Bottled Water Voluntarily Recalled

14 Brands Of Bottled Water Voluntarily Recalled Due To Potential E. Coli Contamination

June 23, 2015

A water bottling company that is responsible for 14 different brands issued a voluntary recall on Monday after discovering that one of their spring water sources tested positive for E. coli bacteria.

“E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes," a representative of Niagara Bottling LLC said in a statement. "Microbes in these wastes can cause diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly and people with severely compromised immune systems."

The recall affected all spring water products from Niagra's Hamburg and Allentown, Pennsylvania, facilities. There haven't been any reported injuries or illnesses related to the recall, though the company vowed to move their operations permanently. The recall includes all spring water products purchased between June 10 at 3 a.m. and June 18 at 8 p.m. from the two Pennsylvania operations, and the brands affected are: Acadia, Acme, Big Y, Best Yet, 7-Eleven, Niagara, Nature’s Place, Pricerite, Superchill, Morning Fresh, Shaws, ShopRite, Western Beef Blue and Wegmans. Stores recalling the water bottles alongside Niagara Bottling include Wegmans, ShopRite, 7-Eleven and Acme.

See full article here - bottled water contamination

Stop buying bottled water!  For information about a whole home water filter please visit our webpage - Total Water Cleaners

Chlorine is Toxic, Don't Drink it!

Great article about chlorine and tap water from Mercola.com

A Whole Home Water Filter from Total Water Cleaners removes over 95% of the chlorine from your homes tap water, giving you clean chemical free water for drinking, bathing and cooking with!

So If Chlorine Is So Toxic, Why Haven't The Government Authorities Done Anything About It?

Over the last 30 years, a growing body of research has shown the assorted disinfection by-products of chlorine (DBP's) are very harmful to your health, however organisations like the Chlorine Institute and the Chemical Manufacturers Association have a serious and well-funded interest in maintaining the status quo.

So you can forget about getting any help from the chemical lobbies to clean up your water source and your environment.

For instance, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) used to have a maximum contaminant level goal (MLCG) of zero for chloroform in drinking water due to its potential toxicity. They list is as a probable human carcinogen, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that chloroform may reasonably be anticipated to be a carcinogen.

However, the EPA was forced to remove the zero standard – effective as of May 30, 2000 – after the MCLG was successfully challenged in court by the Chlorine Chemistry Council and the Chemical Manufacturers Association. 

And that's why Dr. Mercola has decided to step forward and shout the truth about chlorine. He has invested significant time and money into finding out what everyone should know about modern water sanitization, how it can damage your health and how to protect yourself. All of this research has been compiled into a limited supply, hot off the press report which reveals what everyone should know about chlorine.

Here's what you'll discover inside:

• Why it's impossible to determine the safety of your water by the way it looks, tastes or smells
• Do you enjoy taking a long, hot shower? If so, please read this urgent warning
• You're already drinking filtered water from your sink, so there's no cause for concern. Right? Wrong. Find out about five other ways you and your family are exposed to a toxic cocktail of chemicals on a daily basis
• Do you use bleached coffee filters, paper milk cartons, disposable diapers, paper towels, bathroom tissue or feminine hygiene products? If so, they could be robbing you of your health as they contain a carcinogen which has been linked to seven different diseases including diabetes and birth defects
• Nine planet friendly steps you can take to dramatically reduce your exposure to chlorine and its toxic byproducts
• How to get your water supplier to give you the test results of the quality of your water... absolutely free. And what you need to look out for to determine your water's quality
• The best option for filtering your own water at home (this will remove everything including chlorine, DBP's, fluoride and drugs which may have found their way into your local water supply)
• A quick and easy way to remove the chloroform that builds up when you shower

Read entire article here - www.mercola.com

Where Does Your Bottled Water Come From?

Nestle bottles millions of litres of Canadian water — and pays nothing

Billion-dollar company extracting B.C.’s drinking water for free, then selling it back to Canadians

The price of a litre of bottled water in B.C. is often higher than a litre of gasoline.

However, the price paid by the world’s largest bottled water company for taking 265 million litres of fresh water every year from a well in the Fraser Valley — not a cent.

