Common Myths About DIY Water Purification
Here at Optimum, we are frequently asked why it’s necessary to purchase a bottleless water system when there are so many DIY water purification options. Why spend money on a purification system when it should be easy enough to just clean your water through other means? While it isn’t that difficult to get rid of most microscopic compounds, getting rid of hazardous chemical impurities using simple DIY water purification techniques is a more difficult process. The myths and misconceptions that many people hold surrounding DIY water purification aren’t just false – they can be potentially harmful to your health. Let’s talk facts.
Myth #1: Your Own Filter is More Than Enough
The first common myth surrounding DIY water purification that many people believe is that a homemade water filter is enough. Using an old t-shirt or clean sock to filter out the visible impurities in your drinking water, for example, increases the transparency of water. Further, boiling filtered water in order to get rid of microorganisms is a good idea. But in order to effectively filter out the impurities found in your water, it is crucial that you have filters designed to be sensitive to contaminants that are as small as fractions of microns. This is something that an old T-shirt can’t manage.
Myth #2: Boiling Water Solves All Problems
Another common myth surrounding DIY water purification techniques is that boiling treats all problems with your water. After all, boiling your water is thought to be one of the safest and least expensive methods of making sure that your water is drinkable. However, the substantial amount of heat energy needed to bring your water to a boil may not be worth it.
The tap water in your home is chlorinated. Both heavy concentrations of chlorine and fluoride have been shown to cause cancer and neurological issues respectively. Unfortunately, when you boil your water, the levels of chlorine and fluoride in your water only become more concentrated. Also, boiling your water provides absolutely no protection from lead, asbestos, mercury, and arsenic. It does nothing to remove the organic carcinogens found in herbicides and pesticides, which could very well be present in your tap water. For this reason, it is clear that contrary to popular belief, boiling your water doesn’t solve all your water problems!
Myth #3: DIY Filtration is Cost-Effective
Many people are under the assumption that DIY filtration techniques are more cost-efficient. After all, how expensive can boiling your water or dropping a pill or two of iodine in your water really be? As it turns out, these DIY water purification methods can be costly in more ways than one. For one, boiling water wastes a lot of energy increasing your energy bill, and chlorine and iodine can be downright dangerous to your health. Although water purification systems may cost more upfront, they make up for it by keeping your energy bills low and potentially saving you thousands of dollars on medical bills in the future!
Myth #4: Chlorine and Iodine Do the Trick
Many people believe that when it comes to DIY water purification methods, using either iodine or chlorine to disinfect your water at home does the trick. After all, adding chlorine to your water has been shown to kill most pathogens, while iodine tablets provide similar results. Unfortunately, adding chlorine and/or iodine to your water can present a plethora of other issues.
So, while you get rid of the germs in your water when using chlorine or iodine, you now are presented with the problem of removing the chlorine or iodine from your drinking water due to the potential health risks posed by each of the chemicals. Many people are allergic to iodine, and the chemical has also been proven to cause thyroid problems. Prolonged ingestion of excessive amounts of these chemicals has also been shown to lead to gastrointestinal problems, skin issues, and even depression. While iodine and chlorine may rid your water of germs, they present much bigger issues.
Water Purification Made Easy with Optimum!
Now that you know some of the most common myths associated with DIY water purification, you may be wondering whether or not there’s an easier, safer way. There is! Optimum bottleless water systems. Each of our bottleless water systems comes equipped with a 5-step filtration process that effectively removes chlorine, sediment, and bacteria while making your water taste cleaner and fresher than ever. Best of all, our bottleless water systems ensure that you never run out of on-demand, purified water. That’s a lot easier (and safer) than using any DIY water purification method! Optimum Water Solutions offers a FREE 7-day trial, contact us for details! Clearly. Pure. Water.
