Aluminum in Drinking Water Poses Health Risks
We’re all familiar with aluminum, the lightweight metal used in cans, window frames, and other common items. The presence of aluminum in drinking water is less known. Scientists know that aluminum causes dementia or memory loss, and drinking water is found to be a major source of aluminum for many people.
Aluminum, in its molecular form, can be combined with other chemicals for use in medicines, skin products, and as a chemical used in water purification plants. It also comes from natural sources when certain types of rock break down in the rain or in streams and rivers. All of these sources put aluminum into drinking water.
Water treatment plants use large amounts of aluminum sulphate (a salt) to remove organic matter from water. It is also used to remove phosphates, a byproduct of many soaps and fertilizers. Companies put it in antacids, deodorants and cooking utensils. It is clear that it can damage our nervous system as it builds up in our body over the years.
Once we absorb aluminum into our body, it is difficult to remove it. It tends to accumulate in our tissues and over time it can accelerate Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. A study led by Dr. C. McLachlan found that many cases of Alzheimer’s disease could be prevented if aluminum was kept below a safe standard level in public water supplies. Aluminum damages our nervous system.
The US government does not regulate aluminum in the drinking water supply. It is one of over 200 unregulated chemicals commonly found in drinking water supplies across the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency has established a non-enforcement standard (no legal limit) for aluminum in our faucets.
Aluminum is difficult to remove from water. Two types of filters can remove aluminum molecules. First, a filter called “alumina” can extract it and other metals from the water. Second, a reducing or “redox” filter removes certain metals from the water.
With the dangers of clear aluminum, we need to protect ourselves from it by not using aluminum-surfaced cookware, avoiding aluminum foil, and filtering our water supplies at home for drinking and cook. A good quality home water purification system can go a long way in giving you peace of mind with so many contaminants in water supplies.
Click on the link below to learn more about a high quality home water purification system.