Because of B.C.’s lack of groundwater regulation, Nestlé Waters Canada — a division of the multi-billion-dollar Switzerland-based Nestlé Group, the world’s largest food company — is not required to measure, report, or pay a penny for the millions of litres of water it draws from Hope and then sells across Western Canada.

According to the provincial Ministry of Environment, “B.C. is the only jurisdiction in Canada that doesn’t regulate groundwater use.”

“The province does not license groundwater, charge a rental for groundwater withdrawals or track how much bottled water companies are taking from wells,” said a Ministry of Environment spokesperson in an email to The Province.

READ THE REST OF THE ARTICLE HERE - Canada.com

Total Water Cleaners filters our tap water so it is just as good or better than most bottled waters on the market. Only $29.95 a month gets you clean chemical free water from every tap in your home. Purchase yourself a reusable water bottle and never buy a bottle of water again!

11 Reasons Dehydration is Making You Sick

11 Reasons Dehydration is Making You Sick

Great article from The Mind Unleashed about the importance of drinking enough water.

Adverse effects from not drinking enough water include digestive, skin, bladder and kidney problems, fatigue, and even headaches. We need water as much as the air we breathe in! Keeping your body hydrated is not a joke.

Did you know that dehydration actually sets in just before you start feeling thirsty? Sipping water throughout the day is the best way to handle it. Always have a bottle or a glass of water handy! If you’re not a morning person, having two glasses of water right after you wake up will boost up your blood pressure to normal levels, and it’s way healthier than having your first coffee on an empty stomach.

Many of us believe that merely drinking fluids like sweetened juices, soda or tea will hydrate you as well as water does. This is not true. It’s actually the opposite! To deal with the excess sugar and salt you are taking in your body wastes immense amounts of precious water just to clean it out from your system. And if you love your coffee, make sure to drink one extra glass of water for every cup you have.

Drinking water regularly speeds up your metabolism and makes you feel more ‘full’. You will eat less once you start drinking more! It’s the safest and healthiest way to lose weight. Drink up!

Read entire article here - themindunleashed.org

7 Reasons to Never Buy Bottled Water Again

7 Reasons to Never Buy Bottled Water Again

Total Water Cleaner's “Whole Home Water Cleaner” will provide you and your family with healthy, chlorine-free, chemical free water for all of your daily uses. Whether you’re drinking it, cooking with it, or showering and bathing your kids in it, you will feel the difference clean water makes. Click here for more information - www.totalwatercleaners.com

Great Article on bottled water from MindBodyGreen.com. 

As a water-lover and expert on global water ethics, I see H2O everywhere: waterfalls and lakes, drought and flood, sparkling, still, bottled, tap, from a well, in the surf, behind a dam, in plastic, in glass, from the cooler at yoga class, with or without ice.

How we drink our water shows us what kind of society we are. I want my body and my society to reflect sustainable values, so I only drink disposable, plastic bottled water if there is absolutely no alternative. If I were in a truly extreme situation—say, a cholera epidemic, an area without reliable water supply, or a desert, for example—then I would drink bottled water. Happily, most of us are not in those situations. And wonderful alternatives are easily available.

Sound extreme? It’s not, when you consider these 7 truths about bottled water. Read on, and become a healthier person, a smarter consumer, and a global citizen!

1. Plastic bottles are not sustainable, no matter what we've been told.

Using vast quantities of fossil fuels and water, these bottles are manufactured, filled, and shipped around the globe. (Not a good carbon footprint!) Neither are bottles biodegradable in any meaningful way: what you drink in a few minutes can stick around for a thousand years.

Even with recycling efforts, 6 out of 7 plastic bottles consumed in the U.S. are “downcycled”—sent somewhere out of sight and out of mind where, for the next millennia, toxins from degrading plastic containers can leach into watersheds and soil. That’s just not something we need to give to global neighbors and future generations.

2. Most bottled water is glorified tap water at 10,000 times the cost.

The label on your bottled water may depict a peaceful mountain stream, but that doesn't mean the water inside is pure and pristine.

