The Earth may be known as “the blue planet,” and according to to care2.com, 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. Yet, scientists and public officials predict a global water crisis within the next few decades. Worldwide, 2.7 billion people are currently affected by water shortages and, by 2025, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water stressed conditions. Water stressed conditions have limited supplies or water and limited quality of drinking water due to poor conditions at the sources. Both could have serious effects on the health of all of us.

Only 2.5 percent of the water on earth is theoretically drinkable and the vast majority of that freshwater is inaccessible, either deep below the earth’s surface or in glaciers and snowfields at the poles. As climate change shifts rainfall and drought patterns around the world, more and more people are living in water stressed conditions. The WorldWatch Institute stated something that really made my concerns increase; “some 20 percent of the increase in water scarcity in the coming decades will be caused by climate change … In poor countries, the consequences of climate change could be dire – erratic weather patterns have already been the primary cause of famine for millions around the world.”

We see some of those effects here in the United States already. Parts of our country have shrinking water sources, levels at their lowest point in history, and poor care for water from the tap which contains harmful contaminants. For example, in 2010 here in the U.S., industrial polluters dumped 226 million pounds of toxic chemicals into our waterways, and 80% of streams sampled in a national survey contained drugs, hormones, pesticides, and other chemicals. The Environmental Working Group published a study in 2009 which concluded that 252 million Americans were served by water systems that exceeded recommended safety guidelines for some contaminate at least once during the study period.

So what can we do to combat both limited water supplies and low quality water? We need to find an environmentally-responsible, yet conservational idea. Our best bet? A reverse osmosis drinking water filter or water cooler. Both will provide continuous flows of safe drinking water. We recommend you find a water filter that wastes the least amount of water, petroleum, and plastic. We don’t have anymore time or water supplies to spare. Without a reverse osmosis drinking water filter, your water quality is compromised and in addition to a limited supply, you have to worry about the health effects it may cause. To read more from the source of this blog, click here.

In fact, a recent online article explains just this problem happening in this country. Most of us associate water contamination with cities, factories, and all that stems from population. We imagine farms and country living with pristine water and good, healthy living. Unfortunately, the news tells us lately that some farming practices are leading to unhealthy and unclean water. The mission of the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment. Their most recent report examines water pollution caused by farm runoff and details how treating the problem after the fact is increasingly expensive, difficult and, if current trends continue, ultimately unsustainable.

Water that runs off poorly managed fields that have been treated with chemical fertilizers and manure is loaded with nitrogen and phosphorus. These two potent pollutants set off a cascade of harmful consequences, threatening the drinking water used by millions of Americans. Without a water filter, this could be happening to you. According to the article, the health effects are serious! Nitrate, the most common form of nitrogen in surface and groundwater, is directly toxic to human health. Infants who drink water with high nitrate levels can develop an acute, life-threatening blood disorder called blue baby syndrome. High nitrate levels in water can also affect thyroid function in adults and increase the risk of thyroid cancer.

Phosphorus stimulates explosive blooms of aquatic algae, including the especially dangerous cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that produces toxins that can be deadly to pets, livestock, wildlife – and people. Toxins produced by cyanobacteria can harm the nervous system, cause stomach and intestinal illness and kidney disease, trigger allergic responses and damage the liver.

“Access to clean and healthy drinking water is a critical issue for Americans and the rest of the planet, ” says one EWG senior scientist. Every year, farm operators apply more than 12 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer and 8 million tons of phosphorus fertilizer to agricultural land in the U.S. Unless carefully managed, nitrates and phosphates are carried off their fields by runoff water or percolates into drainage systems, eventually ending up in streams, rivers, lakes, underground aquifers – and ultimately your tap water.

Although most American farmers do actually farm responsibly, the list of American waters imperiled by agricultural pollution grows daily and now includes the Chesapeake Bay, the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers estimate that on two-thirds of the nation’s agricultural land, fertilizer use does not conform to scientifically designed best management practices. Growers spread too much fertilizer, spread it at the wrong times, and use methods that are prone to losing nutrients into runoff. In addition, installation of “tile drainage,” which is common across the Midwest, promotes the movement of nutrients into streams. To prevent the nitrogen and phosphorus in your water sources from running from your tap, look into an effective water filter or home water cooler. To read more from this article, click here.

The numbers are alarming with the amount of plastic water bottles bought, trashed, and so on. Not only are plastic water bottles a financial nightmare when compared to the cost of tap water in a year, but the expense to our environment is worse than all the dollar signs put together. You see, according to the EPA, over 1,125,000,000 pints of bottled water were sold in the United States in 2011. The EPA estimates that less than 15% of those plastic water bottles are recycled; the rest go into landfills or are discarded as litter. The US consumes 1500 plastic water bottles every second, and of the “50 million” bottles of water bought each year, 80% end up in a landfill even where recycling programs exist! It takes 1,000 years for plastic water bottles to biodegrade.

