The SodaStream system enables consumers to carbonate water and to flavour carbonated beverages at home as an alternative to purchasing pre-packed bottles or cans. This has many important benefits to the consumer, including :

Value for Money: Great savings compared to pre-packed carbonated water and beverages. 

Environmentally-Friendly: SodaStream is an "Active Green" solution thatminimizes the huge eco-footprint caused by the manufacture, transportand waste of plastic bottles.

Convenience: No need to carry heavy bottles from the store. The SodaStream system is simple to use and requires no batteries or electricity.

Variety: SodaStream offers over 60 flavours worldwide to suit everyone’s taste. Regular, diet, natural, fruity flavours, ice tea, energy drinks, sport drinks, tonic and many more.

Space Saver: No need to store bottles of beverages or empty bottles for recycling in your home.

Personalisation: Make drinks just the way you love them… more bubbles, less bubbles, sweeter or lighter, even create your own flavor!

Family Fun: The system is quick and easy to use. It's fun for everyone and kids just love it!!

Common Contaminants Found in Residential Well Water in Ireland.

Well water can become contaminated without any change in the water’s taste, smell or appearance. The following are common contaminants found in residential wells throughout Ireland.

ARSENIC. This toxic element is found naturally in soil and bedrock, but occurs in particularly high levels in Northeast Wisconsin. Ingestion can lead to serious health problems.

•CHLORIDES. Small amounts of salt are natural. Higher levels are unnatural and may indicate a faulty water softener, road salt, septic waste or fertilizer contamination.

•COLIFORM BACTERIA. A natural part of the microbiology of soils, insects, and warm blooded animals, coliform bacteria is the primary indicator for the presence of disease-causing organisms in water.

•FLUORIDE. Found naturally in water. While low levels of fluoride are desirable, excessive amounts may stain teeth.

•HARDNESS. Interferes with cleaning tasks from laundering and dishwashing to bathing and personal grooming. Clothes laundered in hard water may look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. Dishes and glasses may be spotted when dry. Hard water may cause a film on glass shower doors, shower walls, bathtubs, sinks, faucets, etc. Hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. These deposits also collect in household plumbing lines, water heaters and appliances, causing them to run less efficiently.

•HYDROGEN SULFIDE. A gas dissolved in water. It is easily detected by its rotten egg odor.

•IRON. Not considered hazardous to health, but when the level of iron in water exceeds the DNR 0.3 mg/l limit, we experience red, brown, or yellow staining of laundry, glassware, dishes and household. The water may also have a metallic taste and an offensive odor. Water system piping and fixtures can also become restricted or clogged.

•LEAD. Houses built before 1985 may contain lead pipes or lead-based solder. Lead can cause serious health problems in young children.

•MANGANESE. A metal found in rock, and does not occur naturally in pure form. Manganese will cause black staining and many times is accompanied by iron and hydrogen sulfide. Evidence of manganese staining is most prominently found in the dishwasher.

•NITRATES. Elevated levels can be an indication of contamination by farm chemicals, lawn fertilizers, or septic saturation. Nitrates can pose a serious health risk to infants.

•SULFATES. High levels of sulfates can cause odors, leave spots, taste bitter and have a temporary laxative effect.

At JustWater Company we supply, install and service water filtration solutions for homes, water filtration systems for businesses, water filtration systems for schools and colleges and water filtration systems for public sectors all over Ireland.

From filtered water coolers to filtered water boilers - from water testing products to filtration media and resin - from water saving products to water vending machines to Rain water harvesting products- Just Water Company has a water solution for everyone! 

Hard Water Problems

Laundering: Clothes washed in hard water often look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. Continuous laundering in hard water can damage fibers and shorten the life of clothes by up to 40 percent.

Bathing/Showering: Bathing with soap in hard water leaves a film of sticky soap curd on the skin. The film may prevent removal of soil and bacteria. Soap curd interferes with the return of skin to its normal, slightly acid condition, and may lead to irritation. Soap curd on hair may make it dull, lifeless and difficult to manage.

Dishwashers: When washing dishes, especially in a dishwasher, hard water may cause spotting and filming on your crockery. The minerals from hard water are released faster when it comes into contact with heat, causing an increase in the amount of spotting and filming that occurs. This problem is not a health risk, but it can be a nuisance to clean and reduce the quality of your crockery.

Problems in Water Boilers Systems and Pipework: Hard water also contributes to inefficient and costly operation of water-using appliances. Heated hard water forms a scale of calcium and magnesium minerals (limescale deposits) that can contribute to the inefficient operation or failure of water-using appliances. Pipes can become clogged with scale that reduces water flow and ultimately requires pipe replacement. Limescale has been known to increase energy bills by up to 25%.

At JustWater Company we offer wide range of Water Softeners for Domestic, Commercial and Public Sectors! We provide consulting services for our customers and will always offer the best product available! We also provide installation services nationwide!

Please click here to view our Water Softeners!

Weather forecast is not promising changes so why not to try to shop online instead and save your money on travel, parking and other expenses !  We will deliver next day in Ireland using our courier services!

Why not to try our selection of SIGG Eco Bottles or SodaStream Drink makers or fantastic flavour selection? We also will start to offer our gift vouchers this week!

Regards,

JustWater Company Team 

Today we launched our new website and we hope you love it as much as we do.

We developed many new features as trade account for our business customers, deals of the week feature and many more that will not only make it a important addition to Justwater Company website but also help us stay in touch with you, our valued customers!

Justwater Company Team 

Well water can become contaminated without any change in the water’s taste, smell or appearance. The following are common contaminants found in residential wells throughout Ireland.

ARSENIC. This toxic element is found naturally in soil and bedrock, but occurs in particularly high levels in Northeast Wisconsin. Ingestion can lead to serious health problems.

•CHLORIDES. Small amounts of salt are natural. Higher levels are unnatural and may indicate a faulty water softener, road salt, septic waste or fertilizer contamination.

•COLIFORM BACTERIA. A natural part of the microbiology of soils, insects, and warm blooded animals, coliform bacteria is the primary indicator for the presence of disease-causing organisms in water.

•FLUORIDE. Found naturally in water. While low levels of fluoride are desirable, excessive amounts may stain teeth.

•HARDNESS. Interferes with cleaning tasks from laundering and dishwashing to bathing and personal grooming. Clothes laundered in hard water may look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. Dishes and glasses may be spotted when dry. Hard water may cause a film on glass shower doors, shower walls, bathtubs, sinks, faucets, etc. Hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. These deposits also collect in household plumbing lines, water heaters and appliances, causing them to run less efficiently.

•HYDROGEN SULFIDE. A gas dissolved in water. It is easily detected by its rotten egg odor.

•IRON. Not considered hazardous to health, but when the level of iron in water exceeds the DNR 0.3 mg/l limit, we experience red, brown, or yellow staining of laundry, glassware, dishes and household. The water may also have a metallic taste and an offensive odor. Water system piping and fixtures can also become restricted or clogged.

•LEAD. Houses built before 1985 may contain lead pipes or lead-based solder. Lead can cause serious health problems in young children.

•MANGANESE. A metal found in rock, and does not occur naturally in pure form. Manganese will cause black staining and many times is accompanied by iron and hydrogen sulfide. Evidence of manganese staining is most prominently found in the dishwasher.

•NITRATES. Elevated levels can be an indication of contamination by farm chemicals, lawn fertilizers, or septic saturation. Nitrates can pose a serious health risk to infants.

•SULFATES. High levels of sulfates can cause odors, leave spots, taste bitter and have a temporary laxative effect.

Contact JustWater Company we have a system to solve any water problem you may have.

I was struck the other day by a comparison made on 5 Gyres, the blog site of scientists and activists who are working to draw attention to the growing concentration of plastic pollution in the world's oceans.

According to the scientists' and activists' estimate, the amount of oil used to produce plastic every day is the same amount as the oil that is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico every day from the damaged Deepwater Horizon drilling rig.

And they point out that the plastic ends up in the same place – the ocean. So that means that we are the spill, or a spill of similar proportion to the uncontainable, disastrous spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Last year my touring production company decided to eliminate plastic water bottles from the list of things we are provided in the venues we perform in. Now we carry two five-gallon coolers, and each of the band and crew carries a stainless-steel water bottle.

On our buses we use Brita filters. My production manager estimates we save between 200 and 250 bottles each show, and up to 96 bottles every day on the buses. We are one of several tours that we know of who are making these kinds of changes.

There are also some venues and festivals that are eliminating single-use plastics. Living in Los Angeles, I had long believed that having one's own sealed water bottle was safer than trusting the municipal water supply.

My children grew up drinking from plastic water bottles. But not long ago I heard a radio programme that dispelled that myth, and a few others, including the viability of recycling all the plastic bottles produced every year.

Most of the bottled water sold as spring water in America is, in fact, tap water. There don't seem to be any legal barriers to selling what comes out of a pipe in New Jersey or Los Angeles as spring water, or mountain water, or Arctic water, at least not in the United States.

There is far more quality control of American water supplies by municipalities than is exercised by the companies that bottle tap water and sell it to us for as much 200 times its value.

As for the designer water that is shipped from Fiji or France or Sweden all over the world, using jet or diesel fuel – this only adds to the amount of oil that is used by the plastic bottled water industry.

It takes one third of a bottle of petroleum to manufacture a single plastic bottle. Add to that the cost in petro-miles of shipping it around the world and you have what is still accepted as a legitimate business expense, though it may eventually be seen as a crime.

The amount of oil used to produce plastic is the same amount as the oil that is spilling into the Gulf of Mexico from the damaged Deepwater Horizon drilling rig

Getting people to accept the premise that only the water from pristine and exotic locations is truly clean may be a marketing triumph, but it is a human health disaster.

The health issue with plastic bottles is that they are made with Bisphenol A or BPA, a known 'endocrine disruptor', which can mimic the body's hormones and can have side effects.

BPA is used to make the plastic hard and clear, and it was developed originally as a sex hormone drug until that use was discontinued for reasons of human health and safety.

BPA leaches out of the bottles into the liquids they contain, in amounts that are claimed to be safe by the plastics industry. But last year experts from five universities – London, Plymouth, Reading, Stirling and Ulster – urged the British Government to review BPA.

In a letter to the then Health Secretary Andy Burnham, they wrote: 'The major body of research and evidence presented over the last decade strengthens the growing consensus that low-level exposure to BPA has a significant impact on increasing the risks of developing conditions such as cancer, diabetes, impaired brain function, and behavioral problems in mammalian laboratory animals.'