Only some bottled water comes from springs or groundwater sources. It turns out that approximately 25% of bottled water is sourced from ... the tap. Sure, some companies filter or radiate the tap water with ultraviolet light before selling it to you at several thousand times the cost of municipal tap water. (Examples include Aquafina, Dasani, and many other brands.)

Moreover, studies show that bottled water samples can contain phthalates, mold, microbes, benzene, trihalomethanes, even arsenic. And only recently did the FDA start regulating bottled water for E. Coli, thanks to advocacy by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Upshot: bottled water markup is extreme. Health standards are often a wash and may even favor tap water. (If you’re concerned about municipal water supply and want to know more, check out this helpful resource, which can help you learn about your municipal water supply and decide if filtration or purification is right for you.)

3. Many bottled waters contain toxins, even if they've nixed BPA.

Plastic isn't just bad for the planet (see #1). It’s not good for you, either.

Bottled water companies increasingly use BPA-free plastic, but laced into plastic bottles are other chemicals that can seep out if bottles are exposed to heat or sit around for a long time. Some of these chemicals are possible endocrine disruptors. No one knows for sure what the health outcomes are. Do you really want your body to undergo that experiment?

4. Fashion, foodies, and sustainable cities are taking back the tap.

New York City’s Fashion Week, Chez Panisse, the city of San Francisco and Grand Canyon National Park have all reduced or eliminated bottled water! AVEDA teamed up with New York’s Department of Environmental Protection during Fashion Week 2010 to provide free drinking fountains on the streets of New York.

5. Local water is the new complement to local, organic food.

Local food is everywhere these days: CSAs, farmers markets, farm-to-table dining. That local food is grown and cooked with … local water! It’s the invisible part of the sustainable, healthy food you eat.

So, locavores, it’s time to get your hydrophilia on and appreciate your water supply just as much as you do your CSA. Shouldn’t we care for and support our water sources like we support healthy, organic, local farms?

6. There ARE gorgeous alternatives for on-the-go hydrophiles!

Choose a durable, re-useable water bottle (BPA-free or, even better, stainless steel) in whatever size or shape and design you like. I think of it as an accessory: at my most recent job interview, a team member commented on my green, reusable water bottle. (I got the job.)

For home, try the new, limited edition Soma water carafe and filter. It’s a sleek, glass carafe with the first-ever fully biodegradable filter (made from coconut shells—stupendously cool), with a new filter sent automatically every 60 days. As a working professional and parent with an eye for design, I love this. For those who want an in-sink filtration system, check out this helpful resource from Food & Water Watch. And for sparkling water addicts (like myself), I highly recommend Soda Stream.

7. Change is simple—and makes a real difference!

When you ditch disposable bottled water, you save money, live healthier, and join a movement for global sustainability. Plus, it’s easy. And you’ll save money.

Yes, you’ll need to take that first step of buying your re-usable bottle, and then remember it when you jog out the door. But if “keys, wallet, yoga mat” are on your mental checklist anyway, what’s one more item that saves you money and protects the planet?

If after six months, you still crave water from Fiji, then I suggest the following: take the money you’ve saved by sipping strategically. Treat yourself to a vacation in, well, Fiji—where you can hydrate, surf, relax, and celebrate the fact that you are an awesome part of the solution!

To view original article click here - www.mindbodygreen.com

Ban The Bottle?

Vancouver Parks Almost Banned the Water Bottle.
What do you think of their decision?

Bottled water ban rejected by Vancouver Park Board

Park board has a contract with Coca-Cola until 2016

The Vancouver Park Board has voted against phasing out the sale of bottled water at concession stands, but will study the idea of adding more water fountains.

Commissioner Michael Wiebe put forward the motion, arguing a ban on bottled water would help meet the city's Greenest City Action Plan. But that part of the motion failed to get enough support from his fellow commissioners to pass.

The board did pass a motion to study adding more water fountains to allow people to fill up their own water bottles.

In 2009, the City of Vancouver eliminated the use of bottled water in civic offices, and asked the Vancouver Park Board to follow suit. But the park board refused in 2009 as well, because of concerns over revenue loss.

The Vancouver Park Board has a supply contract with Coca-Cola, which includes the exclusive supply of still bottled water at all facilities until 2016.

