USA Water Filter Blog

In a new round of water testing by the Environmental Protection Agency, half of the 29 Chicago homes visited yielded at least one sample containing more than 15 parts per billion of lead, a level that can trigger regulatory action if detected during routine screening.

Agency officials said the results will help regulators evaluate whether the 20-year-old procedures used nationwide to test homes’ tap water for lead should be updated.

Current procedures require only the first liter of water that comes out of homeowners’ faucets to be checked, and action is taken if more than 10 percent of tested homes exceed 15 ppb. Under that standard, Chicago has passed its tests for nearly 20 years.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-epa-lead-tests-20120131,0,4490886.story

NSA Water Filters

The result wasn’t good. But it wasn’t exactly a surprise, either.

When Gordon Brooks first confirmed high levels of arsenic in the well water at his north Clark County home, he didn’t consider it an urgent matter. He and his wife worked around it initially, mostly relying on bottled water. They figured they’d install a filtration system eventually. But then some extra motivation arrived last fall.

Brooks’ daughter and her husband moved in. And with them came Laila, Brooks’ infant granddaughter. Suddenly, fixing the arsenic problem jumped up the home improvement priority list.

“It’s going to affect her the rest of her life,” said Brooks, who is battalion chief of Clark County Fire District 10.

High levels of arsenic are generally more prevalent in north Clark County, public health officials say. The odorless, colorless semi-metal can cause skin damage, plus circulatory and gastrointestinal problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s also been linked to various forms of cancer after long-term exposure.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2012/jan/30/residents-health-officials-tackle-arsenic-in-north/

 

NSA Water Filters

25 per cent of bottled water is simply tap water – sold for 2,000 times the cost. If it isn’t directly from the tap, it still takes away from our fresh water resources that could be used for everyone at a fraction of the cost.

Reality two: Bottled water uses fossil fuels. Period. Nestle Waters also forgets to do the math; it takes a lot of energy to make plastic bottles, fill them, distribute them to stores and, hopefully (many do not), recycle them.

All that energy is equivalent to filling a quarter of the plastic water bottle with fossil fuels. In other words, the tap is just more efficient and better for the environment.

Reality three: Public water is regularly tested and safe. The City of Regina tests its water in 15 locations once per week and, in addition, performs supplementary testing for metals and chemicals like disinfection byproducts once per month.

In comparison, bottled water facilities are inspected on average once every 2.5 years.

Read more: http://www.leaderpost.com/technology/Drinking+water/6070542/story.html#ixzz1kw5F6PkQ

 

NSA Water Filters

I refill plastic water bottles with regular tap water. When the bottle is empty, I wash it and the cap, and refill it with water. I hear that toxins are released from plastics after reusing them. Reusing is cost-efficient and saves the planet from more trash, but it’s not worth the risk if it endangers health. What’s the potential harm in reusing these bottles? — P.G.

ANSWER: The plastic story is complicated and has no unimpeachable, authoritative answer. Most of the attention focuses on bisphenol A, BPA, an ingredient in many plastic containers and in the lining of many cans used in canned foods. A relationship between BPA and heart disease, type 2 diabetes and liver damage has been suggested. It might affect the fetus. And BPA is a weak estrogenlike substance.

Some European countries and Canada have banned the use of BPA in baby bottles as a safety precaution.

Read more: http://www.yumasun.com/articles/reusing-76219-water-bottles.html#ixzz1kw4svJig

 

NSA Water Filters

Did you resolve to ‘go green’ this year?

One easy step is to use filtered tap water.

The Morgantown Utility Board said tap water is not only cheaper and more accessible than bottled water but it’s just as healthy.

It’s also better for the environment.

Bottled water has to be shipped, creating a larger carbon footprint than tap water.

“Water delivered to the home, is delivered on an as needed basis and the pipelines are the delivery vessel,” said MUB General Manager Tim Ball. “With bottled water, of course there is plastic involved and every liter or small quantity that’s purchased has to be disposed of and that has an environmental impact.”

