Here are 7 Contaminants Found in Tap Water in America
1. Fluoride Around 50 years ago the US government mandated fluoride to be added to all city and municipal water supplies to prevent dental problems. Current studies, however, show that fluoride, a chemical that is used in rat poison, does a lot more harm than good. This substance is considered a class 4 hazardous waste product by the EPA, and it is illegal to dump anywhere in the environment. Fluoride increases fracture risk, suppresses the immune system, causes thyroid and parathyroid dysfunction and is considered a neurotoxin. It also causes issues with serotonin production, it’s implicated in dementia and lower IQ’s and negatively impacts the pineal gland. Recently cities all over North America have started banning the chemical over and thankfully now that the word is spreading of the dangers of fluoride, it is expected to continue.
2. Chlorine is the standard disinfectant used in water treatment facilities as an antimicrobial (to kill bacteria and other harmful ‘bugs’ but it has toxic effects in the human body. Not only is chlorine associated with breast and rectal cancers, premature aging of skin, asthma, and birth defects, it has also been identified as the leading cause of bladder cancer! It’s worth reminding people as well that chlorine is not only common in tap water but as well as treating swimming pools and anything that comes into contact with our skin is absorbed into the body. Chlorine is basically an antibiotic and doesn’t differentiate between pathogenic organisms (bad bugs) and the good bacteria that live in and on our bodies that keep us alive and healthy – ultimately leading to major health issues and toxic effects on the human body. It’s understood that Chlorine makes our water sources safer by removing disease causing pathogens but at what expense to our health?
3. Pharmaceutical drugs are without a doubt over consumed in North America. The most commonly prescribed pharmaceuticals are showing up in most of our public water supplies including antibiotics, antidepressants, and other psychiatric drugs, pain killers, and even synthetic hormones – mainly estrogen, which accumulates in the body because it’s very difficult for the body to detox synthetic hormones.
4. Radioactive Contaminants have been detected in drinking water supplies throughout the country with twelve U.S. cities with confirmed radioactive iodine-131 detected in the drinking water. In addition to the radioactive iodine-131, radioactive cesium and tellurium isotopes have also been identified at low levels. The health implications of this radioactive contamination are “not known yet”, but don’t we already know how toxic radioactive materials are? Let’s remember our history and what we’ve seen in Chernobyl, Fukushima, and Hiroshima. Do we need any more evidence?! It’s already known that radioactive contaminants have hazardous impacts on human health. It’s unacceptable that it’s allowed in our water at any level.
5. Arsenic is an odorless, tasteless and a highly poisonous element well-known to be extremely carcinogenic that is estimated to be contaminating as many as 56 million Americans at what the EPA considers ‘unsafe levels’. Arsenic can contaminate drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the ground or from agricultural and industrial practices. Arsenic is known to increase the rate of prostate cancer, skin cancer, kidney and liver cancer, and bladder cancer.
6. Lead — Lead is a toxic metal that even at low exposure levels is harmful to the human body and because the body cannot readily detox lead it can accumulate in the body over time causing severe impacts on the health of adults and children in particular psychological, neurological, serious developmental delays, learning disorders, central and peripheral nervous system disorders, hearing loss, blood cell disorders, and even physical damage are seen in children, some who were exposed prior to birth – exposed from their mother. Contamination from lead and other toxic heavy metals can occur through corrosion of the pipes in the home’s plumbing system. Even today, some municipalities are still transporting water in lead pipes.
7. Aluminum and other heavy metals are known to cause kidney, brain, and nerve disorders.
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