Original Article here - www.cbc.ca

THM's in Your Water

A Total Water Cleaner whole home water filter will reduce THM's in tap water by up to 95%, giving you clean chemical free water from every tap in your home!

Read below for more information about THM's. Click here to see Winnipeg's latest THM results - Winnipeg THM Report

What are THMs?

THMs are trihalomethanes, chemical compounds that can be formed when water is disinfected with chlorine. THMs occur when chlorine reacts with organic matter in water, and for this reason are more common in surface water supplies throughout Canada.

Is there a drinking water guideline set for THMs in drinking water?

The acceptable level, or guideline, for THMs in drinking water in Canada is set by Health Canada in consultation with the provinces and territories. The Canadian drinking water guideline for total THMs is 100 micrograms of THMs per litre of water ( µg/L). The guideline is based on a locational running annual average of a minimum of four quarterly samples. An updated guideline for total THMs was released by Health Canada in May 2006. For more information, go to: Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality - Supporting Documents.

Why was the guideline updated in 2006?

New studies have been published since the last Canadian guideline on THMs was established. In response to these new findings, Health Canada established a National Chlorination Disinfection By-Products Task Group. It assessed the health risks from THMs and developed risk management options. In 2003, its recommendations were incorporated into the decision process. In the fall of 2005, public consultation began. The guideline for total THMs was approved in May 2006. Health Canada will continue to monitor new research in this area and recommend any changes to the guidelines when necessary.

What are the potential problems of having high THMs in drinking water?

There is concern among experts in Canada that THMs may pose a risk in the development of cancer. And though there is presently insufficient evidence to establish a causal relationship, some studies report an association between THMs and adverse birth outcomes

How are Canadians exposed to THMs in drinking water?

Canadians can be exposed to THMs when drinking tap water containing the chemical compounds. Showering, bathing and other water use activities can also contribute to an individual's total exposure. For example, THMs can evaporate from the tap and be inhaled during showering, or they can be absorbed through the skin during bathing. These routes of exposure have been considered in the guideline setting process. Water that meets the total THMs guideline is considered safe for all domestic uses, including drinking, bathing, showering and food preparation.

Should pregnant women take special precautions?

While THMs may be a contributing factor to birth outcomes, there are several other risk factors involved. However, Nova Scotia's Medical Officer of Health still recommends that pregnant women be aware of the THM levels in their water, and take steps to reduce their THM intake.

Full article available here - THM Article

Brown Water In Winnipeg Continues

If you are experiencing brown water the solution is simple, get Total Water Cleaners to install a Whole Home Water filter in your home for only $29.95/month!
Clean chemical free water from every tap in your home, for less than a $1 a day!
Contact us today to see if our filter will work for you.

City cleaning pipes to stop brown water

The brown water battle begins this weekend as city crews begin the daunting task of cleaning 2,585 kilometres of water mains in two years.

The target this season will be to clean 25%, with the remaining pipes fast-tracked for cleaning by the fall of 2016, according to the city's manager of engineering for water and waste services.

"With fast-tracking the program we will have more crews working, some longer hours," said Geoff Patton. "We're putting more crews on to get it done faster."

The roll out of this parcel of the $250,000 program, implemented after a recommendation from an independent report brought to council in January, was late by about two months.

Patton blamed the delay on the frozen pipe issue which finally came to an end this week.

The program couldn't begin while citizens were being told to run their water to avoid frozen pipes because this program requires the opposite.

"With the water main cleaning program, we tell people to turn off their water," he said. "Those two messages are in conflict so we wanted to make sure we addressed the frozen pipe issue."

Read entire article from the Winnipeg Sun Here

Better Behavior in a Glass: Why Water Matters

Misbehavior? How about nice glass of water? 

We've long heard that children may become less than pleasant when they are hungry.  Let's face it, the same can be said of ourselves.  Did you also know the same may be true when your child is thirsty and dehydrated?  As part of the #OlympicMoms campaign, we're talking about water consumption today. Good ole' H20.  Something so simple is really so important.

3 Reasons to Make Sure Your Kids Get Enough Water 

1.  Dehydration can cause headaches.  Headaches make people unhappy...and crabby. Enough said.  Couple this with the fact that young children may not be able to communicate they have a headache or feel "out of sorts".  It comes out in their behavior instead.  If your child is acting "wonky" (hardly a technical term, but so fitting here), encourage her to drink some water.

