinking water utilities are required to test their water regularly for toxic contaminants and to disclose the results to the public. You can  find these results by calling your local utility or visiting their website. You can also use the EPA’s Local Drinking Water Information website to search for reports by state regulators.

 

Point-of-use water filtration systems such as reverse osmosis or ultraviolet light can successfully remove a variety of contaminants. A UV water purification system can remove water-borne viruses, Giardia, Salmonella, Coliform, cholera and more.  A reverse osmosis system can remove arsenic, lead, nitrates and many other contaminants.  There are different types of water treatment systems that remove a variety of contaminants from water.  It is best to find out what’s in your water, then identify products that will address those issues. To assist you in identifying contaminants in your water and best ways to address them, you can contact a WaterTech dealer near you.

 

WaterTech water filtration and purification systems are sold exclusively through authorized and trained water treatment specialists throughout the U.S. Locate an authorized dealership near you.

 

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Seven Ways to Conserve Water

7 Ways to Conserve Water

The drought in California is now entering its fourth year. Since the summer of 2011, rainfall seasons have had precipitation levels far below normal, and winter snowfall, which feeds many reservoirs, has been inadequate. Most cities throughout California have deficits of at least one full year of rainfall, and some cities are close to deficits of two years’ worth of rain. 

Even if two years of higher-than-average rainfall occur, it’s doubtful the state could fully recover from the drought in that time period. Reservoirs are low, farmland lies fallow, and 2014 is shaping up as the driest year on record since 1977

Learning to conserve water at home is important during severe droughts like the one in California, but there are other reasons to avoid using water in the home when it’s not necessary. For one thing, it can lead to lower water bills every month. And it’s not difficult to conserve water. Simply turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save over 100 gallons of water per month. Here are seven other ways you can conserve water at home.
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How to Clean Hard Water Spots

Tips for Cleaning Hard Water Spots

Do you have extra privacy when showering thanks to beads of hard water that have dried and left your glass shower door clouded? If so, you’ve probably got HARD WATER. You’re not alone—more than 85 percent of US households have hard water.

The scale or mineral deposits from hard water and soap scum often leave annoying spots on shower doors, dishes, and fixtures that are cumbersome and tough to remove. Here are a few tips that might make the laborious task of removing hard water spots a little easier.
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Back to School 101: WATER – An Important Factor for Student Success

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As I waved good-bye to my children on the first day of school, I gave a big sigh. Life had been busy the past couple of weeks as we tried to get every last bit of fun in before summer vacation ended.

Since we’ve been out of the school-day routine for a few months, I began to make a mental checklist to make sure I had remembered everything.

Backpack filled with new school supplies? Check.
Lunches packed? Check.
First-day of school photographs taken on the front porch? Check.

Wait– What about the water bottle? In the rush of the morning, I had forgotten to tuck water bottles into their backpacks.

Although there are drinking fountains at school, many teachers allow and even encourage students to keep a water bottle on their desk –and for good reason.
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Water Bottle Totes to Help Kids Stay Hydrated this Summer

5 great water bottle totes for kids

With summer temperatures on the rise, keeping our families hydrated is a legitamate concern. Whether at an amusement park, a baseball game, or even the neighborhood pool, children and adults alike need to drink plenty of liquids in order to avoid heatstroke and other heat-related illnesses. 

Making Water Easily Accessible

The best way to ensure that plenty of liquids are consumed, is to make sure that water and other liquids are easily accessible. But if your kids are like mine, they complain about carrying a water bottle and often set it down the second we arrive at the park or other destination (never to be seen again).

Check out these fun crafts to do with the kids this summer: These crafts will not only put water literally right at their fingertips (and keep their water bottle from getting lost), but will also be something kids are proud to tote around town on their summer outings and adventures.
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Save Money With Homemade Cleaning Supplies

Homemade cleaning supplies blog header

The cupboard under my kitchen sink used to be crammed with cleaning supplies–dozens of different products I had purchased in hopes of finding that “miracle product” that would lighten my cleaning load.

But like many people, I’ve come to realize that the glitzy advertisements and fancy packaging of those cleaning supplies were mostly just cleaning out my pocketbook!  All the glam of the products didn’t necessarily make them work any better (or make my job easier) than simple ingredients I had around the house –that cost me next to nothing. Read more

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