Officials Say ‘Toilet on Tap’ Wastewater Same Quality as Tap Water
Do you think it might be possible that you’re drinking wastewater (also known as ‘toilet on tap’) and don’t even know it? It just so happens that many Americans are, whether they know it or not. But new federally funded research brought to you by the National Research Council says that wastewater is completely safe, if not safer than existing water supplies. What does this say about the current state of your tap water?
Drink More Wastewater, NRC Says
The NRC compared a sample of water taken from a normal source which had 5 percent wastewater and a sample which had been completely treated. Around 24 different contaminants were measured for in both samples, including pathogens. What the NRC found was that there was no different in risk between the two samples, and that the wastewater sample had fewer pathogens.
Interestingly enough the NRC’s stance on consuming wastewater has completely changed from a little more than 1 decade ago, where they said that treated wastewater should only be consumed as a last resort.
The driving force behind the goal of the study is of course saving the water supply. As we continue to pollute our waters, less fresh water is becoming available for us to drink. More rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers are drying up as the years pass. As bodies of water around the world continue to dry up, we’re seeing more drought conditions spread. There are dust storms in places which have never experienced them until now. As time goes by, the amount of agricultural land shrinks, and deserts are growing.
Coming up with strategies to combat the potential clean water shortage that could soon be coming is a necessary measure to take. The United States alone uses about 148 trillion gallons of fresh water each year, and 36 U.S. states are either facing water shortages right now or will soon be.
Wastewater and Even ‘Normal’ Water is Not Safe for Your Health
However consuming even treated wastewater should not be an option for those seeking optimal wellness. Even if the wastewater is as safe as normal drinking water, it is still not safe – and neither is normal drinking water. Water contains pharmaceuticals, birth control residues, sucralose, chlorine, and all types of harmful substances. In fact, the fluoride in the water is damaging your health and may even be lowering your IQ along with contributing to cancer. Unfortunately turning to bottled water is not such a viable option either, where you pay 2000x more than you normally would for mystery water.
A solution to these problems? A water filter or reverse osmosis water filtration system. When filtering tap water, reverse osmosis is one preferred method in removing toxic substances such as fluoride and heavy metals. It does, however, also remove natural minerals and nutrients. Luckily a simple solution to this would be to add certain minerals to the water Use a mineral filter, himalayan sea salt, or even add apple cider vinegar to restore the natural nutrients back into the water.
