Why You Should Be Using A Water Filter In Your Shower
|
How often do you shower? According to Harvard Medical School, over two thirds of Americans shower daily, and YouGov reports 6% showering or bathing twice a day.
Have you ever thought about what might be in the water you’re using?
|
|
Although the United States generally has one of the safest water supplies in the entire world, the quality and safety of water varies quite a bit in different states, cities, neighborhoods, and even between houses. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) requires community water systems to provide an annual water quality report (called the Consumer Confidence Report or CCR) to their customers each year by July 1st. These reports provide information about local water quality - summarizing water sources, detected contaminants, compliance, and educational information.
Understanding your CCR
(in case you’re not a hydrologist)
(in case you’re not a hydrologist)
Your CCR will help you determine the quality of your water but let’s talk about why you should be using a water filter in your shower no matter the what the report says.
It’s important to understand that there is no such thing as a natural, completely pure, source of water. Whether it has flowed in a river, sat in a lake, or filtered through rock and soil, all water contains some impurities. Some of these impurities are relatively harmless, but others can cause issues, especially man-made chemicals, bacteria, minerals, or unnatural contaminants.
Here are some of the contaminants a local CCR tests for:
|
|
|
While many of these contaminants may sound scary, it’s also important to remember the EPA makes sure that public water is subject to federal regulations and most American community water systems realize water quality is a serious matter, use complex treatment processes, take thousands of samples, and conduct even more tests, in the interest of providing safe water. In addition to fines and penalties that must be paid by the water supplier for consistent violations, or for failing to treat water for a specific contaminant, the water supplier is required to send all people in contact with their water a notification of the contaminant they are potentially at risk for and how they should respond.
Here’s an example of what that looks like:
Denver Colorado’s 2017 Water Quality Report (see page 5).
Denver Colorado’s 2017 Water Quality Report (see page 5).
|
So, the water in your shower must be safe, right? When was your home built? What kind of pipes run through your house? How old is your showerhead? Do you know millions of microorganisms and bacteria can pile up inside your unfiltered shower head? Do you know once your water has been filtered, most water suppliers add a disinfectant such as chlorine or other chemicals to kill additional harmful bacteria and germs? Do you think chlorine, or the other chemicals (for example chloramine, a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) are good for your hair and skin? How far down this rabbit hole do you want to go?
|
|
Professor Norman Richard Pace Jr., an American biochemist, a distinguished professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology at the University of Colorado, and a principal investigator at the Pace lab lead a study in which 50 showerheads from nine cities in seven states that included New York City, Chicago and Denver were tested. The study concluded that 30% of the shower heads tested contained bacteria and microorganisms.
Filtering your shower water is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to make a big difference in reducing your exposure to chemicals, bacteria, fungus and other contaminants in your water that have the potential to affect not only your hair and skin but your aging process and overall wellness as well.
How do I choose from the thousands of different brands and types of
shower filters on the market today?
shower filters on the market today?
Generally, it is believed the most effective filters use Vitamin C, carbon filters containing high-grade carbon, kinetic degradation fluxion (KDF) filtration, and multi stage filter systems. Here are a few reasonably priced, easy-to-install options:
For most people, a shower head filter is definitely worth the cost and minor maintenance. It helps to protect you from dangerous chemicals and bacteria and, although no filter will ever be 100% effective, they do decrease your exposure, leaving you with noticeably softer skin and hair while guarding you and your family from potential harm.
