Source of toxins in water

Water is necessary for life, so it’s a wonder that it’s treated with such disregard. What flows from the tap at home is often polluted with some form of pesticide, industrial chemical, pharmaceutical drug, or other toxin – even after it’s passed through a treatment facility.

The ability of water treatment facilities to remove toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury, arsenic and other toxins is minimal, and in some geographical areas, non-existent. Even the pipes through which clean water must travel may itself be the source of toxins.
But while treatment does a good job at eliminating bacterial pathogens from water, the cleansing process leaves the water tainted with many toxic byproducts – such as chlorine.

Waterways carry pollutants from many different sources. Industrial wastes often wind their way into streams and rivers, including mercury, lead, arsenic, petrochemicals, and a slew of other chemicals. Car oil, antifreeze, lawn chemicals, and many other chemicals flow along with the water into the waterways. Landfills are another source of pollution as water percolates through the trash. Factory farms also contribute pollutants, including pharmaceuticals, antibiotics and hormones.

Furthermore, pesticides, herbicides and other crop agrochemicals all wash into the rivers. Antihypertensives, antibiotics, even caffeine and nicotine are not only showing up in water sources but in drinking water itself.