What is in our water, do I need a Puratap?

Puratap units filter water by adsorption of chemicals to the activated carbon.  Fluoride is a mineral so is not attracted to the carbon in the filters in the same way that a chemical will be.  This isn't unique to our filters, no carbon filter will be able to remove fluoride (Konno et al 2008), so don't believe a company who says that theirs will.

The truth is, we don't always know!  Depending on the weather, the time of year and how far away you live from the water treatment plants, the contents and amounts of different undissolved particles and chemicals in your water can change from day to day.  Even the plumbing and age of your house can have an effect on what is in your water.

In South Australia, our drinking water is susceptible to contamination from iron, manganese, coliforms, cryptosporidium, giardia, nitrates and pesticides (SA drinking water report; ADWQG).
We also know that the process of chlorination creates byproducts called trihalomethanes which are present in the water.

A Puratap has been scientifically proven to remove 99.9% of the chemical from your water.  Testing from the Australian Water Quality Centre has certified that a Puratap can remove chlorine, chloroform, herbicides, pesticides and trihalomethanes amongst other things.  Our pre-sediment filter will also remove dust, algae, rust and other undissolved particles.  We dont want to bore you, and to be honest, the testing results are hard to read!  But if you have more questions please call us and we can make sure we give you the information you require.

The government does its best to supply us with good quality drinking water, and considering what they have to start with, they really do a great job.  The Australian drinking water guidelines, a document prepared by the Australian Government, has shown that there are many class 1, class 2 and class 3 carcinogens present in our water (Australian Drinking Water guidelines 6, 2004 from the National Water Quality Management strategy).  Class 1 carcinogens are substances that are known to cause cancer in humans.  Some of which have been found in domestic water supplies!  Class 2 carcinogens are substances that they suspect cause cancer, but are not sure about yet and class 3 carcinogens are things that they really don't know yet what small exposures over a long period of time could do to our body (AWQG Part v physical and chemical and IARC Agents classified by IARC monographs volumes 1-100).

The International Agency of Research on cancer recognises the need for disinfection of drinking water, but does raise some serious concerns about the consequences of chlorination by products, like trihalomethanes, which have been shown to pose a risk to health when present in water supplies!  (WHO/IARC Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risk to humans, volume 52). 

Trihalomethanes are by products of chlorination that occur when the chlorine added to water reacts with organic matter present in the water, such as rust and dirt.  Trihalomethanes is a name for a group of chemicals including chloroform (a previously used anaesthetic) and bromoform (previously used as a sedative and flame retardant).  A great deal of research has been performed into the potential risk of ingestion of trihalomethanes and many studies have concerning reports.  Ingestion of trihalomethanes in drinking water by humans has been linked to colon cancer (Kuo 2011, King 2000), rectal cancer (Kuo 2010, Bove 2007a, Gottleib 1982), pancreatic cancer (Chiu 2010), bladder cancer (Villanueva 2009; Bove 2007b, Villanueva 2007, Villanueva 2006, Villaneuva 2004, Villanueva 2001). 

So Why take the risk!

In South Australia, our drinking water comes from a variety of sources. It is a combination of seawater, ground water and surface water, however, the majority comes from the Murray River.  This water is stored in reservoirs around the state and then processed in water treatment plants to make it safe for consumption.  As an example, a large majority of the Southern Adelaide metropolitan area is supplied by the Happy Valley Reservoir and treatment plant (SA water sustainability report 2007) .  In SA we use a variety of methods for water treatment, but all metropolitan, and most rural plants use chlorination and chloramination to disinfect the water (SA water drinking water quality report 08-09).