But, that’s not the end of the story – we’re just getting started. More costs come in the production of the plastic used for both water bottles and the large plastic water coolers which also “seem to be a responsible purchase” but could be better. Plastic water bottles waste precious fuel plastic water bottles are made from petroleum and it takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil (although some advocates suggest this number is much higher) a year to produce the plastic for the water bottles consumed in the U.S. in one year – enough to fuel over 100,000 U.S. cars for an entire year. Those large plastic containers waste even more petroleum to make and water to clean by the companies when they are switched out. A bottleless water cooler, on the other hand, could save all of the resources discussed here. You can still get the safe drinking water you desire, but conserve water, petroleum, and hey – even money!

Reducing plastic water bottles is just a start. Imagine if there were 75% less plastic bottle waste from cleaners, detergents, shampoos, conditioners and even lotions? With a water softener, your family could use up to 75% less detergents, cleaners, shampoos and conditioners. Hard water requires larger quantities of soap to get a lather, leaves spots on fixtures, kitchen and bath surfaces, dishes, glasses and silverware, and even makes your skin dry and itchy and your hair brittle. With a water softening system, you use up to 75% less cleaners, detergents, shampoos, conditioners and lotions, toss 75% less plastic waste, and 75% less soap and detergent gets flushed into the water system. With this simple step, you could do your part for the environment.

Look into a water cooler  that is bottleless, or an eco-friendly water softener today.

Water authorities claim that the purely-aesthetic problem with the water is the result of a particularly large and persistent algae bloom in the east branch of the State Water Project. The algae bloom produces 2-methylisoborneal, which proliferates even more quickly as the weather warms. They have been applying copper sulfate to control the algae growth and have attempted reducing the amount of water pulled from the affected areas.

Unfortunately, 2-methylisoborneal has a very noticeable smell and taste, and many people have been able to detect the compound even in the municipality treated water. People with sensitive taste and smell can detect the substance in water levels as low as 5 parts-per-trillion, but LA’s water has experienced concentrations as high as 20 parts-per-trillion.

While officials affirm that there is no health risk at all, many folks simply don’t like the idea of drinking algae and the chemicals used to kill its growth, much less enjoy the smell and taste. Fortunately, you do have options! Something as a salt-free water conditioner can improve the taste and smell of your water. Or, if you prefer a drinking water system, a reverse osmosis system or water cooler can deliver great tasting drinking water at the touch of a button. Not only will these systems take care of the -hopefully – temporary problem of the algae bloom, but they will also continue to take care of the smells and tastes of chlorine.

Just last week, the Sacramento Bee ran an article showing just how hush-hush the whole process is. While a bill was proposed last year that would require drilling companies to disclose what they put into the ground, nothing has been passed. Likewise, there are still no rules being drawn up on the extraction method. California regulators claim that the existing environmental laws protect the drinking water, but they also admit that they have very little information about the scale or practice of fracking within the state. So, how do they really know that the water is being protected? In most cases, the communities have been left to their own devices to figure out how to handle any questions or problems that arise.

It’s a touchy battle here in our state. California is the fourth-largest oil producing state in the nation, with the largest oil shale formation in the continental U.S. In fact, 64% of our nation’s deep-rock oil deposits are right here. In an attempt to boost the state’s lagging economy, the government has eased rules for oil drilling in California and is expediting permits. In spite of their best attempts to find a balance, many questions remain:  Where is the fracking taking place; How often is fracking used; What are the risks associated with the way fracking is being performed? It is highly disturbing when regulators have very few answers and blame “limited data” and “no reporting requirements”. The energy industry balks at answering those questions, arguing that full disclosure would compromise valuable trade secrets and give their competition an unfair advantage. How does that help us feel safe as we pour another glass of water? Is “I don’t know” really a viable answer when it comes to your drinking water?

We agree, we have a tough call to make. None of us like the high prices of petroleum products and having to import so much, but we also don’t want to join the “fire water” states either. In the mean time, we’d like to help you find options to ensure that the water your family uses is safe and healthy. There are many options from whole house water treatment to under the counter drinking water systems to office water coolers. A free, basic water test can reveal much about your water and what type of system you need to have peace of mind.

The article starts out quite benignly, “Nitrate contamination in groundwater from fertilizer and animal manure is severe and getting worse” – yeah, lots of things are getting worse, it’s a fact of life. But, then they quote a resident of San Jerardo, CA who said her skin had become red and itchy, her eyes burned, her hair started falling out, lots of her neighbors became sick, — and “people were dying, and we didn’t know who was going to be next” – it was nitrates in the water. Yes, I would agree that things are worse than they thought!

