Are We Killing Ourselves With Water?

by Swan | March 18, 2009 at 09:04 am

1020 views | 78 Recommendations | 24 comments

It's funny how the mind works.

I've always thought that I prefer bottled water to tap water, and prefer the water that pours from the door of my refrigerator to bottled water.

An interesting and somewhat disturbing fact has come to light, which may eventually
see bottled water companies worried about huge downturns in sales. That is, if the public take heed of the warning found in Science News a few days ago.

The warning, coming from researchers in Frankfurt, Germany, is that both glass and plastic bottled water may contain hormones which effectively mimic estrogen.

The ingredient is polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is included in the process to create plastic bottles. This was discovered by researchers at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt.

Not only is this a health care danger for all of us, but not buying these products, certainly doesn't mean that we're safe from the issue.

Bottled water comes from various sources. At least 25 percent of bottled water is actually bottled tap water. "Purified water" probably means tap water that has been filtered in some fashion. Many bottles labeled spring water come from underground wells or aquifers that may be in close proximity to industrial sites.

A call to your bottled water provider will tell you where the water comes from and may give you reassurance. It will not tell you what is in your water no matter what their testing reports say.

Our vision of bottled water is crystal pure mountain snows and glaciers delivered in their pristine state for your pleasure and delectation. The bottled water industry encourages this utopian vision, even as they defend lawsuits about misrepresentation of the sources of "spring" water.

As if the population needs anything more to worry about, here are a few more 'fun facts' about our plastic water bottles.

Plastic water bottles:

outgas estrogen mimics, xenoestrogens, into the water they hold, which upsets our hormonal balance

pack landfills where they outgas, upsetting hormonal balances of many creatures

boost cost of water higher than gasoline and 240 to 10,000 times higher than tap water

are the fastest growing section of the beverage market

deplete our oil reserves — we could carry our own more durable, non-toxic container for water.

heat up Big Mama through plastic materials, manufacture and easy disposal.

How many brands of bottled water do you think are currently processed in the world?

100? 300? No, the answer is 700 - which translates into a $22 billion a year industry.

How did this mass hypnosis take place that would have us believe bottled water is best over tap water? We have had warnings in the past, but it is clearly apparent that we simply do not listen.

Back in October of 2008, the Environmental Working Group conducted a Bottle Water Quality Investigation of 10 Major Brands and 38 Pollutants.

The results?

The bottled water industry promotes an image of purity, but comprehensive testing by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reveals a surprising array of chemical contaminants in every bottled water brand analyzed, including toxic byproducts of chlorination in Walmart’s Sam’s Choice and Giant Supermarket's Acadia brands, at levels no different than routinely found in tap water.

Several Sam's Choice samples purchased in California exceeded legal limits for bottled water contaminants in that state. Cancer-causing contaminants in bottled water purchased in 5 states (North Carolina, California, Virginia, Delaware and Maryland) and the District of Columbia substantially exceeded the voluntary standards established by the bottled water industry.

So naturally, some people may think, 'ok, so I'll only drink tap water from now on.'

However, tap water comes to our homes via an identified dangerous method, previously unsuspected.

The type of plumbing in your own home.

Heavens, what next?

Polyvinyl chloride tubing, for instance, is widely used by industry. So if mineral water were pumped through PVC piping it could pick up bisphenol-A, organotin- and phthalates — “because [PVC] is a source of all those,” notes Shanna Swan, an environmental epidemiologist at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.- And, she adds, all of these materials that have been found in PVC have an estrogenic alter ego.

With all this information, I'm still just a little confused as to where that leaves the water from my refrigerator, which is the source of my preferred drinking water.

Martin Wagner and Jörg Oehlmann washed out used water bottles made from either PET or glass and then cultured young mud snails in them. The species that they used (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) is particularly sensitive to estrogen, revving up its production of embryos when exposed to elevated quantities of the hormone.
And that’s what was seen in those reared in the PET containers. Compared to snails reared in glass bottles, PET-housed ones produced more young — up to twice as many embryos.

There are some people who think distilling their water might be the healthiest way to drink water in order to circumvent these issues - but this also comes with its own dangers.

The distillation method is not guaranteed to remove all pollutants and chemicals and can in fact, leach necessary minerals from your body, causing dangerous deficiencies. This in itself has the ability to cause serious chronic disease.

If you don't think this is a serious enough problem, I'll tell you about something that happened to me only a couple of years ago: my mother had died and I was so distraught that I barely lifted my head from the 'porcelain god' for three days.

Laying on the sofa on that third night, I noticed my feet began cramping, then about an hour later, my hands contorted into something that can only be described as alien and I could not use them.