Britain has not enacted any changes yet, but Japan has limited levels of BPA in tins and has removed it from plastic containers used by children.

Canada has listed BPA as a toxic chemical and banned it from baby bottles, and there are efforts in America, France and Australia to restrict or ban the use of BPA from children's bottles, cups and plates.

But let's go back to what is happening to the word's oceans. Most of us have heard by now that there is a 'floating island of rubbish in the Pacific Ocean twice the size of Texas', or some variation of that.

But it's not an island, and it's not something that can be cleaned up or somehow recycled. In fact, what is happening in the Pacific is happening in all five of the planet's ocean gyres – as the systems of currents are called.

And it's not really rubbish. It is plastic. It is breaking down into ever smaller pieces, but it can never biodegrade. In parts of the Pacific this plastic outweighs plankton seven to one.

Fish mistake it for food and eat it. And we eat the fish. We are poisoning ourselves, and destroying the ocean. This is done in the name of free enterprise, unregulated markets, the right to do business and the right to make a profit – and in the name of convenience, evidently the most precious freedom we have.

The plastics industry insists that all we have to do is recycle. But why should we bear the cost and responsibility of recycling it? Why should we buy the stuff and then pay to dispose of it? In the case of the oceans, we will never be able to clean them up faster than the rate plastic is going in.

The answer is to stop producing it, to stop buying it. A few years ago I was on a remote beach in Spain and spent the day cleaning it up with another guy there, a German. It was mostly plastic. He muttered that the locals didn't appreciate the natural beauty of the place.

Both of us assumed it had been thrown away there carelessly, perhaps dumped there. But now I don't think so. I can see now that it had all washed up there. Humans are slobs.

There's no way around it. We are slobs. I know surfers who travel the world and ride the planet's most remote waves. They say there are plastic bottles washing up in Antarctica, in Patagonia, and all of the most distant and pristine beaches in the world.

What are we doing? There are laws against defiling the public places in our cities. Where are the laws that protect our public planet, our commonly held wilderness, our oceans?

Our oceans without which we certainly will perish? I had occasion to remark at my show at the Royal Albert Hall in London that we are the oil spill, and it is up to us to provide a solution to the problem. And that the more I have become used to carrying a metal bottle, the easier it is to just fill my own bottle and take it with me.

On a night when I was singing my most personal reflections on life, I wanted to bring up the life of the planet. I wanted to ask us all to try to remember to do all we can in the face of all these disasters, and to continue doing things that make a difference.

One thing we can do is to exercise our power as consumers, and to make choices that serve the interests of our families and of future generations, and the health of the planet.

Please read the websites of 5 Gyres (5gyres.org), and Plastic Pollution Coalition (plasticpollutioncoalition.org), and go online and read Martin Hickman's brilliant article Bad Chemistry: The Poison In The Plastic That Surrounds Us. And oppose single-use plastic!

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-1293678/Jackson-Browne-I-Blame-bottled-water-oil-spill.html#ixzz0tVKRvpYd

Globe and Mail Update

Published on Tuesday, May. 25, 2010 7:22PM EDT

Last updated on Tuesday, May. 25, 2010 7:39PM EDT

.Another strike against bottled water.

New findings show that several types of bottled water sold in Canada contain high levels of bacteria, raising questions about the cleanliness and quality of bottling plants.

The health concerns add to the backlash against plastic-bottled water that has led several cities and school boards to impose bans.

Canadian researchers from C-crest Laboratories Inc., a pharmaceutical product-testing lab in Montreal, tested nearly a dozen brands of bottled water and discovered that 70 per cent had high levels of heterotrophic bacteria. The findings were presented Tuesday at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in San Diego.

“This amount of bacteria is alarming, as if we are ingesting a cup of culture,” said Sonish Azam, a researcher involved in the study who works at C-crest.

Health Canada doesn’t have established limits for heterotrophic bacteria in water. But the United States Pharmacopeia, which sets quality, purity and other standards for drugs, food ingredients and other consumer products, says heterotrophic bacteria levels in drinking water should not exceed 500 colony-forming units (CFU) per millilitre.

The new research found that heterotrophic-bacteria levels exceeded that standard in 70 per cent of bottled-water brands tested. The highest recorded level was 80,000 CFU per millilitre

Although the findings raise concerns, they also highlight how little is known about the health effects of heterotrophic bacteria. “These bacteria are mysterious. We just don’t know what they are. It needs to be investigated in detail,” Ms. Azam said.

The term heterotrophic bacteria is broad and can apply to many types of bacteria that get energy from carbon sources. Some of it can be pathogenic, or those that cause infectious disease, such as some types of E. coli.

The researchers said they didn’t find pathogenic bacteria in the bottled water they tested. But they said some types of heterotrophic bacteria could be harmful to the young, elderly or pregnant women.

Olga Naidenko, a senior scientist at Environmental Working Group, a U.S.-based advocacy association, said the risks associated with heterotrophic bacteria don’t appear grave. But their presence serves as important indicators of overall hygiene and quality. High levels of bacteria, such as those found in bottled-water testing, may signal bigger problems, she said.

There is nothing new about collecting rainwater. Storage jars used for water collection some 2000 years ago have been found as far away as Thailand . In more recent times, we need to look closer to home to Spain and their Cisternas. All that has changed is an ever pressing need to help save our most precious resource and as a byproduct, save money. It is possible to save a substantial amount of water by the simple fitting of a rainwater tank or an above/below ground storage tank. This stored water can have a variety of uses from watering of your garden, washing of vehicles or to add to the mains water to your house, this however should be filtered. Rain water is naturally devoid of minerals chlorine, fluoride and other chemicals and is better for plants, trees etc. It is surprising how much water can be collected from a standard roof , patio, driveway or any hard-standing surface around the home. For every inch of water that falls on a surface of 1000 square feet it is possible to collect approximately 600 gallons of water .

It is a simple task to work out the rainfall on average for your area-:

Available rainfall

= Annual rainfall for your area (mm)** x Roof area (m2) x Evaporation Factor* x Filter Loss Factor*

* assumed as 0.9

** example rainfall

E.G.,

Typical 3 bedroom house (4 people), the yield would be;

800** x 120m2 x 0.9*x 0.9* = 77,760 litres

Expected usage

45% of 150 litre per person per day

E.G.,

150 x 4 x 365 x 45% = 98,550 litres

If you calculate 5% of the lower value, then a tank size of 3,888 litres or one that is closest to that figure, would be the most suitable tank size. One of the benefits of a modular system is that additional tanks can be joined to the existing at a later date with ease.

If this water is put to use washing the car, watering the plants, washing the windows and even flushing the toilets , imagine the savings on water rates and the benefits to the environment. There are many methods of rainwater harvesting , barrels fitted to a downspout from a roof come in many shapes and sizes , some practical and some aesthetic. Thought should be given to sturdiness , child friendliness and safety, a cheap system will crack when the frosts come and would be a waste. Also run off of excess should be considered. Underground tanks can store anything from 1000 litres to as much as 10,000. Although a common size would be 2800 litres. A special pump will deliver the water to a hose pipe on demand or to a header tank in the loft. A flotation valve automatically shuts off the pump if the tank is emptied. A soakaway system will remove excess water when full naturally into the water table. Apart from the above benefits there are others , less obvious:

» Eco rating points can be achieved

» Local planners are acting frequently more favourably towards eco-friendly schemes.

» The infinite benefits of washing your car during a hose-pipe ban quite legitimately, and the look on the neighbour’s faces!

Did you know?

German households use rain harvesting systems up to 300 % more than households in Ireland. However the use of these systems have increased by over 300 % in the last two years here.

Your typical rainharvesting system can yield up to 50 % of your water needs, a typical period for payback on a family with a high water demand is three years.

An average 4 bedroom family home roof can capture up to 100,000 litres of water each year, whereas a typical family’s consumption for standard use such as toilet flushing, garden watering , washing etc is 70,000 litres

We at Justwater Company are committed to supplying a first rate service from simple ergonomic water butt fitting and supply to full rain harvesting systems. Our consultations are free and there is no obligation to buy.

Average Water Usage

Do you have plans to buy a rainwater harvesting tank or a rain water harvesting system? If so we would like to assist you in the genuine benefits from collecting the rainwater from your roof. We have been in the business of the supply and fit of rainwater harvesting systems for over two and a half years now so we know the pitfalls and advise against them at the sale stage.

It is a waste of drinking water to use it to wash the car or irrigate the garden, flush the loos etc. A lot of our rain tanks are manufactured in the UK, not imported from Asia with a high carbon footprint. We guard our eco credentials at all stages of our business.

Water butts have been used for many years to water your garden plants, we have simply taken this process a few steps further. A 200 litre, 195 litre water butt or slim line waterbutt will not take a long time to fill with rainwater, however a large garden storage tank like the Graf carat underground system can store up to 6000 litres of rain water. Our specialized filters, siphons, calmed inlet, overflow regulators are sold bespoke to the garden water system or household management system. Balmoral tanks, klargester tanks, Graf carat tanks are just a small percentage of our range and you must remember, we fit all systems so our expertise in quotations for the task is second to none.

We will qualify the need for all of the items below:

» Rainwater harvesting tank

» Rainwater filter

» Rainwater diverter

» Calmed inlet

» Overflow siphon

» Submersible pump

» Rainwater management system

» And all rainwater accessories.

Please look around our site, if you do not see what you need, please give us a call 0n Lo-call 1890 911 511 we are sure to be able to source any product for you. We cannot be beaten on service both before, during or after your rainwater harvesting system installation.

The entire UK supply of Dasani was pulled off the shelves because it has been contaminated with bromate, a cancer-causing chemical.

It goes something like this: take Thames Water from the tap in your factory in Sidcup, Kent; put it through a purification process, call it "pure" and give it a mark-up from 0.03p to 95p per half litre; in the process, add a batch of calcium chloride, containing bromide, for "taste profile"; then pump ozone through it, oxidising the bromide - which is not a problem - into bromate - which is. Finally, dispatch to the shops bottles of water containing up to twice the legal limit for bromate (10 micrograms per litre).

Bromide is a naturally occurring trace chemical that has a sedative effect. It is said to have been added by the British army to soldiers' tea during the WWII to dampen down their lust. But when it is oxidised into bromate it becomes "a pretty nasty carcinogen", according to David Drury, one of the principal inspectors for the DWI.

"I've checked Thames water's supply this morning and it is free of bromate," he said.

The legal limits are set to have a wide margin of safety, and the Food Standards Agency advice yesterday was that while Dasani contained illegal levels of bromate, it did not present an immediate risk to the public.