2.  Dehydration impedes learning.  That's right.  It causes grogginess, low short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing. Many schools recognize the importance of hydration to learning and encourage students to have a water bottle by their desks. If your school doesn't, see what can be done about changing this policy.  It's really that important.  (And as I look back, I remember thinking as a kid, "Why do the teachers get to have drinks/coffee at their desks, but the students don't?"  It was an extra special treat if you did something exceptionally well in class and the teacher would let you go to the drinking fountain to get a drink of water.)  Let's all take up the glad chant: "Don't delay, drink your water today!"

3.  Reduce childhood obesity.  Some kids eat when they are actually thirsty.  Encourage your child to drink water throughout the day to lessen mindless snacking.  This can help kids maintain a healthy weight. Water is preferable to juice, sugary drinks and sports drinks for kids.  Also, avoid having your child gulp water. It is better to sip it throughout the day to maintain optimal benefits, and maintain better homeostasis.

BONUS REASON:

Drinking water keeps the immune system running smoothly, lessening the chances of your child catching seasonal colds and flu.  Yes!

If you haven't been encouraging water consumption in your household, this might be a good time to start!  

Read original article here - Water 

More Brown Water For Winnipeg

More brown water for Winnipeg.
Why put up with brown water or buy bottled water when you can own a Whole Home Water Cleaner and drink better than bottled water from every tap in your home for under $30 a month? Contact us today and stop worrying about your water.

“Any time there is a major change in the rate or direction of flow of water in the distribution system, sediment, including minerals (e.g., manganese) and dead algae, in the water pipes can loosen and be released into the water,” the release stated. “This material can stain laundry and may also affect the taste of the water or of any beverages made with it.”

http://www.winnipegsun.com/2014/02/12/brown-water-expected-in-southwest-winnipeg

Winnipeg Wellness Expo 2014

Total Water Cleaners is very excited to have a booth at Winnipeg's 2014 Wellness Expo. We will be in booth 100, make sure to stop by and see our show deals!

Here is more information about the show -

The 20th Annual Winnipeg Wellness Expo 

January 10 – 12, 2014, Winnipeg Convention Centre

The 2014 Winnipeg Wellness Expo is back in the Convention Centre with a whole lot of new and past participating companies ready to satisfy your interests and inquisitive minds.

2014 features include some new speakers in a new room for all the interested presenters wanting to participate.

Only the Winnipeg Wellness Expo offers all the seminars, demonstrations and  presentations at NO EXTRA CHARGE for people entering with a general admission pass. Each day offers hundreds of dollars of value for only the cost of a single day show pass.

http://www.wellnessexpo.com/?page_id=43

$30 a Month?

What Can You Get For $30?

Here is a list of a few common items that people buy for around $30/month and a few things that are one time purchases for about $30. Compare that to having crystal clear chemical free water from every tap in your home for only $29.95/month from Total Water Cleaners, its surprising!


Winnipeg Free Press 6 day subscription - $25.16/month

Basic Shaw Cable - $34.90/month
Rogers Basic Cell Plan - $30/month
Snap Fitness Gym Membership - $45/month
A Spa Manicure - $45
2 Tickets to Silver City Imax Show - $34
4 Big Mac Meals from McDonalds - $28
5 Starbucks Grande Caramel Macchiato - $25

For more information about a Total Water Cleaner visit our webpage.

Expired Water?

How Does Water Go Expired?

Have you ever wondered why that bottle of Poland Spring has a “drink by” date on it when common sense dictates that water doesn’t go bad? You can thank the great state of New Jersey. A 1987 NJ state law required all food products sold there to display an expiration date of two years or less from the date of manufacture. Labeling, separating and shipping batches of expiration-dated water to the Garden State seemed a little inefficient to bottled water producers, so most of them simply started giving every bottle a two-year expiration date, no matter where it was going. Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never established or suggested a limitation on the shelf life of bottled water as long as it’s produced in accordance with regulations and the bottle remains properly sealed. Makes sense, because it’s, you know…water. 

