What's in Your Water? Thoughts on your home water supply...

I can hardly believe that it was over three years ago that my dear husband first installed a GE Reverse Osmosis Water Filter in our kitchen!  According to the manufacturer's booklet: "Reverse osmosis removes Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and organic matter from water by diffusing it through a special membrane."  The filtration system my husband purchased has a Prefilter (carbon), reverse osmosis, and post-filter.  Basically the good news for such a system is that it takes all of the bad impurities out of your water or hopefully most of them.  The bad news is that it also strips your water of good minerals which you then need to add back into your water or get into your diet in some other fashion.  Does it make much of a difference?  Well, I think for most of us, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Here is a before and after picture of our filter from just 3 months of use.

White filter on the left is new.  Brown filter on the right has been in use for 3 months.

Let's look at the used filter more closely.

Are we sold on using a filter for our drinking water?  You bet!  Do you want to learn more about drinking water and quality issues?  One great organization that has done outstanding reports on water and quality issues is The Environmental Working Group, a Washington, DC based non-profit organization dedicated to consumers.  You can visit their website to learn more at: www.ewg.org  They have reports on food, cosmetics, water and other important topics for consumers.  Check out their website and download some of their reports.  Education is a powerful thing!  And, you can even support them with a donation or membership!!

Do you filter your water?  What have you learned?  Any suggestions?  We have a 3 gallon tank with our filtration system and I love it.  It does take time to fill up once it is empty.  The same goes for a Brita® pitcher type system.  I'd love to hear your comments on water filtering systems or water in general!  Be well!
Love,
Lisa