Water Education - Water and Health

WATER AND CANCER - Page 2

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Natural occurring radioactive agents like radium, uranium, and radon, seep into the water supply. High levels of these elements can cause cancer of the brain and bone.

People living in rural areas with their own water wells are also at risk of drinking potentially cancer-causing chemicals. Fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides contain carcinogens that can filter down into the water supply. Nitrate, a by-product of fertilizer, also shows up in water supplies. In the human body, nitrate breaks down into nitrosamines, which are potentially cancer-causing agents.

Atrazine, an herbicide used on crops, is also found in drinking water. It is suspected of causing breast cancer. Another chemical, trichloroethylene, a solvent used in dry cleaning, is found sometimes in water supplies near facilities that do not dispose of their chemicals properly. It is considered a possible cancer-causing agent as well.

Most municipalities do not have the costly technology to filter these and other potentially harmful chemicals from the water. Neither do most bottled water companies, which frequently get the water they bottle from the same sources as municipalities. This is why chlorine is dumped in the water to kill these bacteria and viruses. Heavy metals however remain in the water and are consumed in your drinking water. Reverse osmosis filtering is one of the few effective ways to remove potential cancer-causing chemicals from your water. It can remove 90-99% of all contaminants in your water and leave you with pure water safe from any harmful contaminants. Water filtration systems are highly recommended to those with weaker immune systems to reduce the chance of being harmed by toxins in the water.

We unintentionally use our bodies as filters to filter out the many toxins we are exposed to and need to be careful because the effects may appear to reveal themselves in the future. EPA has set regulations that are ‘deemed safe’ but over time it may be difficult for your body to flush out these toxins. It is always best to be safe and have a filtration system to filter out toxins and contaminants. This will leave you with the convenience of bottled water quality water straight from your home.

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