MUB also said that if you’re looking to go green by conserving water, use water restricted fixtures in your shower and sink.

http://www.wboy.com/story/16492832/2012/01/10/go-green-drink-tap-water

 

NSA Water Filters

Drink Tap Water

Ok, I get that in some places in the US, the tap water doesn’t taste so great (Arizona, I am looking at you). Here in NYC, we have really great tap, so it’s easy for me to preach about drinking only tap water. BUT, there are solutions to this if your tap water is less than desirable- ie: water filters.

Trust me, in the long run it’s cheaper than buying bottled, and it’s so much better for the environment in terms of plastics, waste, transportation costs, and processing.

Expert Step: Buy a really good water filter, either one that goes right on your faucet or one that goes under your sink. Also buy a reusable water bottle, and make a vow to always remember it!

http://blog.enn.com/?p=1824

 

NSA Water Filters

1. Don’t drink bottled water

• Use a water filter to purify tap water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, it generates large amounts of container waste.

• Have a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminium rather than plastic, with you when at work or travelling.

1. Save water to save money

• Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.

• Install a low-flow showerhead. They are inexpensive and the water and energy savings can soon pay back your investment.

• Plant drought-tolerant native plants in your garden. Many plants need minimal watering. Find out which occur naturally in your area.

http://your-story.org/waste-kings-eight-steps-to-being-greener-303951/

 

 

NSA Water Filters

When it comes to water use, install a water-filtration system on the kitchen sink’s tap rather than buying bottled water. Bottled water leaves a huge footprint being bottled in one location and then shipped all over. Use cold water when washing clothes that don’t require warm or hot water.  Make sure to use the water heater’s “vacation” setting when the heater is not in use for extended periods of time. Get rid of the microwave. Frozen foods are actually more energy intensive in ways similar to bottled water. The footprint grows deeper as foods are kept frozen while shipped or put on display a local grocery stores before finally arriving in the refrigerator’s freezer. Cook fresh food on a stove using a clean energy source like natural gas.

According to the Department of Energy, 90 percent of the natural gas delivered to a home setting can be used whereas electricity loses more than two-thirds of its usable energy in its generation and transmission from the producer to the customer.

http://tahlequahdailypress.com/features/x431312218/Reducing-your-home-s-carbon-footprint

NSA Water Filters

Everyone loves a freebie. But it turns out many free items don’t appear that way at first, because they come with a price tag. But there are some household items that become free in just a few months, so you don’t waste your money.

So you like your morning latte? Unfortunately, at 4 dollars a day, that’s nearly a thousand dollars a year!

So a report by CNBC says consider buying a home coffee maker: it’ll pay for itself in 2 months.

Other items that can pay for themselves are a home water filter: compared to bottled water, it pays for itself in a matter of  months.

Consider buying a high efficiency shower head, which pays for itself in water savings in 4 months.

Then there’s a programmable thermostat:  savings can be realized in as little as one month.

A double a battery charger: pays for itself in 6 months.

And solar holiday lights: pay for themselves in 6 months, or about two seasons.

 

So the bottom line… Don’t always be turned off by a higher initial cost for some items. Try to do the math. Think long-term and it could mean more money back in your pocket.

Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/money/consumer/dont_waste_your_money/things-that-pay-for-themselves-over-time#ixzz1keYjtE8k

 

NSA Water Filters

If you have dry skin or notice a distinctive smell in your shower water, consider installing a shower water filter. Filtering shower water has been proven to reduce dry skin, increase softness and health of hair and eliminate chlorine and sulfur smells that often plague household water systems.

• Step 1: Choose the filter that is right for you. Shower water filters come in three basic styles. An inline filter can be attached to the existing shower arm, allowing for use of a standard shower head. Other shower filters are contained within the shower head and completely replace the existing shower head. These self-contained shower filters are available in both wall-mount and hand-held options.

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/jan/16/fix-it-chick-shower-water-filter-can-help-improve-/

 

NSA Water Filters