Unsafe Lead Levels in Tap Water Not Limited to Flint

Post by rdl » Wed, Feb 10, 2016, 8:08 AM UTC

prions wrote: post #62

ohthanks wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Carbon filtration will not remove dissolved solids (lead, heavy metals) without added ion-exchange resins. RO is generally the most effective broad spectrum treatment method for drinking water. The mineral issue is pretty much bunk, if the lack of trace minerals in your water is a concern you need to see a doctor. Food is your body's preferred source of minerals, you have to drink a lot to have much effect on your da…

I'm a water treatment engineer. Carbon filtration will remove dissolved solids and heavy metals, and with high efficiency if done correctly. Most GAC columns designed to remove lead and heavy metals are enriched with sulfide ions to increase the removal efficiency as well. People prefer to use ion exchange resins to remove heavy metals because they can be regenerated more easily and efficiently. Also ion exchange res…

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Feb 10, 2016, 8:16 AM UTC

matthewbauer wrote: post #60

CamperBob2 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a rather ridiculous myth, in the same tradition as moon-landing denial or Korean fan death. You get minerals from food, not water. You (presumably) have kidneys and other organs that maintain the mineral balance in your body. A few micrograms more or less in your water isn't going to make much difference.

I hardly think it's a myth. Human bodies aren't as simple as you're suggesting. It's a complex process but no water found in the natural world is going to be pure H2O so it makes since to be cautious of water that is going to be so different from nature. From the WHO report[1] on water quality: "Sufficient evidence is now available to confirm the health consequences from drinking water deficient in calcium or magnesi…

Post by tarsinge » Wed, Feb 10, 2016, 8:24 AM UTC

sdk77 wrote: post #78

staunch wrote: post #2

Ancient Romans knew that lead water pipes were unhealthy and so they preferred terracotta pipes. It's hard to imagine why the U.S. ever had a single lead water pipe, let alone huge numbers of them. Updated with a reference for the downvoters: Sheets of lead were used to line Roman aqueducts (as was cement) and lead pipes to convey water. But lead also was known to be unwholesome and, for that reason, pipes made of cl…

>It's hard to imagine why the U.S. ever had a single lead water pipe, let alone huge numbers of them. I always supposed that that's where the word 'plumber' came from, or 'loodgieter' (lead caster, Dutch). Both words strongly refer to lead. Growing up in Holland in the early 80's our house had lead pipes. When I bought my first house in 2003 it too still had a lead water main. I drank a lot of that water, tap water o…

Post by CamperBob2 » Wed, Feb 10, 2016, 8:28 AM UTC

matthewbauer wrote: post #60

CamperBob2 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a rather ridiculous myth, in the same tradition as moon-landing denial or Korean fan death. You get minerals from food, not water. You (presumably) have kidneys and other organs that maintain the mineral balance in your body. A few micrograms more or less in your water isn't going to make much difference.

I hardly think it's a myth. Human bodies aren't as simple as you're suggesting. It's a complex process but no water found in the natural world is going to be pure H2O so it makes since to be cautious of water that is going to be so different from nature. From the WHO report[1] on water quality: "Sufficient evidence is now available to confirm the health consequences from drinking water deficient in calcium or magnesi…

Post by voltagex_ » Wed, Feb 10, 2016, 8:39 AM UTC

Radim wrote: post #46

voltagex_ wrote: post #10

If I travel to the US (Let's say Los Angeles, Seattle and New York) how do I know if the tap water is safe to drink? In the EU I normally just ask a local. In Germany it's safe to drink but in the Czech Republic you might be better off drinking bottled water (last time I checked was ~10 years ago, sorry if it's changed).

Re. Czech Republic -- nothing has changed, in the sense that drinking tap water was perfectly safe ten years ago, as it is now. I suppose that demonstrates the dangers of your "ask some local" approach :) Though the safety of tap water in CZ is well known, and has been well known for decades, and any local would tell you as much. So I'm not sure where that came from. Perhaps some temporary local incident? Even Google…