The water we drink contains many pesticides, industrial substances and pharmaceuticals, making the water contaminated. Among other things, tap water contains a lot of plastic particles, with a measured pollution rate of 72% worldwide.
Water is an important foundation for our health. Remember that our body is 70% water (56kg of water when you weigh 80kg) and if we include all the molecules that make up our body, water molecules represent as much as 99%! By now we are familiar with how important the quality of 'healthy food' is, but the quality of water is much less known. Most people think that the quality of drinking water in the EU is among the best in the world. But be honest 'What exactly do you base that on?'
UPSCALING STANDARDS
Our tap water undergoes many tests to meet drinkability standards, but year after year, the drinkability standards are being raised as it deteriorates. Despite all efforts to clean up drinking water pollution and meet legal standards, we all drink contaminated tap water. The water we drink contains many pesticides, industrial substances and pharmaceuticals, making the water contaminated. Among other things, tap water contains a lot of plastic particles, with a measured pollution rate of 72% worldwide.
WHAT'S IN OUR DRINKING WATER?
Tap water contains many substances that enter our drinking water through human activity. For drinking water companies, these substances are difficult to filter. Moreover, over time they turn out to be more dangerous to our health than thought. The derogations are applied for threshold pollutants that exceed the standard, such as for : Nitrates, Atrazine desethyl, Chlortoluron, Metolachlor, Bentazone, Chlortoluron, Fluorides, Glyphosate, Simazine hydroxy, Terbutylazine, Mercury, Napropamide. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, beta-blockers, cancer drugs, contraceptives, antidepressants, hormones, parasites, bacteria and viruses.
Microplastics
Tap water contains many plastic particles, with a measured pollution rate of 72% worldwide. That is the conclusion of a scientific study conducted in 10 countries (see report published by Orbmedia). Dr Anne-Marie Mahon, from the Galway-Maho Institute of Technology, explains that this leads to two problems: the tiny plastic particles themselves, and the chemicals or pathogens that these particles can carry. On average, every week we ingest the equivalent of a plastic credit card (i.e. 5 grams)! This is according to a study commissioned by WWF and conducted at the University of Newcastle in Australia, published on Tuesday 11 June 2019. This NouvelObs article provides a good summary. The article also cites a Canadian study published on 5 June 2019, which reports that an adult ingests up to 52,000 plastic microparticles per year, to which another 90,000 are added if he or she drinks only bottled water (and 4,000 if he or she settles for tap water). Dr Mahon: "If the fibres are there, there may also be nanoparticles that we cannot measure. Once they are at the nanoscale (a nanometre = a billionth of a metre), they can penetrate a cell, and that means they can enter organs. That does raise a concern.
PFAS
Man-made chemicals used in lubricants, food packaging, non-stick coatings, fire-fighting foams, waterproof textiles and cosmetics. The substances, also called 'forever chemicals'. This is because they enter the environment and do not degrade there. PFAS are related to cancer and other physical diseases.
GenX
GenX is actually not a substance, but a technology that uses two fluorine-containing substances to make coatings. GenX is the replacement for PFOA also known as C8. GenX is more soluble in water and it is less likely to accumulate in the human body. Therefore, GenX is seen as less harmful than PFOA. But because it is so easily soluble in water, it is also not easy to remove.
Glyphosate (pesticide)
Glyphosate is the most widely used but also the most controversial herbicide (pesticide) in the world. These agents end up in groundwater and thus enter our drinking water sources. IARC - expert panel of the World Health Organisation says glyphosate is 'probably carcinogenic to humans'. Yet the governments and European Commission still allow its use.
Heavy metals (nickel, lead, copper, aluminium)
Heavy metals such as lead, nickel and copper, among others, enter our drinking water through old lead drinking water pipes. Concentrations of the material vary from place to place. Previously, a concentration of 400 micrograms was considered not harmful. From 2022, the standard is 5 micrograms per litre. The number of homes in the Netherlands that still have lead water pipes is small, but lead, nickel and copper can also be released from new pipes and taps in the first few months. Aluminium is also found in tap water. Aluminium salts are used in water treatment processes and some of them can be found in tap water. Aluminium is toxic to nerve cells and can cause multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's disease.
Fluoride
Fluoride is not as harmless as is thought, but it is a toxic substance. Fluoride is a toxic waste product of the aluminium industry. The solution devised to solve this expensive waste problem was the beginning of a disgusting cover-up scandal, about which investigative journalist Crystopher Bryson wrote the 380-page book "The Fluoride Deception". Fluorine is used in various pesticides such as sulphuryl fluoride and fluazinam, among others. Sodium fluoride is present in high concentrations in rat poison, insecticides and wood preservatives against mould. Another important action of fluoride is that it makes people docile, willing. It was used by the Russians and the Nazis, among others, in penal camps to make prisoners tame. Adding fluoride to drinking water therefore makes people docile. Fluoride ends up in surface water through the drain and sewage treatment plant. Drinking water companies use that to make drinking water and cannot filter it out completely.
Drug and medicine residues
The discharge of chemicals, microplastics, pesticides and fertilisers is still tolerated. We close our eyes to the long-term consequences! We have been talking about it for years, but it is only increasing! The question is: how long will we continue to polder on the pollutants file?
Chlorine
Chlorine is the most commonly used disinfectant in tap water because it is cheap and it fights viruses and bacteria and the "benefit-risk" balance is probably calculated. In the long run, however, it can cause cancer. A US study linked breast cancer to chlorinated water consumption. So if you drink tap water, you should at least take out the chlorine. You can fill a jug of water and leave it in the open air for a few hours (or 24 hours in the fridge), much of the chlorine will evaporate, but let's be realistic, not all the chlorine will be eliminated, but it's better than nothing.
Therefore, there is no luxury in filtering the water to rid ourselves of these harmful substances.