Better WIth Age?

While “expired” unopened bottled water isn’t going to do you any harm, it isn’t going to get better with age, either. The plastic that water is packaged in — usually polyethylene terephthalate (PET) for retail bottles and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) for water cooler jugs — is slightly porous, so the water can pick up smells and tastes from the outside world. Keep a case of bottled water in the basement for a year or so and it’s going to pick up some interesting flavors. There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than a 2007 Evian, with hints of dust and a crisp kitty litter finish!

Original Article from Mental Floss 

REMOVING TOXINS IN OUR TAP WATER

TOXINS IN OUR TAP WATER

Great article from Livestrong.com about toxins in our water and how they can affect children.
Toxins are every where, small doses the body can handle, but added up over time is when trouble can happen. A Total Water Cleaner removes over 95% of the toxins from our tap water, giving you clean chemical free water from every tap in your home. 
Click here for more information.

HOW TO REMOVE TOXINS FROM CHILDREN'S BODIES

Children are exposed to chemical toxins from environmental sources, substances in their homes and the foods they eat. According to the doctors at Healthy Child, contaminants in water can cause illness and even behavioral problems. By raising your child in a healthy environment, feeding him organic foods and making sure he drinks plenty of clean, filtered water, you can flush toxins out of his system and limit his exposure to further contaminants.

Step 1

Install a water filtration system in your home. Unfiltered tap water may contain agricultural chemicals, chlorine and lead, none of which your child should be drinking or using to bathe. Clean water helps flush these chemicals out of your child's body and rid him of toxins.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/528853-how-to-remove-toxins-from-childrens-bodies/#ixzz2QpfJl657

Total Water Cleaner Test Results

Total Water Cleaner Test Results

We have some recent test results from a cleaner that has been in a high traffic location for over 6 months. 
The chlorine, THM, lead, and fluoride results are fantastic. They are all reduced significantly.

A Total Water Cleaner is only $29.95 a month.
Total Water Cleaners have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, contact us today!

These are the results of a Total Water Cleaner that was running for 6 months in a high consumption location. The results are shown with Winnipeg’s Water and Wastes results pulled off their website. 

	Winnipeg  Averages PPM	Winnipeg Range		Total Water Cleaner             Results PPM
Chlorine Free	0.56	.06 - 1.32 ppm		0.05
Chlorine Total	0.76	.13 - 1.46 ppm		0.17
Fluoride	0.72	.57 - .88 ppm		< 0.10
THM’s	0.033	.0103 - .061 ppm		< 0.001
Copper	0.067	.018 - .181 ppm		0.032
Lead	< 0.001	< .001  ppm		< 0.00009
Arsenic	< 0.001	.001 - .001 ppm		0.00028
Uranium	< 0.001	< .001 ppm		< 0.0001
Chromium	0.002	.001 - .002 ppm		< 0.001

Stop Using Bottled Water

Great article from the Mother Nature Network.

To read the entire article click here.

Stop using bottled water, and get yourself a Total Water Cleaner. 

Better than bottled water from every tap in your home at a fraction of the cost of bottled water. 

Starting at only $29.95/month.

For more information about Total Water Cleaners click here.

5 reasons not to drink bottled water

It's expensive, wasteful and — contrary to popular belief — not any healthier for you than tap water.
 

Bottled water is healthy water — or so marketers would have us believe. Just look at the labels or the bottled water ads: deep, pristine pools of spring water; majestic alpine peaks; healthy, active people gulping down icy bottled water between biking in the park and a trip to the yoga studio.

In reality, bottled water is just water. That fact isn't stopping people from buying a lot of it. Estimates variously place worldwide bottled water sales at between $50 and $100 billion each year, with the market expanding at the startling annual rate of 7 percent.

Bottled water is big business. But in terms of sustainability, bottled water is a dry well. It's costly, wasteful and distracts from the brass ring of public health: the construction and maintenance of safe municipal water systems.

Want some solid reasons to kick the bottled water habit? We've rounded up five to get you started.