"Any increased cancer risk is likely to be small. However the levels are higher than legally permitted in the UK and present an unnecessary risk. Some consumers may chose not to drink any Dasani they purchased prior to its withdrawal given the levels of bromate in it," the FSA said.

Coca-Cola said it was voluntarily withdrawing all Dasani "to ensure that only products of the highest quality are provided to our consumers".

Felicity Lawrence, consumer affairs correspondent

The Guardian.

Coca-Cola Admits That Dasani is Nothing But Tap Water

LONDON - It made for great headlines, but the fact that the UK version of Coca-Cola's Dasani brand bottled water comes out of the London public supply should hardly have come as a surprise.

"Coke's in hot water," "Eau dear" and "The real sting" were three good examples of the newspaper headline writer's art, but the only real difference between Dasani and many other bottled waters is that the humble origin of the product is firmly in the spotlight.

Figures from independent beverage research company Canadean show that at least two out of every five bottles of water sold around the world are, like Dasani, "purified" waters, rather than "source" waters which originate from a spring.

Most of the supermarket own-label bottled waters consist of treated mains water. They may be dechlorinated, filtered further, purified using ultraviolet light and have minerals either added or subtracted. They may also be carbonated.

In short, they are subjected to many of the same treatments that source waters undergo to satisfy public health requirements after being pumped up from the ground.

Alongside flagship brands such as Evian, Perrier, and Malvern, most of the big-name water producers market several purified water lines, often in countries where the safety of the public water supply is a concern.

Nestle's Pure Life is one such leading brand and PepsiCo's Aquafina is another, while Danone's Sparkletts and Alhambra marques are top sellers in the United States, where mains water purity is not usually an issue.

You also have mixed source waters, like Nestle's Aquarel, which comes from seven different springs. Such spring water is cheaper to produce and therefore to sell, and has proved a big hit with consumers in Europe and elsewhere.

But generally speaking, anything that doesn't say "source" or "spring" on the label is just fancy tap water.

PURE HYPE?

So why all the brouhaha over Dasani, a fairly typical product in a rapidly expanding market?

The origin of UK Dasani (it's produced all around the world but is always purified rather than source water) came to light when a complaint was made to the British Food Standards Agency over Coke's use of the word "pure" in its Dasani marketing.

The complaint, now being dealt with by the local authorities where Dasani is bottled in Sidcup, east London, hinges on the charge that the marketing implies that tap water is 'impure'.

As a market for bottled water, the UK is relatively immature. Britons consume an average of 28 litres of bottled water per year, compared with about 140 litres for Italy and France.

So the fact that bottlers take water, purify it further and sell it on can hit the headlines, especially if the water producers take a substantial mark-up in the process.

"Coke didn't do itself any favours by not getting the water supplier on side to begin with," one drinks industry insider said of the local supplier Thames Water.

Like Nestle, McDonald's and Cadbury Schweppes, Coke makes a gratifying target for journalists, in that all those companies trade heavily on their brand.

That makes them extremely vulnerable to criticism, as Coke already found to its cost with its failed "New Coke" launch.

YOU'RE NOT JUST BUYING WATER

Coca-Cola's seven million pound marketing drive for Dasani has taken a savage hit, but the success of the brand in countries, such as the United States where it is the number two seller, suggests it isn't about to go away.

In the developing world you usually buy bottled water because it's clean, or because it doesn't taste of chlorine. In the west, it's a "lifestyle choice".

Most consumers in developed countries would accept that the water that comes out of their taps is clean enough and quite serviceable for cooking, washing or even drinking.

But just as a pair of supermarket own-brand running shoes will do the job, Nike, Reebok and Adidas can all charge top dollar for the kudos, the street cred, the style statement they make.

This is the essence of brand equity, and it's why consumers are happy to pay over the odds for Welsh TyNant water in Cyprus, or French Evian in the Peruvian Andes. It's also why the "water sommelier" has become a feature of upmarket U.S. restaurants.

"Branding does matter, even for a mundane product like water," Frits van Dijk, chief executive of Nestle Waters, said last year.

"We produce value-added waters. Marketing and R&D all have to be financed somehow and that's why you'll never see Nestle in the very low price market. It's not our territory."

Written by Trevor Datson,

The only accessory that seems more pervasive in today’s world than a cell phone is the plastic water bottle. Everyone seems to carrying one around. Health concerns have been raised about radiation from mobile devices, and similarly, plastic bottles are now coming under scrutiny. Brushing aside questions about the chemicals in those bottles, federal health authorities recently declared the bottles safe. However, it seems like a national policy change is in the making, although regulators have, for now, stopped short of an outright ban.

The Food and Drug Administration has reversed its position on the safety of Bisphenol A, a chemical found in plastic bottles, soda cans, food containers and thousands of consumer goods, saying it now has concerns about health risks.

Growing scientific evidence has linked the chemical to a host of problems, including cancer, sexual dysfunction and heart disease. Federal officials said they are particularly concerned about BPA’s effect on the development of fetuses, infants and young children.

“We have some concern, which leads us to recommend reasonable steps the public can take to reduce exposure to BPA,” said…FDA’s deputy commissioner…

The FDA is conducting more BPA testing before it makes a further determination about whether to pull it off the market. More than 90 percent of the U.S. population apparently has traces of BPA in its urine according to the Centers for Disease Control. BPA (which is used to harden plastics) is said to leach from containers into food and beverages, even at cold temperatures.

Justwater company provide a range of Eco Bottles all of which are BPA Free.

Leeds University is the first in the UK to ban the sale of bottled water on campus. Will other universities follow suit? Sophie Haydock reports.

The decision, interestingly, that has generated a great deal of controversy was the most overwhelmingly unanimous: should Leeds University Union (LUU) ban the sale of still bottled water?

The answer, of course, was, 'Yes!' Bottled water had long been LUU's top-selling product, but now a record number of students were voting to clear the shelves of the stuff.

They demanded instead that the Union make it possible for them to access water for free. In doing so, LUU was forced to make a £32,000 sacrifice - money that had helped pay for the smooth running of the not-for-profit organisation.

Corporate hostility

The ban sparked a fierce debate. Some people applauded what they saw as a positive decision, putting sustainability before profit. Others were anxious that 'freedom of choice' had ultimately been compromised.

Bottled water companies were certainly threatened by the decision. The Natural Hydration Council, founded in 2008 to defend the interests of leading names in the UK bottled water industry - Danone, Nestlé and Highland Spring, said:

'It seems a shame for a university Union, whose principles are founded on the right to choose, to take away student choice by removing bottled water from the Union.'

Reusable bottles

The ban at LUU is set to come into force in March 2010. But, the Union is already ahead of itself; within months, they had installed two free water coolers in convenient places in the Union building - and reusable water bottles are flying off the shelves.

Students at Leeds are, finally, turning their backs on something they can get for free out of a tap. 'It's great,' says third-year student, Guy Mitchell, 21. 'This vote shows that we're taking a stand against the big issues affecting the world today - climate change and scarce water resources. Hopefully other Unions will follow suit.'

Other universities

Despite rumblings of interest, no other university Unions in the UK are making serious moves to ban the bottle. Two of the most prominent arguments against it are; 1) that a Union can't afford to lose the revenue generated by bottled water, and 2) in echoes of the Milton Friedman school of free market democracy, removing a product negates a student's most treasured right - 'freedom of choice'.

But banning bottled water makes a lot of sense. For a start, it's better for the environment. In their decision to stop selling bottled water, LUU will not sell the 180,698 bottles of still water that it sold in the academic year 2007/8.

As a direct consequence, there will be 146,365 fewer plastic bottles in landfill sites (based on the British Plastics Federation's estimate that 81% of plastic is not recycled).

There will be 632,443 litres of water saved (based on Pacific Institute's estimate that it takes three litres of water to produce one litre of bottled water). And 22,587 litres of oil won't be used to make new plastic bottles (based on Pacific's Institute's estimate that for every bottle of water produced, enough oil is used to fill a quarter of the bottle).

These are significant savings for a world threatened by the impact of excessive and needless production.

And it's better for the student body, who, whilst battling against ever inflating course fees, are now able to get an essential natural resource for free. Some students, however, feel this removes their right to choose whether or not to hand over cash for a chilled bottle of Evian from within their Union building.

Freedom of choice

One student, for example, faced with the prospect of a bottled water ban at Reading University Union, wrote on a social networking site: 'It seems [...] overly zealous to arbitrarily ban the selling of bottled water to Union members in their shop.'

And another: 'By removing bottled water you will be (in essence) removing our freedom to choose to what we please.' But in fact, students are now presented with even greater choice. Providing water receptacles and free chilled water in convenient locations - alongside the option to buy bottled water elsewhere - is far more of a choice than that between one water company or another.

Reusable bottles hadn't been on sale before at LUU. Now, the main Union shop, Essentials, stocks high-quality, low-cost plastic bottles made in the UK; the cheapest costs £1.50 (500ml), and £1.75 (750ml). Initially, 200 reusable bottles were ordered.

The retail manager, Kevin Hogarth, expected to sell around 50 a week. Within three days, every single bottle had been sold. Hogarth ordered an additional 2,000 bottles, which also sold out within weeks. At this point, bottled water was still available to purchase.

LUU is one of the largest student Unions in the country, with over 30,000 students - and all of them were presented with the democratic option of voting. More than 4,000 voted on the bottled water motion - that's 13 per cent of the student body. It may seem that the minority has decided for the majority, but every student was given the option to vote and, in terms of student democracy, it was the largest and most unanimous vote ever cast.

Revenue loss

It doesn't have to be a bad financial decision for the student Unions. Of course, banning the sale of a product reduces sales. In the case of bottled water at LUU, the loss was dramatic. During the academic year 2007/08, LUU sold 180,698 bottles of still water - it was the top-selling product. Without those sales, the Union forfeits an annual sum of £32,940.

But Kevin Hogarth is confident he will be able to offset the loss of bottled water revenue. Selling a wide range of reusable water bottles, for example, has proved very successful. Alongside cheaper bottles, is the Hydropal, with an inbuilt filtration system, costing £7.99. The filters need to be replaced every six months, so the bottle will cost you around £12 in the first year, which is the equivalent to, perhaps, 12 bottles of still water.

Hogarth is also finding other ways to encourage sales, including offering a better price on sparkling water, which was, until recently, priced higher than still. And where still water was a popular choice with Meal Deals, students are simply swapping their choice to other healthy options, so money isn't necessarily going elsewhere.

