| The majority of the human body is comprised of | | | | Well water is subject to the same types of natural |
| water and human beings can live only a very short | | | | and man made pollution as tap water but it is |
| time without water. | | | | unregulated. The Commonwealth of Virginia, for |
| Water is a chemical substance that is essential to all | | | | example, strongly recommends chlorination and |
| known forms of life. It covers 71% of Earth's surface. It | | | | dechlorination of owner's individual wells but mandatory |
| is found in the oceans (saltwater) and polar ice caps, | | | | compliance is not required. Well water is particularly |
| but it is also present as clouds, rain water, rivers, | | | | subject to ground bacteria pollution through the |
| freshwater aquifers, lakes, airborne vapor and sea ice. | | | | wellhead itself. The use of chlorine adds unpleasant |
| Water in these bodies perpetually moves through a | | | | odors and taste to the well supplied drinking water. |
| cycle of evaporation, precipitation, and runoff to the | | | | Bottled Water: |
| sea. Clean water is essential to human life. In many | | | | Repackaged bottled water: |
| parts of the world, it is in short supply. (Source: | | | | There are many types of bottled drinking water on the |
| Wikipedia) | | | | market today with the result that some are good, |
| Of all the water in the world, only about 3% is drinkable | | | | some are bad and some are useless when it comes |
| by human beings. Of this small percentage, the | | | | to providing pure drinking water. |
| majority is either wholly or partially polluted by natural | | | | Some unethical suppliers merely take tap water and |
| or man made contaminants. The body requires H2O to | | | | bottle the water in small packages. These bottlers are |
| survive but not the contaminants found in most drinking | | | | able to charge a premium for tap water but the levels |
| water. | | | | of contaminants are the same as in tap water. |
| What Are Your Choices For Drinking Water? | | | | Spring water: |
| Most people in the United States face limited choices | | | | The source of some bottled water is spring water and |
| of drinking water. They can either drink tap water | | | | this term implies a fresh mountain spring of wholesome |
| provided by the municipalities they live in or well water | | | | drinking water. Springs however, are subject to the |
| on their own land. Neither of these choices provides | | | | same types and levels of natural and man made |
| pure drinking water. | | | | contaminants as tap and well water and the consumer |
| What Are the Different Types of Drinking Water? | | | | does not get the benefit of pure water. |
| Generally speaking there are three choices for drinking | | | | Purified water: |
| water available to the consumer: | | | | Purified water is the only water that that one should |
| - Tap Water (provided by local municipal water | | | | drink for their health and the health of their family. |
| suppliers) | | | | There are two processes used in order to purify |
| - Well Water (found in more rural areas of the | | | | water: distillation and reverse osmosis. |
| country) | | | | Distillation is a process whereby water is turned to |
| - Bottled Water (sold commercially throughout the | | | | steam and condensed leaving behind all contaminants |
| country) | | | | and bacteria. Many countries without natural source |
| Tap Water: | | | | water and the Department of Defense use distillation |
| Tap water comes from local rivers and streams and | | | | to provide pure drinking water. |
| very often plants that recycle raw sewerage and | | | | Reverse osmosis is a process where by water is |
| other waste water. Because many rivers, streams | | | | filtered through a very small filter and contaminants are |
| and other groundwater sources are polluted by natural | | | | removed but bacteria and trace elements are left in |
| runoff and man made contaminants, and all waste | | | | the water. |
| water and raw sewerage contain high levels of | | | | Distillation removes the water from the contaminants |
| bacteria, increasing levels of chlorine are required to kill | | | | while reverse osmosis merely filters the water without |
| bacterial and other harmful organisms. | | | | removing all bacteria and other material. |
| Tap water is regulated by The Environmental | | | | Many experts believe that distillation is the best way to |
| Protection Agency (EPA) an agency of the Federal | | | | create pure water. |
| Government but EPA regulations in no way require the | | | | Conclusion: |
| elimination of contaminants. The EPA only sets | | | | If you are an individual interested in maintaining a |
| minimum levels of contaminants (including chlorine) and | | | | healthy lifestyle or a parent that is concerned about |
| the long term effects of these poisons on the human | | | | the health of your family, you should consider adding |
| body are largely unknown. In addition chlorine adds | | | | purified water to your diet. |
| unpleasant odors and taste to tap water. | | | | No other water source provides the purity your body |
| Well Water: | | | | needs. |