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I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

nytimes.com

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Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#121

Post by jay_kyburz »

BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #52
timr wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm failing to see your point. If you think it helps -- whether because of taste or personal trust issues or something else -- then great, filter your water. You do you. The article is clearly for someone who is otherwise on the fence and doesn't have those issues.

> I'm failing to see your point That's weird because I'm pretty sure that my point is explicitly spelled out. But just in case, here it is again: If your trust is based in municipal numbers or statements, you should be aware that municipal numbers and statements are not trustworthy because there's a lot of widespread decaying infrastructure (and coverup!) between where they test, what they make public, and where your…

Do you test your water after its been through the filters? I'd have some concerns about putting my trust in some random filter company.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#122

Post by rincebrain »

an_aparallel wrote: post #105
Barrin92 wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sorry if this is a stupid question because we don't have chlorinated water in Germany, but do people brew green tea or good coffee with tap water? Doesn't it taste god awful? One of the things which I remember from my holidays in Spain as a kid, which is one of the few countries which adds it here, is that the water tasted like pool water.

My general experience in Australia when i talk about drinking RO water is that im looked at like a crazed madman who drinks "holy water"... So atleast hear i daresay its safe to say the average persons taste and smell must be piss poor

You can get inured to just about anything with enough exposure, barring exceptional circumstances where you have difficulty learning to ignore things.

Visiting friends recently, they have well water which smells like sulfur from their tap. Visiting them for a few days, I do not get inured to it, but my friend cannot tell it's there.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#123

Post by jandrewrogers »

mousethatroared wrote: post #91
darth_avocado wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One side effect of RO is vitamin B12 deficiency. And there is some debate around whether that is true or not, but anecdotally, I had developed a severe B12 deficiency to the point that one day out of the blue, I couldn’t move one of my legs. I freaked out and went to the ER, and it turns out, 1 B12 shot later, I went back to normal within minutes. The doctor hypothesized that I had developed a severe B12 deficiency b…

If water is giving you any nutrient in a significant manner, change your diet.

Some essential micronutrients such as arsenic are primarily sourced from water. You don’t need much so most natural sources contain enough. There is actually a valid concern that obsessive over-purification of drinking water can lead to deficiencies of some trace minerals.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#125

Post by n4r9 »

BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #17
cypherpunks01 wrote: post #13

A surprising amount of Americans refuse to drink tap water entirely, in their own suburban homes with quality municipal water, or anywhere else they travel, holding the opinion that plastic bottled water is safer and better. Of course bottled water is regulated far less than tap water, and contains an ungodly amount of microplastics from manufacturing and storage. Under-sink RO systems seem pretty great to me, anywhe…

> A surprising amount of Americans refuse to drink tap water entirely, in their own suburban homes with quality municipal water It shouldn't be surprising that Americans might understand that their water might not actually be safe despite the municipal government saying it is. It took two whole years for administrators in Flint, Michigan to acknowledge their lead pipe crisis. Trust needs to be earned and maintained,…

> America is notoriously bad at maintaining critical public infrastructure.

How does that compare with food safety in commercial products? That's the question.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#126

Post by Xss3 »

tguvot wrote: post #106
bernawil wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So when one times out, they all time out Some units give you different fixed timespans for each. For that reason, I just use the Reverse Osmosis stage and ignore the rest. RO is the last step, and in theory it renders pure water meaning the only reason to have the previous ones is to pre-filter somewhat the water and extend the RO cartridge lifespan. Problem with that is, first, there's no way to gauge when each fi…

pre-filters typically have specified "capacity" in gallons. which is measurable. also if water is very dirty filters get clogged and pressure dropped. it's also measurable. "post re-mineralization stage" is actually "ph adjustment".

It isnt merely ph adjustment... You want some amount of minerals in water for your health, plants, and taste. Changing the PH isnt the concern in most cases, its just part of the result.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#127

Post by SvenL »

jay_kyburz wrote: post #121
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm failing to see your point That's weird because I'm pretty sure that my point is explicitly spelled out. But just in case, here it is again: If your trust is based in municipal numbers or statements, you should be aware that municipal numbers and statements are not trustworthy because there's a lot of widespread decaying infrastructure (and coverup!) between where they test, what they make public, and where your…

Do you test your water after its been through the filters? I'd have some concerns about putting my trust in some random filter company.

And to that extend do you trust the company creating the test kit? Or their suppliers?

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#128

Post by Xss3 »

bilsbie wrote: post #100
mousethatroared wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I trust my municipality to give me microbiologically safe water. Because I trust bleach, not my local water authority. I certainly do not trust them to give me chemically clean water. So I have a $150 under-sink RO system.

Is there a chance it can get contaminated with bacteria? I worry about the water sitting in there.

A properly working RO system will prevent viruses and bacteria from passing. For the extra paranoid you can get systems with a UV sterilisation step.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#129

Post by rsync »

jandrewrogers wrote: post #123
mousethatroared wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If water is giving you any nutrient in a significant manner, change your diet.

Some essential micronutrients such as arsenic are primarily sourced from water. You don’t need much so most natural sources contain enough. There is actually a valid concern that obsessive over-purification of drinking water can lead to deficiencies of some trace minerals.

Wow this has gone off the rails quickly.

To wit: Arsenic is not an essential micronutrient.

"Trace quantities of arsenic have been proposed to be an essential dietary element in rats, hamsters, goats, and chickens. Research has not been conducted to determine whether small amounts of arsenic may play a role in human metabolism." [1]

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arsenic

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#130

Post by Xss3 »

rufus_foreman wrote: post #82
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can sue a manufacturer for lying about independent testing and certification. Good luck suing your county.

If you win the lawsuit against the manufacturer, do you get your health back?

The point is they have a reputation to uphold and not just skin in the game but multiple peoples livelihoods.

Just one or two bad test results, or one failed audit, can sink a business like that.

The county can have thousands of people scream for years (flint, Michigan) without panicking.

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