It's anticipated LUU will sell 10,000 reusable bottles in the coming year, generating around £6,000 profit. That amount represents one-fifth of the sales once generated by bottled water. Hogarth says other Unions shouldn't 'have a head in the sand' approach.

He acknowledges that students need to hydrate, but thinks being able to get still water for free is a smart decision. He may have felt intimidated when the news came in that the shop's top-selling product was going to be cleared from the shelves. But he never doubted he'd be able to make some smart decisions to recoup the lost revenue.

Commercially, it forces businesses like his to be creative. 'We have to engage more with students, listen to them and introduce alternative products to generate the income.'

The ban at Leeds University Union proves bottled water is a thing of the past. It paints a vivid picture of success and exposes the weaknesses in the arguments against banning bottled water. It's a decision that demands to be emulated - so don't bottle it.

SORTING THROUGH THE SOLUTIONS

Now that we have established the need for something to guarantee our water quality, what are the alternatives? There are so many water systems being sold that it seems confusing. Let's identify the various processes which are available to us and see what each one's strengths and weaknesses are.

CENTRALIZED WATER TREATMENT

Building hi-tech water treatment plants to remove impurities aren't the solution: Only 2% of water supplied to our homes is used for human consumption. A large percentage of our population has small rural or private well supplies for water. These would not be benefited by large municipal treatment centers. It isn't logical to build costly plants to treat the water we use for our lawns, to flush our toilets, and to fight fires. It's evident that it isn't practical to upgrade our treatment plants to treat all the water they process. Even if the plants were upgraded, the water has to be piped to our homes. It has the opportunity to pick up materials from the pipes before coming out of the tap.

BOILING WATER

Boiling reduces the threat of living organisms. It serves as a method for killing bacteria during emergencies, it is not recommended for long term use. Very little is removed by boiling. You may kill germs, but you still have dirt, sediment, dissolved solids, bad taste, and odor remaining -- there may also be many chemical contaminants.

BOTTLED WATER

Is the solution for safe drinking water provided by paying $.80 to $2.00 per gallon to drink water prepared and bottled by someone else? This cost ineffective price reflects the costs of bottling, storage, trucking, fuel expenses, wages, insurances, etc. If you have a point of use water system, you eliminate all of these middleman costs, and enjoy purified water for pennies per gallon.

POINT OF USE WATER TREATMENT

The most efficient and cost effective approach to the problem of water purity is to treat JUST the water you will consume for drinking and cooking WHERE you will consume it. Devices for point of use water treatment are available in a wide variety of sizes, designs, and have varied claims as to their ability to remove impurities.

MECHANICAL FILTRATION

One of the most widely used water quality improvement methods is mechanical filtration which acts much like a fine strainer. Particles of suspended dirt, sand, rust and scale (i.e. turbidity) are trapped and retained, greatly improving the clarity and appeal of water. When enough of this particulate matter has accumulated on or within the filter element, it is usually discarded. This type of filter is usually considered a pre-filter.

ULTRAVIOLET DISINFECTION

Ultraviolet light, at the germicidal wavelength of 253.7 nanometers, alters the genetic (DNA) material in cells so that bacteria, viruses, molds, algae and other microorganisms can no longer reproduce. The microorganisms are considered dead, and the risk of disease from them is eliminated.

As the water flows past the UV lamps in UV disinfection systems, the microorganisms are exposed to a lethal dose of UV energy. UV dose is measured as the product of UV light intensity times the exposure time within the UV lamp array. Microbiologists have determined the effective dose of UV energy (expressed in microwatt- seconds/cm2) needed to destroy pathogens as well as indicator organisms found in wastewater.

Used properly, ultraviolet light effectively destroys bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms in water and wastewater, without using chemicals. By doing away with chemical treatment, many other problems are also eliminated. There is no longer any need to worry about operator safety or the requirement for buildings for storage and handling of dangerous solutions and gases. Costly liability insurance premiums are significantly reduced. Testing of effluent for chlorine residual is no longer necessary, and toxicity problems associated with chlorine use are eliminated.

ULTRAFILTRATION/REVERSE OSMOSIS

Osmosis occurs in living organisms in which there is a piece of tissue or a membrane with fluids on either side of it. Fluids having a lesser concentration will be drawn through the tissue/membrane to mix with fluids having a greater concentration. This is to equalize the concentration of substances in the fluids on both sides of the tissue/membrane. This can be illustrated if you cut open an avocado, and salt the surface of one half. In a short time, you will notice water has been drawn out of the avocado to try to equalize the concentration of salt placed on the surface of the avocado. Osmosis occurs when there are two fluids of differing concentration separated by a semi-permeable membrane. The fluid will pass through the membrane in the direction of the most concentrated solution. Osmosis is the process through which oxygen will go from our lungs into the blood stream, and water and nutrients will penetrate the root structure of a tree enabling it to grow. When we quench our thirst with water, a quantity is placed in our stomach. This water will be diffused into our system to replenish what is lost as the life processes proceed.

In the natural world surrounding us, and inside of us, there is a vast network of biological membranes. These screening barriers govern the selection and passage of chemicals and fluids. In essence, these membranes control the traffic of the life processes themselves.

Membranes help organisms carry out an immense variety of exchanges with their environment. The gills of a fish obtain oxygen from water. Our lungs extract oxygen from the air and place it in our blood stream. In plants, the cell walls allow photosynthesis to take place by providing the medium for the transfer of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Our blood is simply recycled and renewed by many seeming miraculous processes.

One integral function is that of the kidneys. As the blood enters the kidney, it flows in small arteries in close contact with tiny excretory units of the kidney known as nephrons. From the blood, water is extracted along with wastes to become an essential component of urine. Water can remain in the nephron to become reabsorbed back into the blood stream if not enough water is consumed to be excreted freely. Without our kidneys, we would not be able to survive. The first artificial kidney was built from a cellophane membrane in 1944. In the early 1950's, Drs. Sidney Loeb and S. Sourirajan from UCLA Medical School developed the first synthetic membrane made from cellulose acetates. This had commercial Reverse Osmosis capabilities.

Reverse Osmosis is exactly the opposite of Osmosis. In Reverse Osmosis (RO), water having a lesser concentration of substances is derived from water having a higher concentration of substances. Tapwater with dissolved solids and other materials in it is forced by the water pressure inherent in our water pipes against a membrane. The water is removed from this concentration of materials by penetrating the RO membrane, and leaving the materials behind -- this can be up to a 99% removal of dissolved solids.

The RO membrane is an ultimate mechanical filter, or ultra filter. It strains out virtually all particulate material, turbidity, bacteria, microorganisms (on potable water only), asbestos, even single molecules of the heavier organics. To appreciate the fineness of this membrane or ultrafilter, its pore size would be two one hundred millionths of an inch in diameter. That's smaller than what can be seen by an optical microscope! By the remarkable phenomenon of RO, particles smaller than water molecules themselves are removed! The molecules diffuse through the membrane in a purified state, and collect on the opposite side. Ultrafiltration/RO membranes remove and reject such a wide spectrum of impurities from water using VERY MINIMAL ENERGY -- just water pressure. RO gives the best water available for the lowest price expended.

REVERSE OSMOSIS EFFECTIVELY REDUCES THE FOLLOWING:

1. Particulate matter, turbidity, sediment, etc.

2. Colloidal matter.

3. Total dissolved solids (up to 99%).

4. Toxic metals.

5. Radium 226/228

6. Microorganisms (potable water only)

7. Asbestos.

8. Pesticides and herbicides (coupled with AC).

REVERSE OSMOSIS AND ACTIVATED CARBON ADSORPTION

Ultrafiltration/RO alone will not remove all of the lighter, low molecular weight volatile organics such as THM's, TCE, vinyl chloride, carbon tetrachloride, etc. They are too small to be removed by the straining action of the RO membrane. Their chemical structure is such that they aren't repelled by the membrane surface. Since these are some of the most toxic of the contaminants found in tap water, it is very important that a well designed carbon filter be used in conjunction with the membrane. In some applications, AC is used before the membrane. In ALL applications with quality RO systems, there is AC after the membrane. This means that post AC filters don't have to contend with bacteria and all of the other materials which cause fouling and impair performance if AC follows a well maintained membrane.

Not all RO systems are created equally. That is why you'll see such a variation in price. The engineering and experience behind the RO design is crucial to it's overall performance and dependability. NOTE: The typical time required to purify one gallon of RO water is three to four hours. RO uses water to purify water. This is what's known as the rate of recovery. Superior RO's use three gallons of brine (waste water) to make one gallon of purified water, and have an automatic shut-off. Some systems have used up to twenty gallons of brine to purify one gallon of product water. Brine is necessary to remove excess accumulated materials from the RO membrane. These materials have been rejected from the purified water, and if left in the system impair efficiency. Our bodies also have a waste water elimination system through the kidneys. If we can't purge our bodies of these waste materials, WE DIE. Many owners of RO systems direct brine outside and use it in an additional drip line for their gardens, etc. The cost of water energy for a fine RO system will amount to about $1.33 per month if one pays for their water at the rate of $1.00 per 100 cubic feet!

ACTIVATED CARBON ADSORPTION

Carbon adsorption is probably the most widely sold method for home water treatment. This is because of its ability to improve water by removing many disagreeable tastes and odors including objectionable chlorine. Activated carbon (AC) is processed carbon. In this form it will remove far more contamination from water than will nonactivated carbon. AC is made from a variety of carbon based materials such as coal, petroleum, nut shells, and fruit pits. These are heated to high temperatures with steam in the absence of oxygen (the activation process) leaving millions of microscopic pores and great surface area. One pound of activated carbon provides from 60 to 150 acres of surface area. The pores trap microscopic particles and large organic molecules while the activated surface areas cling on to or adsorb the smaller organic molecules While AC theoretically has the ability to remove or reduce numerous organic chemicals like pesticides, THM's, TCE, PCB, etc., its actual effectiveness is highly DEPENDENT on the following factors:

1. The type of carbon and the amount used.

2. The design of the filter and how SLOWLY water flows through it (Contact Time).

3. How long the carbon has been in service and how many gallons it has treated.

4. The kinds of impurities it has removed.

5. The water conditions (e.g. turbidity, temperature, etc.)

One problem with carbon filters is the growth of bacteria. At first, when the carbon is fresh, practically all organic impurities and even some bacteria are removed. Once organic impurities accumulate they can become food for the growth of more bacteria. These can then multiply within the filter to great numbers. While this bacteria may not be disease causing, their high concentration is considered by some to present a health hazard. It is often advised that after periods of non-use (such as overnight) a decent quantity of water be flushed through the carbon filter to minimize the accumulation of bacteria.