1) Bottled water isn't a good value

Take, for instance, Pepsi's Aquafina or Coca-Cola's Dasani bottled water. Both are sold in 20 ounce sizes and can be purchased from vending machines alongside soft drinks — and at the same price. Assuming you can find a $1 machine, that works out to 5 cents an ounce. These two brands are essentially filtered tap water, bottled close to their distribution point. Most municipal water costs less than 1 cent per gallon.

Now consider another widely sold liquid: gasoline. It has to be pumped out of the ground in the form of crude oil, shipped to a refinery (often halfway across the world), and shipped again to your local filling station.

In the U.S., the average price per gallon is hovering around $3. There are 128 ounces in a gallon, which puts the current price of gasoline at a fraction over 2 cents an ounce.

And that's why there's no shortage of companies that want to get into the business. In terms of price versus production cost, bottled water puts Big Oil to shame.

2) No healthier than tap water

In theory, bottled water in the United States falls under the regulatory authority of the Food and Drug Administration. In practice, about 70 percent of bottled water never crosses state lines for sale, making it exempt from FDA oversight.

While public safety groups correctly point out that many municipal water systems are aging and there remain hundreds of chemical contaminants for which no standards have been established, there's very little empirical evidence that suggests bottled water is any cleaner or better for you than its tap equivalent.

3) Bottled water means garbage

Bottled water produces up to 1.5 million tons of plastic waste per year. According to Food and Water Watch, that plastic requires up to 47 million gallons of oil per year to produce. And while the plastic used to bottle beverages is of high quality and in demand by recyclers, over 80 percent of plastic bottles are simply thrown away.

That assumes empty bottles actually make it to a garbage can. Plastic waste is now at such a volume that vast eddies of current-bound plastic trash now spin endlessly in the world's major oceans. This represents a great risk to marine life, killing birds and fish which mistake our garbage for food.

Thanks to its slow decay rate, the vast majority of all plastics ever produced still exist — somewhere.

4) Bottled water means less attention to public systems

Many people drink bottled water because they don't like the taste of their local tap water, or because they question its safety.

This is like running around with a slow leak in your tire, topping it off every few days rather than taking it to be patched. Only the very affluent can afford to switch their water consumption to bottled sources. Once distanced from public systems, these consumers have little incentive to support bond issues and other methods of upgrading municipal water treatment.

5) The corporatization of water

In the documentary film Thirst, authors Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman demonstrated the rapid worldwide privatization of municipal water supplies, and the effect these purchases are having on local economies.

Water is being called the "Blue Gold" of the 21st century. Thanks to increasing urbanization and population, shifting climates and industrial pollution, fresh water is becoming humanity's most precious resource.

Multinational corporations are stepping in to purchase groundwater and distribution rights wherever they can, and the bottled water industry is an important component in their drive to commoditize what many feel is a basic human right: the access to safe and affordable water.

What can you do?

There's a simple alternative to bottled water: buy a stainless steel thermos, and use it. Don't like the way your local tap water tastes? Inexpensive carbon filters will turn most tap water sparkling fresh at a fraction of bottled water's cost.

Consider taking Food and Water Watch's No Bottled Water Pledge. Conserve water wherever possible, and stay on top of local water issues. Want to know more? Start with the Sierra Club's fact sheet on bottled water.

Bottoms up!

Health Canada - The Risks of Chlorination By-Products

Here is a page off of Health Canada's website with information about chlorine and chlorine byproducts.
Health Canada suggests (at the bottom of the page) to help minimize your risks of chlorinated tap water to use an activated carbon filter. A Total Water Cleaner removes over 95% of all chemicals and toxins from our tap water, giving you better than bottled water from every tap in your home.

For only $ 29.95 a month you can have clean chemical free water in your home.

Click here for More Details

Here is the link to Health Canada's Website  and complete article.

The Risks of Chlorination By-Products

Lab animals exposed to very high levels of THMs have an increased risk of cancer. Several studies on humans have also found a link between long-term exposure to high levels of chlorination by-products and a higher risk of cancer. For instance, a recent study showed an increased risk of bladder and possibly colon cancer in people who drank chlorinated water for 35 years or more.