I attempted to call my son who was sleeping, but my face had also dropped, the same way as a severe stroke patient. I lay there all night, unable to do or say anything.

I was literally terrified.

When my son awoke and saw what I looked like, he immediately called an ambulance. Once in hospital and several blood tests later, the culprit had been a lack of potassium. It had completely leached out of my body and into the 'porcelain god.'

As if that weren't all, I discovered that potassium is vitally necessary for one's heart and that if I had not gone to hospital, I was a clear candidate for a heart attack.

Scary huh? While my personal story has nothing to do with water, it does tell you what can happen when certain minerals are leached out of your water.

There is a plethora of information on the internet on compromised waters, including tap water and bottled water in both plastic and glass bottles. I strongly urge people to become au fait with these dangerous issues, before making a choice as to where their own drinking water originates.

Recommended Reading:

Get Plastic Out of Your Life
by Paul Goettlich

Alternatives to Plastic
by Paul Goettlich

Coping With Toxins
2007 Bioenergy Balancing Center

Drinking Water - Drinking Water Choices
by Randall Neustaedter OMD
Sources:

Environmental Working Group
FDA Proposes Improved Testing of Bottled Water
Injury Board, Chrissie Cole

Science News
Bottled Water May Contain 'Hormones': Plastics
by Janet Raloff

Bottled Water Contains Disinfection Byproducts, Fertilizer Residue and Pain Medication
by Olga Naidenko PhD, Senior Scientist;
Nneka Leiba, MPH, Researcher;
Renee Sharp, MS, Senior Scientist;
Jane Houlihan, MSCE, Vice President for Research

Plastic Water Bottles a Health Threat
Response to Editorial Paul Goettlich/Post Tribune (Indiana) 2jun01

Environmental Working Group

Bottled Water Quality Investigation: 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants
by Olga Naidenko, PhD, Senior Scientist;
Nneka Leiba, MPH, Researcher;
Renee Sharp, MS, Senior Scientist;
Jane Houlihan, MSCE, Vice President for Research

WiseGEEK
What is Estrogen?

Image Sources

Bottled Water Quality Investigation: 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants

Bottled Water Contains Disinfection, Byproducts, Fertilizer Residue and Pain Medication

Figure 1. Pollutants in Walmart and Giant Bottled Water Exceed Industry and California Standards

Figure 2. Walmart and Giant Are Bottling Tap Water

3 See all footage | View Slideshow

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recommend This comment thread is now closed

gerrypopplestone

at 09:18 on March 18th, 2009

People who buy bottled water are so foolish anyway! The cost is ridiculous. It's insane when we in the global North have perfect decent tap water!

Jordan Yerman

at 09:39 on March 18th, 2009

I've never been anywhere in North America or Europe where the tap water is actually undrinkable (though in some areas it's fairly unpleasant).

Fred Miller

at 11:18 on March 18th, 2009

It all depends on what your body can handle. I never go to Doctors and I never buy bottled water and the only form of water I absorb daily is from Coffee and Tea. Occasionally I take a few sips from a water cooler at work on the way to the restroom. Has anyone died from drinking their local tap water.....never mind, they're dead and can't comment anyway ;-)

Amy Judd

at 11:48 on March 18th, 2009

I drink both bottled and tap water, but I actually do prefer just tap water out of a glass, rather than bottled water.

sara star

at 12:23 on March 18th, 2009

And you are healthy as a horse and don't let any one tell you otherwise!

Roy C

at 15:57 on March 18th, 2009

Filter your tap water. Tea and coffee taste better, and you get rid of the chlorine. I was surprised by the amount of dirt a filter traps from tap water.

Swan

at 11:35 on March 18th, 2009

Hi Fred,

How are your veins? Have you ever had to have blood drawn? Have you never had a phlebotomist tell you that you have difficult veins?

People are supposed to drink a couple of glasses of water prior to having blood drawn, so that their veins will stand out prominently. I'm like you, I rarely drink water on its own and I always have problems with having blood drawn if I don't drink water first.

Thank you for reading the article Fred and commenting, as always it's appreciated.
~ Swan

Swan

at 12:40 on March 18th, 2009

Thank you stopping and reading the article Amy!
~ Swan

Swan

at 12:46 on March 18th, 2009

Hello again Sara,

I'll bet you're right too - or maybe it's just that I want you to be right - as long as wells and acquifiers are not too close to farming chemicals that soak into the ground.