OLIGODYNAMIC, SILVER IMPREGNATED OR BACTERIOSTATIC CARBON

A manufacturer who adds (impregnates) silver compounds to the surface of the carbon granules is trying to inhibit bacteria growth within the carbon bed. However, EPA sponsored testing of such filters have shown that they are "neither effective nor dependable in meeting these claims" [EPA Report #EPA/600D-86/232 October l986]. Some manufacturers have also made misleading claims that their silver impregnated filters will eliminate bacterial contamination from virtually any water source. The low concentration of silver found in these filters is not capable of destroying influent waterborne bacteria or providing protection from contaminated water under normal flow conditions. Pyrogens can induce fever (from dead bacteria). Bacteria destroyed in silver impregnated carbon can still end up in your drinking water. Because silver is also toxic to humans, such filters are regulated by the EPA under the Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act and must be registered and issued a registration number. This registration doesn't imply any EPA approval of the unit or of its effectiveness. It does certify that the carbon will not release more than 50 parts per billion of silver - the maximum safe level.

CHEMICAL RECONTAMINATION OF CARBON FILTERS

Another problem with carbon filters is chemical recontamination which can occur when the carbon surface has become saturated with the sum total of impurities it has adsorbed -- a point that is impossible to predict. If the use of the carbon is continued, the trapped organics can release from the surface and recontaminate the water with more impurities than those contained in the raw tap water. To get the most out of carbon, it should be kept scrupulously clean of sediment and heavy organic impurities such as the by-products of decayed vegetable matter and microorganisms. These impurities prematurely use up the carbon's capacity, preventing it from doing what it does best - adsorbing light weight toxic organic impurities like THM's and TCE, and undesirable gases such as chlorine.

SOLID BLOCK CARBON

This is obtained when very fine pulverized carbon is compressed and fused together with a binding media (such as a polyethylene plastic) into a solid block. The intricate maze developed within the block insures contact with organic impurities and therefore more effective removal. The problem of channeling (open paths developing because of the buildup of impurities, and rapid water movement under pressure) in a loose bed of granulated carbon granules is eliminated by solid block filters. Block filters can also be fabricated to have such a fine porous structure that they are capable of mechanically filtering out coliform and other associated disease bacteria. Solid block filters with this feature will require replacement more regularly. Among the disadvantages of compressed carbon filters is the reduced capacity due to the inert binding agent and their tendency to plug up quickly with particulate matter. They are also substantially more expensive than conventional carbon filters.

LIMITATIONS OF CARBON FILTERS

A properly designed carbon filter has shown itself capable of removing many toxic organic contaminants, but they fall short of being an overall water treatment system for providing protection from the wide spectrum of impurities which have been referred to in this paper.

1. They are not capable of removing any of the excess Total Dissolved Solids.

2. Only a few solid block or carbon matrix systems have been certified for the removal of lead, asbestos, VOC's, cysts, fecal coliform, and other disease bacteria. Large SUSPENDED materials will be removed by some filters. Small DISSOLVED materials can't be removed by carbon filtration.

3. They have no effect on harmful nitrates, or high sodium and fluoride levels.

4. For any carbon filter to be effective (even for organic removal), water must pass through the carbon (whether it be granular or compressed) slowly enough to insure that complete contact is made between the carbon and the impurities.

THIS ALL IMPORTANT FACTOR IS REFERRED TO IN THE INDUSTRY AS CONTACT TIME. At useful flow rates of 0.5 - 1 gallon per minute, the flow rate is determined by the amount of carbon, and leading manufacturers use the right amount of carbon. One must read carefully the claims which are made by carbon filter companies. Make sure there is a Data sheet to back up their claims. Many companies have certified their water systems with National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). NSF Standard Protocols are being used by certain states such as California as the model for all systems to be evaluated against. The NSF circle on a product specification sheet demonstrates to the consumer that the product has been tested and verified by NSF and has their certification. Before we leave AC filters, there is another area to be addressed - minerals in drinking water.

Purveyors of AC filter systems usually bring up the point that "We need minerals in water - these are essential for good health." The only problem with this statement is that there have NEVER BEEN any scientific studies conducted to once and for all PROVE that minerals in water are essential for good health. Frankly, it isn't a priority in the scientific community to spend the vast amounts of money necessary to conduct the investigation needed to arrive at the conclusion of this issue. Therefore, the value of minerals in drinking water remains a moot point -- no one really knows for sure. Everybody may have an opinion regarding this matter -- but the fact is that nobody knows for sure. One making a dogmatic statement that "minerals in drinking water are bad, or minerals in drinking water are good " really is showing his/her ignorance of the issues involved. The reason filter dealers bring up this point is because their product will not remove dissolved solids. To keep all of the dissolved minerals, requires that one keep all of the total dissolved solids, hardness, and some heavy metals.

CARBON FILTERS IN SUMMARY

AC filters are an important piece of the purification process, although a piece of the puzzle doesn't make a completed puzzle. AC removes chemicals and gasses. This makes AC an integral part of legitimate water purification systems. AC won't remove total dissolved solids, or hardness.

DISTILLATION

Distillation is the process of heating water to steam and recondensing it back to water by cooling it. Distillation mimics the hydrologic cycle of nature (the sun causes evaporation over the earth's bodies of water and condensation/precipitation occurs over the land masses). Distillation will remove impurities such as sediment, dissolved solids, nitrates, sodium, toxic metals, and microorganisms. These are basically left behind as the water turns to steam. Some toxic organic chemicals will vaporize with the steam and be carried over into the distillate with the water. To solve this problem, an activated carbon filter should be incorporated into the distiller either before or after the boiling chamber. As we saw, AC will remove these toxic organics. Sophisticated fractional distillers will remove these organics by heating water in fractions until the boiling point is reached. The organics are vented out at each step of the heating process. Even with the problem of organics addressed, there are still disadvantages with distillers:

1. Distillers are time consuming to maintain and clean. The impurities and total dissolved solids are left behind in the boiling chamber. A hard scale builds up on the heating element and in the boiling chamber which must be removed. If this scale is left in the system, the efficiency will be impaired and eventually diminish.

2. The product water should be cooled quickly as its elevated temperature encourages the regrowth of airborne bacteria. This is a problem of convenience.

3. The process of rapid distillation will drive away free oxygen dissolved in the water. Many scientists and doctors refer to distilled water as dead water. The absence of free oxygen will also give the water a flat taste.

4. Distilled water costs a lot to produce because of the energy required to vaporize all drinking and cooking water (an exception to this is a solar distiller). Every rate increase from the utility company makes distilled water even more expensive.

DEIONIZATION

The process of deionization (DI) is worth discussing even though it isn't a very practical water treatment method for household use. It has appeared in several home water treatment devices however. DI is a chemical process that utilizes minute plastic beads called resins. As untreated water flows over these treated resins, the ions of total dissolved solids are leached from the water. When the resin beads become saturated they must be removed, and regenerated with acid or caustic chemicals. DI removes ONLY charged particles (total dissolved solids). DI is not capable of removing dirt, rust, sediment, pesticides, organic toxins, asbestos, bacteria, virus at all. It is therefore used in conjunction with other water treatment methods. The resins also will provide an environment that encourages bacteria growth. Water softeners work by the principle of ion exchange as well. The resin beads in a water softener will give two ions of sodium for an ion of calcium or magnesium. With the removal of the calcium and magnesium ions, the water is no longer hard.

YOU CAN GUARANTEE THE QUALITY OF YOUR DRINKING WATER

You can see from the material presented here, that there is much to be aware of regarding the purchase of a purification system. All we must do is to decide how comprehensive we want our water treatment system to be. A system which combines more of the technologies will give you better product water than a system which incorporates just one. Choose the technologies which you can live with for a long time. You might have to purchase another water treatment device if you don't acquire one as sophisticated as you'll eventually need.

Despite the many problems hard water can cause - like clogged pipes, soap residue on bathroom fixtures, premature water heater failure and water heater inefficiency - many people still use hard water in their homes. Why? Probably because of misconceptions and myths perpetuated about soft water.

Myth 1: You can’t drink soft water.

Although many people believe soft water should not be consumed because of its sodium content, most do not realize how little sodium is in soft water. The average amount of sodium in soft water is 75 to 100mg per quart as opposed to 140mg in a quart of cola or 480mg in a quart of milk or 120 mg in a slice of white bread. However, if the small amount of sodium is a concern, potassium chloride can be used to regenerate the water softener, or a Reverse Osmosis drinking water system can be installed to give you sodium free drinking water.

Myth 2: Soft water doesn’t rinse the soap off or, showering in soft water makes my skin feel "slippery".

Your first showers in soft water may give you the sensation that soap and shampoo haven’t been rinsed away. However, the "slippery" feeling is actually your skin and hair rinsing thoroughly clean. By washing with soft water, skin and hair retain natural softening and moisturizing agents, feeling softer and smoother. With hard water, skin pores clog with soap residue leaving skin dry and hair dull. So much for "squeaky" clean.

Myth 3: Water softeners waste salt and water.

With the use of new technology such as upflow brining and metered electronic demand, today’s water softeners are much more efficient than those of yesteryear. It’s not uncommon for a good quality demand type softener to use less than 2 lbs. of salt and less than 20 gallons of water per regeneration. If sized properly, a water softener will only regenerate 1 or 2 times per week. This translates to an average salt usage of 100 to 200 lbs per year. When shopping for a water softener, be sure to check the specifications for efficiency.

Myth 4: Water softeners are too expensive to operate.

Actually, a water softener is the only household appliance that can save you money by using it. Using soft water can reduce water heating bills up to 29%. Soft water also requires 50% to 75% less detergent to do laundry and dishes, not to mention the hours of housework saved by eliminating mineral deposits and soap scum on your fixtures. The average savings are $10 - $15 a month per person.

Myth 5: The discharge from a water softeners regeneration will damage my septic system or drain field.

In studies conducted by scientists in the late 1970’s at the University of Wisconsin, it was confirmed that salt-brine discharge from water softeners caused no problems in the operation of a typical anaerobic or newer style aerobic home treatment plants. It was also determined that water softener regeneration waste did not interfere with drainfield soil percolation but actually could, under some circumstances improve soil percolation particularly in fine-textured soil. The important and beneficial difference is that septic tank effluents containing water softener effluents have significant amounts of calcium and magnesium, which counteract the effect of sodium and help maintain and sustain soil permeability. The studies concluded that it is better to discharge water softener waste to septic systems than to separate dry wells or ditches. For more information visit www.wqa.org

Myth 6: I heard I can buy a magnetic or electronic device to soften my water for less money.