Nitrates are odorless, tasteless compounds that form when nitrogen from ammonia mixes with water. The contamination comes from many sources – water treatment plants, septic systems, food processing, landscaping, and other sources, but by large the greatest contributor to the problem comes from agriculture. In fact, 96% of the contamination can be traced to animal waste and crop fertilizer leaching into the groundwater. According to the agricultural regulatory program manager for a California state water agency, “The problem is much, much, much worse than we thought.”  High nitrate levels in drinking water have been linked to thyroid cancer, skin rashes, hair loss, birth defects, and blue baby syndrome.

Obviously California cannot simply cut off agriculture. Fertilization practices can be changed to diminish the amount of nitrates entering the groundwater, and while this is absolutely imperative for the future, the bad news is that the nitrates that are currently in water wells will be there for many years to come. There simply is no overnight fix. The good news is there is something these folks – and folks all over the country – can do if they are concerned with the quality of their well water. A home water filtration system that uses reverse osmosis technology is quite effective at removing nitrates. Of course, not all water filters are created equal, so homeowners must do a bit of research in choosing a reputable water treatment company and selecting a drinking water system that will meet their family’s needs.

The volunteers in the study were divided into three groups; one group switched from calorie-laden beverages to diet soft drinks. The second switched to plain water and the third did not change drinks but received information about healthy choices. The study took place in North Carolina over six months, and “all three lost weight and inches off their waist. But those who switched to calorie-free beverages were twice as likely to lose five per cent, or more, of their body weight than those who were not advised to change drinks.” Furthermore, “‘If this were done on a large scale, it could significantly reduce the increasing public health problem of obesity,’ said Prof Deborah Tate, of the University of North Carolina.”

But drinking more water can also mean an increased risk of higher levels and consumption of harmful contaminants, chemicals, bacteria, minerals, and so on in your tap water if you are living in a problem area. To balance out the equation, you may wish to consider a drinking water system.  With a home drinking water system you can still drink as much water as you need to help lose this extra bodyweight and supplement your diet. It will just reduce the unwanted and potentially harmful contaminants that aren’t a part of your diet. Lose weight with safe drinking water. With a water filter, you have nothing to lose by those few extra pounds.

The delta helps shuttle fresh water to more than 25 million people in the state. It’s also an essential water resource for agriculture in Central and Southern California. To not know this means that many people truly are not aware or informed about their drinking water today. This can be problematic should there be harmful contaminants flowing from the tap. This system supplies two-thirds of California’s drinking water as well as 50% of the state’s agriculture. Many people feel as though where the water comes from isn’t as important as how safe the water actually is. However, most people tend to assume that their water is safe regardless of the lack of information. There is also limited concern about how much water we have available from water supplies to continually and eternally get from the tap. Yet, the article explains that water supplies are sensitive to a lot of different factors, including extreme weather and an evolving climate and this is a growing problem.

“As global temperatures rise, regional changes could have a growing impact on access to clean water.” In California, there is a projected decline in snowpack meaning less fresh water coming down the mountains into the delta during the summer when people need the water the most. This could also be tainted with higher levels of saltwater pushing into the delta. The impact is being felt (or maybe more so in the future) all over the nation, not just here in California. Regardless, something needs to be done. For homeowners, there may be a couple of options to help lessen the demand for water. Water filters and drinking water systems can help those who are concerned about what is in their water. Likewise, water coolers are a great option for those consumers who wish to reduce the amount of water they use to help lower the risk of limited water supplies in the future. With either choice, it is important to find a drinking water system that is affordable, eco-friendly and uses the latest water technology. To read more about how climate change can affect our drinking water, click here.

The article explains many important aspects of the claim, where “recently have scientists begun to consider diabetes prevention one of them. The amount of water you drink can play a role in how your body regulates blood sugar, researchers have found.”  The reason for this consideration is because of a hormone in the body called vasopressin which helps regulate water retention. When the body is dehydrated, the levels of vasopressin rise and the kidneys hold on to water. “At the same time, the hormone pushes the liver to produce blood sugar, which over time may strain the ability to produce or respond to insulin.” One of the largest studies to look at the consequences was published last year in Diabetes Care, a publication of the American Diabetes Association.  The research concluded that of those studied, the people who consumed the most water had a 30% lower risk than those who drank the least. While more research may be needed, this is certainly just one more reason why it is important to drink plenty of water and keep your body healthy and hydrated.

But before you drink plenty of water, be sure your water is safe to consume. Tap water in many areas of our country contains harmful chemicals and contaminants that only water filters and reverse osmosis systems can eliminate. Look for a reverse osmosis system or water cooler that will reduce waste water and is eco-friendly. Start drinking your water today with your new water filter and see a brand new healthier you! To read more from this blog, click here.