From CopperWiki:

Groundwater is a hidden resource. At one time, its purity and availability were taken for granted. Now contamination and availability are serious issues.
~ Swan

Fred Miller

at 14:49 on March 18th, 2009

Thanks Sara ! I've been a Millionaire in that Dept. but who knows, with the fallen economy I might be the next casualty :-)

Barbara McPherson

at 16:25 on March 18th, 2009

Really interesting article. I wonder how many chemicals are leached into the soda sold in plastic bottles as the soda is slightly acid. If tap water has too much chlorine in it, put it in a container in the fridge overnight. The chlorine will evaporate. Me, I like my water right out of my well.

Barry Artiste

at 06:31 on March 19th, 2009

Though tap water is safer than bottled, it all depends on the water filtration plant, as Health Canada deem some contaminats like Chlorine and Ozone byproducts may be carcinogenic in our tap water. It is also best to have enhanced water testing of your potable water instead of standard water testing. Especially if you live in pre 1980s homes where lead pipes or lead solder were used in your potable water supply in the home.

Swan

at 09:29 on March 18th, 2009

Hello Gerry,

I don't think I'd call them foolish, some people genuinely believe that bottled water is safer. This thinking is largely encouraged by advertising.

Other people such as celebrities, just think it makes them look cooler, or perhaps they are told to drink it by their personal trainers.

How sure are you Gerry, that the " .. global North have perfect decent tap water"?

Thank you for stopping by and encouraging debate with your comment. Debate is always encouraged and welcomed with my articles. : )
~ Swan

Swan

at 10:20 on March 18th, 2009

Hi Jordan,

One of the reasons that we moved from Washington to Oregon, is that we found the water truly undrinkable. There was a paper mill near by and we were told that the drinking water there is tainted by the mill.

Of course nothing will ever be done about it, because long time residents in Washington simply don't taste the difference.

Our water comes from Mt. Hood and to me, it tastes great whether we drink it from the tap, or once it's gone through the filter in our refrigerator. However, there could be pollutants in there as well, I just don't know anymore.

Thank you for reading the article and of course commenting - I do appreciate it.
~ Swan

Fred Miller

at 12:10 on March 18th, 2009

No blood drawn for ages. I don't have a personal or any other Physician. I have high BP that baffled three RNs who gave up and asked their Supervisor to re-check the BP and the only response she came up with was that I needed to be in an EMS truck on the way to the Emergency room. (This after I had smoked a cigarette and had a large Coffee.) So... I went to a clinic, and after a few tests the equally-baffled Doc said my body has learned to cope and adjust with the BP condition, and wanted to put me on a free program for testing the latest related Drugs. I never got on it, and now some 4 years later the only things I have done are cut back on Salt in my diet a bit. I love how I am now entering the 'Transparency and Accountability' phase of NP membership.....

But I'll definitely keep the good advice about hydrating before having blood drawn. And now, if you don't hear from me anymore you'll know why ;-)

sara star

at 12:21 on March 18th, 2009

If you drink a lot of water before a phlebotomy, it could water down the results. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are totally dehydrated. Better to run around the block or have a hot bath/jacuzzi!

sara star

at 12:24 on March 18th, 2009

I love my country water over the city water. Even put it in a jar when I go to town.

Swan

at 12:39 on March 18th, 2009

Hello Sara,

Over the years, I've had more blood drawn than I care to say and I'm always told to drink a couple of glasses beforehand. The idea being that it plumps up the veins. Do you have a link or something similar that I could read, supporting your advice - thank you! ;)
~ Swan

jazzyzazzy

at 15:03 on March 18th, 2009

In the spring i go to the highlands,here in Scotland ,I cup my hands over the spring water and drink straight from the spring.We are lucky here our tap water taste as good and soft as the spring water.I have never trusted drinking any kind of liquid from pastic bottles.

Rachel Divine (not verified)

at 16:07 on March 18th, 2009

I for one do not like soda or juice. I love water. I drink lots of water. When I go out I do not want to drink soda and so I drink water. it is a sad day when i have 2 choices, crap sodas and all the junk in them or crap water and all the junk in it.

i just want water I can drink and not crap!!

Paschen

at 17:12 on March 18th, 2009

Plastic bottles in general are a nightmare for the environment and our health.

Some places as well as a few countries have banned plastic bottles all together. The Chemicals added to the water in bottles as well as tap water are for public safety. We could do with out some of them, however then we would have to accept the occasional malaise wish would in turn activate the immune system in healthy people and mean illness or even death in the not so healthy once.

As our pollution increases as well as the contamination of good water sources by Human as well as Farm residue released in the water ways we will have to put up with even more chemicals to avoid that people die form things such as e-collie. They will just due from the chemicals then and this slowly in stead.