Do you know what’s in your water?

After finishing "The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb," the historical fiction book for my book club, I got another book with an intriguing title out of the library: "Poisoned Profits: The Toxic Assault On Our Children" by Philip and Alice Shabecoff. Not necessarily light summer reading, I know. Boy, was it an eye opener. When I was in college in the '80's, I worked for PennTAP - Pennsylvania Toxic Action Project, walking door to door and talking to homeowners about the strengthening and passing Superfund laws and cleaning up toxic waste pollution. I remember reading about the Love Canal pollution and all the cancers and birth defects in that Niagara Falls area.  I also remember trying to do things like use less plastic – knowing that it creates toxins in all of it’s life phases, trying to get my grandparents to stop burning it! As I went through life, I guess I got a little complacent about some things, forgot to keep on thinking about other things, got focused on other stuff like having my daughter.  I thought all this was in the past; I thought that we had learned. I'm realizing now that somehow, things seem to have gotten worse when they should have been getting better!

 I finished the book by the Shabecoff’s and decided I’d call my water company and asked to get a water quality report.  http://www.amwater.com/ccr/norristown.pdf   I learned that we have plastic in our water: Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, from discharges into the water by rubber and chemical factories, and Hexavalent Chromium, or Chromium 6, the contaminant of Erin Brockovich fame. We do not have a small amount in our water – it’s significant, even a LOT sometimes. Apparently this is a contaminant that is not regulated, but it is being considered so though they do not have to test for it,  they did last year. The water quality expert that called me back told me that once every several years, they test for things that are being considered for regulation.

Both of these contaminants are alarming to me. They are harmful with bad implications for health. The plasticizer chemical causes developmental and male reproductive toxicity among other things. The Hexavalent Chromium causes cancer. I am installing a reverse osmosis filter to clean my drinking, cooking, brushing teeth water. Maybe a filter for the shower is next.

It’s very important to note, however, that bottled water is not the answer. It is, in fact, part of the problem.  “Friends don’t let friends drink bottled water!”  Aside from creating more demand for the ubiquitous and yucky plastic, go here for all the good reasons to not use bottled water:  http://www.filtersfast.com/blog/index.php/tag/hexavalent-chromium-in-water/

I guess I’ve learned a lesson here. Pay attention. Don’t get complacent.