Many of us know how essential water is to our health. This substance makes up 60% of the human adult body and is involved in many important functions, including, but not limited to:
flushing out waste from your body
carrying helpful nutrients and oxygen to your entire body
helping your brain function
Although water is arguably the most important substance in our lives, surprisingly it’s not as clean as you would think.
Toxins in your water
According to EWG's Drinking Water Contaminants Report, the following 3 contaminants have been detected in all 50 states:
Nitrate - Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer.
Carcinogenic VOCs - Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are solvents that increase the risk of cancer, and harm the nervous system, fetal growth and child development.
Lead - Lead contaminates drinking water when it leaches from pipes and plumbing fixtures. Lead exposure during childhood permanently harms learning ability and behavior.
But where does water contamination come from?
A few main sources of drinking water pollution (in the U.S.) are the following:
1. Agricultural activities. Each year, farm operators apply more than 12 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer and 8 million tons of phosphorous fertilizer to cropland, some of which runs off into water sources.
2. U.S. Industries and businesses. The Environmental Protection Agency's Toxics Release Inventory reporting program shows that in 2015, U.S. industries and businesses discharged 191 million pounds of chemicals into rivers and streams, some of which serve as sources of drinking water.
3. Household chemicals. Scientists are finding that rivers, streams and, consequently, drinking water are contaminated with traces of prescription medications, household pesticides and other chemicals scientists have linked to harmful health impacts.
How can you find out what's in your water?
Simply use the Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database to search for the water score in your town by:
1. Entering your zip code
2. Choosing your state
3. Clicking advanced search, which will allow you to search by utility company
Once the search results appear, scroll down the page to see what potential toxins are in your water. Then you can click the + sign to see more information on the contaminant. You can also click on ‘pollution sources’ to see where the contaminants possibly came from.
Take it a step further
Find a water filter that suits your needs. From EWG's website, simply click on the orange ‘Want to filter these contaminants out?’ button to be taken directly to their Water Filter Buying Guide.
Go find out what's in your water!
Source: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/
Comentarios