High levels of THMs may also have an effect on pregnancy. A California study found that pregnant women who drank large amounts of tap water with high THMs had an increased risk of miscarriage. These studies do not prove that there is a link between THMs and cancer or miscarriage. However, they do show the need for further research in this area to confirm potential health effects.

The Cost Of Bottled Water

How much does it cost you a month to drink bottled water?
Here is Winnipeg's tap water vs bottled water.


Winnipeg's tap water cost $1.35/cubic meter (1000 litres of water), that is .0014 cents per litre.
A bottle of water costs between 50 cents and $1.29/500ml, or an average of  $1.80 per litre.
A 5 gallon jug of waters average cost is about $3.00 (about 19 litres), that is .16 cents per litre.

Bottled water is on average 1300 times more expensive than Winnipeg tap water.
5 gallon jugs are on average 115 times more expensive than tap water.

It is recommended that an average person drinks 8 cups a day, about 2 litres.
If you were to drink your monthly requirement of 2 litres of water a day (about 600 litres a month), and just were to use bottled water it would cost you about $1200 a month.
If you use 5 gallon jugs of water it would cost about $96 a month.
If you use Winnipeg tap water it would cost you about $0.84 a month.


Add a Total Water Cleaner to your home for only $ 29.95/month and your drinking water would cost you under $31/month, and would be healthier for you than any bottled water.
You get the benefits of clean chemical free water from every tap in your home for not just drinking, also for cooking and bathing in. 
Chemical free clean water from every tap in your home for a fraction of the cost of bottled waters, plus less impact on the environment.

Contact Total Water Cleaners today to see if a Total Water Cleaner is right for you.

The Hidden Danger Of Chlorine In Our Bath Water

A Total Water Cleaner will remove over 95% of the chlorine in our tap water. For only $29.95/month you get clean chemical free water from every tap in your home. Please contact us for more information.

Here is a very informative article from Andie Klein (a Registered Nurse and webmaster), about the dangers of chlorine in our tap water.

The Hidden Danger Of Chlorine In Our Bath Water

Most of us associate a long, relaxing soak in the bath with candlelight, soothing music and a few drops of our favorite essential oils.

Not many of us stop to think about the dangers associated with chlorine in our bath water. Most people don't realize that more chemicals enter our body through skin absorption and inhalation of steam while showering and bathing than does from drinking water.

Chlorine is regarded as one of the most important advances of modern civilisation as it disinfects the water and prevents would be outbreaks of waterborne disease like typhoid, dysentery and cholera that existed in the 1800's. Chlorine also controls and eliminates the growth of microbes such as Giardia and Ecoli.

New evidence suggests that despite its disinfectant properties, the addition of chlorine to our municipal water may adversely affect our health, especially in the long-term. There is much concern amongst experts about the harmful effects of chlorine. According to the US Council of Environmental Quality, the cancer risk amongst people drinking and absorbing chlorinated water is as much as 93% higher than among those whose water does not contain chlorine".

Elemental chlorine is extremely reactive and it combines with other natural compounds to form toxic by-products such as THMs (Trihalomethanes) and chlorinated hydrocarbons. TTHMs (Total Trihalomethanes) are a by-product of municipal water disinfection. These chlorine by-products trigger the production of free radicals in the body, causing cell damage, and are highly carcinogenic.

Why is bathing in chlorinated water so bad?

* A warm bath opens the skin's pores and allows for easier absorption of chlorine and other chemicals.

* The steam we inhale while bathing can contain up to 20 times the level of chlorine and other synthetic chemicals than tap water.

* Inhalation of chlorine and chemical vapors is a suspected cause of bronchitis and asthma in children.

* Chlorine attacks the skin's natural moisture barrier and dries the skin out.

* Chlorinated water can also irritate the eyes, leaving them red, itchy and burning.

As we become more aware of the health risks associated with chlorine in our water supply, more people every day are turning to water filters to provide them with clean drinking and shower water. Relatively few people are aware that a filter exists to remove virtually all chlorine from their bath water and is appropriately named the bath ball filter.

It doesn't make much sense to allow chlorinated water to splash all over your body, seeping into your eyes, ears and mouth. Bath water filters greatly reduce the symptoms associated with chlorine inhalation and irritation by removing more than 90% of chlorine found in the water.







Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/71857