WATER
Regular testing by SA Water shows several Adelaide regions have exceeded the safe consumption guidelines – from the WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION and their STANDARDS of a class 3 carcinogen!
As outlined in a story on the 23rd of May 2011, in ‘The Advertiser’ (READ THE FULL STORY HERE) trihalomethanes are being detected at unacceptable levels. The Happy Valley reservoir failed these tests 30% of the time, and another reservoir in the Barossa Valley, north of Adelaide has registered trihalomethane levels of 3 and a half times the recommended limit!
SO WHAT IS A TRIHALOMETHANE?… AND SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT DRINKING THEM?
- chloroform
- bromoform
- bromodichloromethane
- dibromochloromethane
These substances have been categorized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and they have acknowledged the potential risk of these chemicals to the health of humans. Although a cause-effect relationship is difficult to define in humans, these chemicals have been shown to cause cancer in animals.
A PURATAP WILL REMOVE OVER 99% OF TRIHALOMETHANES FROM YOUR WATER
The truth is, we don't know what these chemicals can do to our bodies. Particularly with exposure over a long period. The best way to put your mind at ease? Get a Puratap!
With only an annual filter change, your Puratap GI-2600 water filter can remove over 99% of these potential cancer-causing chemicals from your water.
In South Australia, our drinking water comes from a variety of sources. It is a combination of seawater, groundwater, 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).
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 affect 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 a significant number of chemicals from your water, including 99.9% of the chemicals listed below. 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 PURATAP GI-2600
The Puratap GI-2600 water filter, fitted with our high quality double o’ring sealed filters, is able to remove a significant number of contaminants from your water. So what can a Puratap water filter remove, and should you be worried about having these things in your water?
The government does its best to supply us with good quality drinking water, and considering what they have to start with, they do a great job. The Australian drinking water guidelines, a document prepared by the Australian Government, have 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 don’t know yet what small exposures over a long period 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 recognizes 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 health risk 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. Trihalomethane is a name for a group of chemicals including chloroform (a previously used anesthetic) 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!