Don’t be fooled! While many of the devices do exist, they are referred to as "descalers" in the water treatment industry, not softeners. They may be effective in certain applications as descalers, but they do not remove the hardness from the water. Therefore, all the benefits of softened water are forfeited. These items are generally sold with testimonials and 90 day money back guarantees, but there is no scientific evidence of their claims. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

WATER QUALITY: MOST HOUSEHOLDS in Ireland have been supplied with contaminated drinking water that violates EU standards, according to a paper in the ESRI’s latest quarterly review.

Describing the situation as alarming, it says: “The water we drink should be safe. The cryptosporidiosis outbreak in Galway in 2007 reminded us that it sometimes is not. But bad water quality does not only cause acute health problems. It also causes chronic ailments, including cancer.”

Breaches range from over 10 per cent in the case of enterococci bacteria to 35 per cent for nitrate, manganese and chloride, to 45 per cent and more for E.coli, aluminium and coliform bacteria and to nearly 70 per cent for fluoride and arsenic.

The paper, compiled by Nicola Commins, Seán Lyons and Richard Tol, says drinking water in 2007 failed to meet at least one of the EU standards in numbers ranging from 52 per cent in rural north Cork to 100 per cent in densely populated urban areas.

“In 2007, 35 of the 48 standards were breached by at least one sample of Irish drinking water. In most cases, only a small number of people are affected. However, more than 5 per cent of people had their drinking water polluted with manganese, iron, lead or aluminium.

“The share of people suffering from biological contamination (enterococci, colony, E.coli, clostridium, coliform) is even larger”, the authors say. “At first sight, these results are alarming. There are substances in Irish drinking water that make people ill.”

However, it was also possible to conclude from the data that monitoring of drinking water quality by the local authorities, overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “is working. Problems are identified. But are they also solved?”

The paper continues: “In 2007, water quality was not much better than in 2006. In 2006, 88 per cent of people had something wrong with their water and in 2007 this was 85 per cent.

“Many sources that reported a problem in 2006 continued to report the same problem in 2007.

“While some of the problems were adequately dealt with, many other cases of biological and chemical contamination linger,” it notes, querying how this could continue when the EU has stipulated that drinking water quality be monitored and reported on every year.

The authors suggest that the issue “has not captured the public imagination [and] deserves much greater attention from the general public and from policymakers”, with the EPA using its new powers to enforce action by the local authorities to improve water quality.

But they also say that maintaining water quality “requires particular skills and expertise as well as resources” and it was “questionable whether the existing system, with the local authorities at the centre, is equipped to guarantee drinking water quality”. Many counties were too small to hire a full-time expert. “A sorry illustration is the high concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs). These carcinogenic substances are byproducts of the improper chemical treatment of biological contamination,” the paper says.

“These problems can be addressed: for example, county councils could outsource the operation of drinking water facilities to specialised companies or responsibility for water services could be transferred to a single national authority.”

1.Water filters provide better tasting and better smelling drinking water by removing chlorine and bacterial contaminants.

2.Point-of-use water filters remove lead from drinking water immediately prior to consumption, thus preventing this harmful substance from entering the body.

3.The purchase of a water filter results in a source of clean, healthy water that costs much less than bottled water.

4.Water filters greatly reduce the risk of rectal cancer, colon cancer, and bladder cancer by removing chlorine and chlorine byproducts from drinking water.

5.A simple solid block carbon water filter can selectively remove dangerous contaminants from drinking water.

6.Drinking clean, filtered water protects the body from disease and leads to overall greater health.

7.A water filter provides clean, healthy water for cooking, as well as drinking, at the convenience of tap water.

8.Water filters reduce the risk of gastrointestinal disease by more than 33 percent by removing cryptosporidium and giardia from drinking water.

9.Drinking pure water is especially important for children. Water filters provide the healthiest water for children’s developing immune systems.

10.Water filters offer the last line of defense between the body and the over 2100 known toxins that may be present in drinking water.

10 Benefits of Using a Shower Filter

1.Using a shower filter is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce harmful exposure to chlorine and other chemicals.

2.Showering in filtered water results in greater respiratory health by reducing the risk of asthma and bronchitis from chlorine inhalation.

3.Showering in chlorine-free, filtered water decreases the risks of cancer.

4.Children, who are particularly at risk of the harmful effects of chlorine inhalation, benefit especially from the removal of chlorine from showering water.

5.As chlorine is a leading cause of fatigue, showering in filtered, chlorine-free water results in higher energy levels and overall greater health.

6.Removing chlorine from showering water results in better air quality throughout the house.

7.Without the drying effects of chlorine, skin becomes softer, healthier, and younger looking.

8.Removing chlorine from showering water reduces the presence of skin rashes and the appearance of wrinkles.

9.Because the hair is able to preserve its natural moisturizing oils, it becomes softer and healthier when chlorine is removed from showering water.

10.When the body is able to retain its natural moisturizers, the need for costly lotions and moisturizers is greatly reduced.

Of course it is not reasonable to expect that water occurring in its natural form will be immediately suitable for all uses. You would not expect to be able to drink water straight from every river you happen across. At the same time, this water is not necessarily polluted. However, if, as a result of human activity and even after treatment, this water was still unsuitable for some use (such as drinking), then it would be considered polluted.

Pollution occurs on a regular basis worldwide, but many changes have been made in the last century to address this global environmental issue. Incidences of water pollution can be caused by accidental or deliberate discharge of pollutants. Examples of some sources of pollutants are sewage plants, creameries, food production waste products, silage making and manure spreading. Severe Weather conditions like we have been having can also cause major water pollution problems below is an example of recent problems in Ireland.

Cryptosporidium in Galway

In March 2007, parts of Co.Galway experienced first hand how water pollution can affect everyday life and people's health. An outbreak of Cryptosporidium, a parasitic organism, occured in Headford, Moycullen and Galway City through contaminated tap water. This parasite multiplies in the gastrointestinal tract of mammals and then is excreted in very large numbers. In this case a spate of stomach illness featuring pains and diarrhoea alerted authorities to the problem.

Lough Corrib was found to be contaminated with the parasitic organism. The main culprit was a water filtration plant in Terryland that uses the water from the lough and supplies 30% of the county's water. Some 90,000 people in Galway were forced to boil or buy water because of the dangers ingesting the contaminated supply and approximately 180 people became ill as a result of the outbreak. These 'boil notices' remained in place for weeks after the event occured to ensure the safety of public health.

The outbreak was eventually rectified by upgrading existing water treatment and filtration systems and also by importing water from the nearby Luimnagh plant at Tuam. This plant has modern facilities which provide for Cryptosporidium eradication and filtration. However, in early 2008 another outbreak occured though this time on a minor scale with no health impacts. The organism was identified early enough in the treatment process to warn the public.

Boil Notices

After the severe flooding throughout the country in late 2008, other water supply contamination scares occured in Gort, Co.Galway, Carrickmacross, Co.Monaghan, Sligo Town and Co.Limerick.

In the incident in Galway the Health Service Executive (HSE) discovered a bacteria in the Gort water supply after a routine inspection, while E.Coli was found in the Monaghan supply. The heavy downpours in August were blamed for bringing contaminants into the local water supplies and some of these areas were issued with 'boil notices' - where householders must boil all water before use - to prevent any adverse health effects occurring.

At Justwater we use state of the art technology to make your water pure and clean so that you have an unlimited supply of fresh tasty water. No more boiling water, or buying expensive poor quality bottled water, with our filtration systems you can enjoy an endless supply of quality water for drinking and cooking.

Pollution Causes in Ireland

Urban and Rural Water Pollution

Pollution can be caused by many different things in many different areas. In cities, outflows from sewage treatment and industrial plants are main causes of pollution. Also run-off from roads can wash oil pollution into nearby watercourses. The expanse of concrete infrastructure prevents rainwater, snow, etc. from soaking into the ground. In rural areas, much of the pollution originates from animal wastes and commercial fertilizers. To a lesser extent, groundwater contamination also occurs in this sector as a result of inadequate percolation at septic tanks and from leaching of water soluble plant nutrients from the soil.

Groundwater Pollution

Dublin City

The River Liffey, because of its position at the heart of the city and beyond, is susceptible to pollution from leaking sewers and many industrial pollutants.

Groundwater is the water that trickles through the soil and into underlying rocks during the Water Cycle. Once in the bedrock the water moves slowly through and is stored in the pores or cracks in the rock. If enough water is stored in this way in a bedrock deposit, it is referred to as an aquifer. Groundwater seeps up and emerges at ground level by coming out at springs or by flowing into rivers. It can also be pumped up from the aquifers. Approximately 26% of Ireland's drinking water supply is provided by groundwater or springs if you take into account both public and private supplies. Groundwater is not usually subjected to any treatment and groundwater monitoring networks are in place to check if levels of purity are in line with drinking water standards.

The Environmental Proctection Agency has a Groundwater Monitoring Programme to monitor groundwater quality using a selection of public and private wells and springs countrywide. Particular consideration has been given to the concentration levels of certain pollution indicators such as ammonium, nitrate, phosphate and faecal coliforms (a bacteria found in faeces). The data collected covered a period from 1995 to 2006 and the findings indicated that the concentration levels of certain indicators such as ntitrate and phosphate increased slightly over the period - nitrates particularly in the east and phosphates more so in the west. Microbiological contamination has also been detected, especially at spring locations. For further information see te EPA's 2008 State of the Environment Report.

Eutrophication

This type of algae bloom destroys entire ecosytems by depriving the other plant and animal life of oxygen and changes the colour of the water it invades.

Eutrophication is the increase in chemical nutrients in an ecosystem which results in excessive plant growth and decay. Nutrients are, of course, a requirement in order for aquatic plants and animals to grow, but unnaturally high levels of nutrients cause excessive growth. The water becomes cloudy, changing colour to a shade of green, yellow, brown, or red. When the plants die, they are decomposed by micro-organisms including bacteria which consume oxygen dissolved in the water in the process. An increase in the number of plants and corresponding plant decay leads to a sharp decline in oxygen levels. Certain fish such as salmon and trout need high levels of oxygen in the water to survive and so a substantial number of fish kills are caused by eutrophication.

This process can cause severe reductions in water quality and damage to fish and other animal populations. In most cases, the primary cause of eutrophication is phosphorous, with nitrates as the secondary cause.The impact of nitrates is increasing however, particularly in marine waters.

