Liquid blue gold
From the Ecologist
Water filters
On the whole, UK tap water is pretty good. According to the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the vast majority of water samples pass industry standards for levels of impurities. But this doesn’t make it 100 per cent ‘pure’. Tap water is disinfected with chemical cleansers such as chlorine – which can morph into harmful chlorine by-products (CBPs), some of which are known carcinogens – and aluminium, which has been linked with dementia and Alzheimer's.
Fluoride, added to the water supply of around 10 per cent of the UK population, can increase the risk of various cancers, brittle bones and damage the immune system. Other contaminants could include nitrates from fertilisers, pesticides, toxic metals (such as lead and mercury), solvents and pharmaceutical drugs including antibiotics, hormones and chemotherapy chemicals.
Filtering devices can remove a substantial amount of these contaminants. Simple Jug filters (£15-£25) remove chlorine and toxic metals such as lead; some remove nitrates. If you’re after filtered water fresh from a tap, go for a plumbed-in filter under the sink. Reverse-osmosis filters (£300-£900) are the most effective and use a fine membrane to filter out water under pressure.
Water distillers (£200-£400) can be fitted under a sink or put on a kitchen surface. Water is boiled and cooled, leaving behind any contaminants – almost all – whose boiling points is above that of water.
Water filters
On the whole, UK tap water is pretty good. According to the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the vast majority of water samples pass industry standards for levels of impurities. But this doesn’t make it 100 per cent ‘pure’. Tap water is disinfected with chemical cleansers such as chlorine – which can morph into harmful chlorine by-products (CBPs), some of which are known carcinogens – and aluminium, which has been linked with dementia and Alzheimer's.
Fluoride, added to the water supply of around 10 per cent of the UK population, can increase the risk of various cancers, brittle bones and damage the immune system. Other contaminants could include nitrates from fertilisers, pesticides, toxic metals (such as lead and mercury), solvents and pharmaceutical drugs including antibiotics, hormones and chemotherapy chemicals.
Filtering devices can remove a substantial amount of these contaminants. Simple Jug filters (£15-£25) remove chlorine and toxic metals such as lead; some remove nitrates. If you’re after filtered water fresh from a tap, go for a plumbed-in filter under the sink. Reverse-osmosis filters (£300-£900) are the most effective and use a fine membrane to filter out water under pressure.
Water distillers (£200-£400) can be fitted under a sink or put on a kitchen surface. Water is boiled and cooled, leaving behind any contaminants – almost all – whose boiling points is above that of water.
posted by Bill at
9:19 AM
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