In Ireland, approximately 15% of our lakes are significantly affected by eutrophication. Almost 19% of coastal water areas have been found to be eutrophic by the EPA and the nutrient levels on rivers have also been found to be quite high.

Eutrophication can occur naturally, but more commonly this process is caused by a number of human influences such as the release of sewage effluent and run-off from fertilizers into natural waters.

Initiatives to control eutrophication take a number of different forms. Legislation at European and national level has been enacted to control the spreading of animal waste. The standard of wastewater treatment in Ireland has risen - in accordance with the European Wastewater Directive and more rigorous controls have been put in place for the installation and maintenance of septic tanks.

THE TEST: Water bottles are so tough these days we knew we needed serious firepower to find their breaking point. So we hauled a 100-pound cannon packed with golf balls and enough muzzlepower to kill Godzilla to a shooting range near Ault, CO. Then we blasted five top brands, figuring any bottle that could handle such a blitz could surely survive your worst trail abuse.

THE RESULT: Pure carnage. When the smoke cleared, all that remained was twisted metal and plastic. Only two bottles survived direct hits. The others had blown tops, gaping holes, and complete obliteration - some bottle bits landed 70 yards away. The winner? The seamless aluminum Sigg Traveler ($20; 4.3oz; which was deeply dented but still usable.

GENERAL INFO ON SIGG BOTTLES

Is using a reusable water bottle good for the environment?

Yes, of course, for several reasons:

Most disposable water bottles are made of PET plastic. According to the American Recycling Institute, only 14% of these bottles are recycled. Most of the PET bottles end up in litter or trash where they can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade, filling our landfills and injuring wildlife.

Americans alone are currently adding 30 million PET water bottles to landfills – everyday!

Even if PET bottles are sent to the recycling center, they are really being "down-cycled", converted to a lower form of plastic, much of which goes unused.

PET is a petroleum-based plastic. Manufacturing and transporting bottled water (especially from distant countries such as France and Fiji) unnecessarily burns fossil fuels – approximately 1.5 million barrels per year according to the NRDC.

Does using a reusable water bottle make sense financially?

Yes, Euro's and sense! Bottled water is neither purer nor safer than tap water in most communities. In fact, most bottled water brands are sourced from municipal tap water. Assuming you drink 1 liter per day, you'd spend €500-€1,000 in bottled water a year. Many SIGG bottles are still being used 10-20 years after they are purchased – so you get good bang for your buck! Consider a home water purification system and a SIGG to save money and the earth

Is the paint on the SIGG bottles safe?

On October 4th, the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission announced the recall of thousands of aluminum water bottles manufactured in China. The Commission took this action because these Chinese-made water bottles contained excessive amounts of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Since all aluminum SIGG bottles are manufactured in Switzerland, no SIGG bottles were recalled.

Since then, a few consumers have contacted SIGG Switzerland to ensure the safety of SIGG water bottles. I am pleased to report that SIGG Switzerland utilizes only foodgrade, 100% safe paint in the manufacturing of our water bottles.

As products like SIGG gain national media attention and increased sales, it's very typical that lower priced, lower quality imitations hit the market. To assure that you are getting the finest quality and safest water bottle on the market, our best advice for consumers is:

Look for the SIGG brand name!

Since 1908, SIGG Switzerland has been manufacturing the highest quality water bottles in the world. SIGG and “Swiss Made” are synonymous with superb craftsmanship, world-class design and a never-ending attention to product quality & safety. You can count on SIGG.

Do all metal water bottles use a liner?

Some stainless steel bottles do not require a liner. In the past, there had been some low-priced, low-quality aluminum bottles manufactured in Asia and distributed in Europe and parts of the USA which did not use a quality liner. We recommend you look for the SIGG logo to ensure you are getting the best bottle on the planet, backed by 100 years of Swiss engineering.

Can dents in the bottle damage the SIGG bottle's inner coating?

No, the SIGG inner coating is highly elastic. Dents cannot crack or chip the internal lining and the SIGG bottle remains perfectly usable. In fact, many hikers and climbers consider the dents in their SIGG to be badges of honor, illustrating their toughness as well as the bottle's

Can I fill SIGG bottles with apple juice?

Yes. The inner coating has been tested with various drinks, highly acidic fruit juices in particular. The SIGG bottle passes this test with flying colors. Tip: drink apple juice within 12 hours of filling the bottle. Heat and oxygen may initiate a fermentation process, which by the way is natural and can take place in any bottle, regardless of material.

Can I use my SIGG bottle for carbonated drinks, too?

Yes, of course. All SIGG bottle tops provide a 100% seal and will not leak. Tip: fill the bottle no further than 1/2 inch below the lip. And before taking a drink, relieve the pressure inside the bottle by gently rotating the entire top.

Can I use my SIGG bottle for Hot Tea or Coffee?

We don't recommend you fill a lightweight aluminum bottle with a piping hot beverage, as it will render the bottle untouchable and will burn your hands if you try and pick it up. If your lightweight aluminum SIGG bottle is inside one of our insulated pouches, this will provide you with better protection, but we still don't advise it. You are better off purchasing one of our thermo bottles or our SIGG Hot and Cool Bottle for your hot beverages.

Are SIGGs dishwasher safe?

Yes they are however, the Swiss recommend washing your SIGG bottle by hand. They advise against using a dishwasher primarily because the SIGG opening is rather narrow and a dishwasher stream may not reach all the way to the bottom of the bottle for thorough cleaning. Additionally, continued washing of a SIGG in a dishwasher may in time cause the exterior paint coating to fade. The dishwasher will not cause any damage to the inner liner of the SIGG bottle

Can I use my SIGG bottle for consuming alcohol?

Yes, if you are over the legal drinking age. The SIGG bottle and liner is built to handle any consumable beverage. However, do not store alcohol in your SIGG. Especially in a hot environment, a fermentable beverage like alcohol can generate pressure.

What's the best way to clean my SIGG?

Rinsing your SIGG thoroughly under the faucet with warm, soapy water at the end of every day and letting it air dry with the top off provides sufficient cleaning in most cases. When more thorough cleaning is required, you can use baking soda and vinegar. For tough jobs, pick up some SIGG cleaning tablets and a SIGG brush. Do not use a hard bristled brush to clean the interior of your SIGG bottle as this may damage the liner.

Why does SIGG make so many tops? How do they work?

The accessories for the SIGG Bottle are as versatile as the bottle itself. Whatever the occasion- hiking, competitive sports, a city shopping spree or a snack break- the SIGG Bottle offers the appropriate bottle top and the best thing is: any top fits any bottle.

Whether you prefer the new SIGG ACTIVE BOTTLE TOP, the new KIDZ BOTTLE TOP of the new SIGG SCREW TOP- all of the tops are leak proof, even for carbonated drinks. We even thought about how to clean your SIGG bottle and tops. Cleaning is easy with our special brush and bottle clean tablets.

SIGG ACTIVE BOTTLE TOP

Our SIGG ACTIVE BOTTLE TOP has been improved by adding one-handed operation for greater ease and convenience, plus a wider cross section to increase the liquid flow, and a hinged protective cover. Simply unlock the mechanism by turning 1/4 turn clockwise with your thumb. Light pressure from your mouth will easily activate the drinking mechanism and ensure the liquid flows freely. This top is just the thing for anyone on the go.

To clean the SIGG ACTIVE BOTTLE TOP, simply press the mouthpiece and twist counter clockwise until it comes off. Remove mouthpiece and clean with warm, soapy water. The spring can also be removed for cleaning- just be sure to put it back on.

SIGG KIDZ TOP

The SIGG KIDZ TOP has been further refined. An open bottle top guarantees perfect drinking pleasure. The protective cover has also been hinged, so the top doesn't involuntarily close while you are drinking.

To clean the SIGG KIDZ TOP, simply twist the mouthpiece counter clockwise until it comes off. Remove mouthpiece and clean with warm, soapy water.

SIGG SCREW TOP

To use SIGG SCREW TOP, simply unscrew the top, remove it and drink. The top stays leak proof even under extreme conditions thanks to its integrated seal. It is indispensable for fans of the great outdoors.

Can I place my SIGG in the freezer?

NO, this may cause the bottle to crack. For chilling, we recommend placing your SIGG in the refrigerator but NOT in the freezer – no matter how full the bottle.

"We are quite convinced‚ based on this study‚ that there is an association between cancer and chlorinated water." Medical College Of Wisconsin‚ Senior Research Team

The addition of chlorine to our drinking water began in the late 1800s and by 1904 was the standard in water treatment‚ and for the most part remains so today.

We don‘t use chlorine because it‘s the safest or even the most effective means of disinfection‚ we use it because it is the cheapest. In spite of all our technological advances‚ we essentially still pour bleach into our water before we drink it. The long-term effects of using chlorinated water have just recently been documented.

It is not uncommon to find more chlorine in tap water than is recommended safe for your swimming pool. A simple chlorine test kit from your local discount department store‚ around 6.00‚ will typically yield surprising results‚ try it!

According to the U.S. Council of Environmental Quality‚ "Cancer risk among people drinking chlorinated water is as much as 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine."

There is a lot of well-founded concern about chlorine. When chlorine is added to our water‚ it combines with other natural compounds to form Trihalomethanes (chlorination byproducts)‚ or THMs. These chlorine by-products trigger the production of free radicals in the body‚ causing cell damage‚ and are highly carcinogenic. Chlorine is also suspected to contribute to hardening of the arteries‚ the primary cause of heart disease.

"We are learning the hard way that all the time we thought we were preventing epidemics of one disease‚ we were creating another. Two decades after the start of chlorinating our drinking water the present epidemic of heart trouble and cancer began."

- Dr. Joseph M. Price‚ PhD

"Up to 2/3 of the harmful effects of chlorine are due to inhalation and skin absorption while showering."

- The American Journal Of Public Health

No one will argue that chlorine serves an important purpose‚ and that it is likely here to stay. The result of not using chlorine in our water would be outbreaks of water borne disease like typhoid and cholera‚ like existed in the 1800s.

It is also clear and experts agree... that chlorine represents a very real and serious threat to our health and should be removed both from the water we drink and the water we shower with.

A high quality water filter system together with a dechlorinating shower filter can easily and affordably take the risks of chlorine out of your water‚ at the point of use... just prior to consumption.

Date released: Apr 23 2009, 12:01 AM

EPA directs 15 local authorities to restore drinking water quality and prosecutes one local authority for failure to comply with a legally binding Direction.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to-day released a report on the Provision and Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland: A Report for the Years 2007-2008.

Commenting on the report, Mr. Dara Lynott, Director, EPA Office of Environmental Enforcement said:

“We need sustained investment in infrastructure to deliver clean drinking water. Clean drinking water is vital to sustain our health and well-being and we rely upon it, particularly those involved in the services, manufacturing and tourism industries. Such investment during these tough economic times will provide the platform for sustainable development into the future.”

Between January and September 2008, the EPA received and assessed 283 notifications of failure to meet drinking water standards, audited 59 water treatment plants, issued 47 legally binding Directions to 15 local authorities requiring specific actions to be undertaken to improve the security of their supplies, and prosecuted one local authority for their failure to comply with an EPA Direction (Galway County Council).

This is the EPA’s second report on drinking water quality following the making of Regulations in 2007 providing for a greater level of consumer protection. The Regulations require local authorities to notify the EPA and the Health Service Executive where there is a potential risk to human health, and to comply with their directions.

The EPA found that:

In relation to the safety of drinking water (i.e. comparing the results of almost 240,000 monitoring tests against national and EU standards):

E. coli was detected on at least one occasion in 52 out of 952 public water supplies. This figure is down from 77 in the previous year (2006). This indicates that intermittent contamination of approximately 5% of public water supplies occurred in 2007.

The number of private group water schemes where E. coli was detected dropped from 246 in 2006 to 184 in 2007. However, despite this improvement, over 31% of private group water schemes were contaminated at least once during 2007.

Overall compliance with the chemical standards was satisfactory at 99.1% but challenges will exist to comply with the tighter lead standard in 2013.

Compliance with several indicator parameters, in particular compliance with aluminium and turbidity parametric values, remains poor.

In relation to the security of water supplies (i.e. the management of the risks to the drinking water treatment plant and supply network):

Of the 339 public water supplies identified by the EPA and placed on a Remedial Action List (RAL) in early 2008, 83 supplies were removed from the list having completed the necessary remedial actions and 62 were added. Overall at the end of March 2009 there were 320 supplies on the RAL.

Boil water notices or restrictions of use (e.g. do not drink) were put in place on 53 supplies serving approximately 118,000 persons in 2008. Adverse weather conditions in August 2008 alone led to the imposition of boil water notices on 20 supplies.

Only 1% of mains fed water is used for drinking, but as 99% is used for the likes of bathing, washing and flushing toilets, the idea of using exceptional quality filtered water is unlikely to be offered at source by public or rural water schemes due to to impossible funding requirements to provide above bottled water quality for the ultimate use of bathing and flushing toilets even if basic EU water limits are just aimed to be met.

Exceptional filtration for the 1% of water we use for drinking and the 99% of household water targeted for lime removal, is only practical when met by end users using filtration systems designed to effectively target each use. High compliance to EU water standards by many schemes and superior water quality for domestic use has historic, funding, infrastructural and environmental problems for reasons listed below:

1.Historically, many smaller group water schemes sourced their water on limited budgets without pilot drilling several test bores to optimum depths to get the best water.

2.Small schemes often drilled just to find water quantity - the expense later on to treat poor water quality to more demanding levels of legislation may have been prohibitive.

3.Even if quality water is found at source, old pipe networks often leak the water supplied with the risk of bacterial infection finding its way back into the supply at leak points.

4.Group water schemes are “reactive” instead of “proactive” to water problems, relying on occasional HSE water monitoring to inform residents affected by any contamination.

5.Boil water notices are often posted to local shops after detection of bacteria on a particular group water schemes instead of all scheme residents being notified individually.

6.Lime is no danger to health and is found at high levels on most schemes. Water regulations do not set any limits for lime levels, yet it causes extensive and costly damage.

7.Surprisingly, 3 things that put people off water; odour, colour and taste, have less importance as testing parameters, even when recipients of scheme water voice objections.

8.Bacteria has always been given serious priority and has sample limits of “zero” in water tests, making chlorine dosing essential to mains water adding to taste and smell.

9.Micro-organisms such as cryptosporidium evade chlorination and small group schemes, even large city schemes have not invested money to upgrade and deal with problems.

10.Annual spring flooding is problematic to the source water quality of a great number of lake, river and borehole sourced waters, leading to long periods of contamination.

11.Water pressure on many schemes is poorly regulated and if insufficient or excessively high, too many schemes rarely address pressure variations promptly and correctly.

12.It is troublesome for water schemes to address 1) all infrastructural mains pipe problems and 2) meeting total compliance of all EU directives and 3) removing water hardness and 4) ensuring an exceptionally consistent level of potable quality against the problems of severe weather variations causing frequent highly disturbed ground water quality - all issues then needing to be met to the ultimate point of total consumer satisfaction and trust

All water softeners and water softener valves sold by Justwater Company are Clack meter water softeners, or "volumetric" water softeners, designed to measure water flow and optimise water softener salt use to a very high efficiency. Clack water softener valves are the most evolved valves on the water softener market introduced in 2000 from a US company now in business for nearly 70 years.

Clack water softener valve controls are NSF certified + WQA gold seal approved. Clack water softener control valves are designed to have the best specifications and reliability of any water softener valves on the international market. Developed for extreme reliability, Clack water softener valves have no metal parts to rust away and have Euro programme data to evaluate water use and check EU lab reports.

The metered water softener valves produced by Clack even when used for domestic applications are of a commercial grade and of the three domestic water softener valve types Clack produce, the Clack WS1CI metered water softener valves are the best. Clack water softener valves clean and soften the incoming water to keep salt tanks clean and free of scale, unlike many other brands.

The benefits of the Clack WS1 water softener valve system, are accurate water metering and recording of every litre of water during the water softener's life, allowing important feedback of water use for water softener servicing, for household water leak detection and ultimately for conserving water especially since water meters are due to be installed in most houses nationally.

A silent and hard to detect water leak within the cistern of a toilet draining into the bowl can lose a household thousands of litres of water per day, often up to ten or twenty times the amount of the overall water used within a household each day. Water softeners without water meters, (timer softeners), are out of date and are inefficient where salt use is concerned or for detecting water usage or leak

The plastic bag levy must be extended to the containers holding the 130 million litres of water we drink annually, writes JOHN GIBBONS

HERE’S A variation on the “waiter, there’s a fly in my soup” gag. The question is how would you persuade people to knowingly drink water from a bottle that contained a dead spider? Penn Teller’s satirical US documentary series decided to find out by taking over a posh restaurant and producing a phoney “water menu” of expensive and exotic-sounding bottles – all of which had been filled from the tap using an old garden hose.

One choice was enticingly labelled L’eau Du Robinet (French for “tap water”), while the evening’s speciality, complete with an enormous dead arachnid, was labelled Amazon . The spider, they were told, was fresh from the rainforest, and added to its “medicinal qualities”. The upmarket diners not only tried it, they were willing to shell out $7 a bottle for this tainted tap water. With a little marketing to wash it down, some of us will literally swallow anything.

Irish people, on the other hand, would never be that gullible, right? Since last year, Superquinn has stocked Fiji Water, “the brand selected by many A-list movie stars and celebrities”, according to the blurb from its distributors. Rather than insect parts, its secret ingredient is silica, “which is what gives Fiji Water its soft-mouth feel”. Silica is more commonly known as sand.

Last year, BBC television’s Panorama current affairs programme investigated the high environmental cost of our strange love affair with bottled water. Fiji Water is indeed sourced in Fiji, then shipped more than 10,000 miles to Europe and beyond.

Meanwhile, one in three Fijians doesn’t have access to safe drinking water, and illnesses and deaths from typhus and other waterborne diseases are common on the island. The extraction of huge amounts of water for export is draining the island’s aquifers, putting even more pressure on supplies for the islanders.

Globally, as we ship billions of bottles of water from exotic-sounding locales to assuage our new-found thirst for water as a lifestyle accessory, 3,000 children die each day as a direct result of drinking contaminated water.

Globally, bottled water requires the production of about 300 billion plastic bottles a year, of which maybe one in five is recycled. Transportation, packaging, distribution and dealing with the waste generates tens of millions of tonnes of carbon emissions – and for what exactly? About 40 per cent of all bottled water sold is simply municipal tap water put into plastic bottles by corporations such Pepsi (Aquafina) and Coca-Cola (Dasani) and then sold back to the public in plastic containers.

This is a peculiar form of double taxation for consumers. First, they pay to have a safe, high-quality public water supply, then they pay again to drink the very water they have already paid to purify. The difference is that, even with water charges, it’s up to 10,000 times more expensive to drink bottled versus tap water.

There are small but encouraging signs of a gradual outbreak of common sense. In the Australian town of Bundanoon, its population of 2,500 voted overwhelmingly this summer to ban the sale of bottled water. Locals were furious when a bottled water company tried to tap their local aquifer and sell off the water.

Their stance received support from the premier of New South Wales, who ordered government departments to stop buying bottled water.

Across the US, cities from Chicago to Los Angeles have made it illegal to spend municipal money on bottled water.

London mayor Boris Johnson points to the absurdity of some bottled waters costing more per litre than petrol. The city is now trialling public faucets to provide chilled tap water at 20p a fill – just bring your reusable container.

“It’s killing our planet, and for no good reason,” says Eric Olsen of the Natural Resources Defence Council.

Test after test has proven it doesn’t taste better than tap water. In fact, unpleasant chemicals actually leach from these plastic containers.

Plastic is one of the world’s most chronic pollutants. A colossal floating mass of waste trapped in the north Pacific gyre between Hawaii and Japan is estimated to contain more than 100 million tonnes of a floating soup of plastic, some of it there since the 1950s. The contaminated area of ocean is larger than the continental United States.

Nor is this problem specific to the Pacific. The UN Environment Programme calculates that every square mile of the world’s oceans contains an average of 46,000 pieces of floating plastic. More than one million sea birds a year die from ingesting plastic. This toxic cocktail makes its journey full circle to humanity via contamination of the marine produce we in turn eat.

Ireland’s plastic bag tax in 2002 effected a sea change in public behaviour, leading to drastic reductions in usage and waste, but this effect is starting to wear off. Legislation passes through the Dáil this month to double this levy – which has raised €120 million so far – to 44 cent a bag.

Given our generally excellent unmetered public water supply, there is a compelling argument to extend this levy to the containers that hold the 130 million litres of bottled water that we consume annually, as well as to the new scourge of packing fresh milk in indestructible plastic containers.

And the next time you’re offered “still or sparkling” in a restaurant, try ordering L’eau Du Robinet instead.