What's in YOUR region?!

[Enviro Girl]

I am of the school it can never be productive to announce bad news unless you can bring a sound and reasonable solution, right with it.

So, before we go any further: Home Depot (where I got mine) or any of the bigger home stores should have a shower/bathtub filters, mine was $25 or so. No guage, but you can tell when it needs replaced, the water gets oily. (if anyone has a better brand/location/cheaper cost, please LMK)
I use PUR for tap filters, cuz I heard Dupont is a big, global polluter and they make Brita. Brita tap filters seemed less expensive to buy and replace, but I spend a lil' more on PUR cuz Toxic Pollution is a Big Enemy of Enviro Girl's, of course
Whole House Osmosis sounds safest of all (nothing but pure H20, whole house, goes on your water line) but that's at least 3K, I heard and has to be professionally installed by a plumber and then you'll have those filter costs. I buy osmofied (sp?) water sometimes, it tastes even better than filtered! YUM!
As part of the Right to Know Act, the EPA had to legally let U.S. Citizens know what Toxic Chemicals are released into our local air, water, dumped on and pumped into our earth. They call it the Toxic Release Inventory and it is cumbersome, not user-friendly and it isn't helpful (it's the min. the Polluter Protection Agency could put out to calm down the Enviro Folk).
When I first contracted Morgellon's, started to seek answers, I thought about Pittsburgh tap water being drawn from our 3 toxic green rivers and years of industry pollution.
I was shocked to find that 1. the TRI reporting is done solely by an employee of the polluting company and 2. they are seriously allowed to go back and later change the data (yes - as in, let's wait until the NIH health stats show that Benzene causes cancer and you go back and change your data so your boss doesn't get sued.)
So, I found this org OMB Watch | Promoting open government, accountability, and citizen participation since 1983 (gov watchdog) and they intro'd me to this Right to Know website: This is the same EPA TRI-data, just much more user-friendly and helpful. And they offer a Frozen Data and a Current Data section - so if the information is changed, you can see that!
My concern with Pittsburgh water is there's NO way millions of pounds per year of ammonia, cyanide, toulene, etc. all mixed together can be safely shocked OK with chlorine, like a swimming pool. I don't believe a word in my annual water report. It's spin. Osmosis needs to be mandatory. No way you can fix The Burgh's Toxic Soup w/more chemicals, I say!

Until we have confirmation what causes and happens to us with Morgellon's, it seems like we suspect IT attracts parasites, it sounds to me like it may attract metals, dunno about chemicals:

Here's how to find out what's released in your local Enviro. I'm still not even doing organics now, but this is what made me not touch tap water since 2006. It scared me. I apologize if this is traumatic, but it is your Right to Know. See above, there are solutions. I think purer water and not acquiring more metal residues and chemicals, even through our skin in the shower, will GREATLY expedite our healing!

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Be safe - Be well!,

[Kritters]

This is great info, E-girl, THANKS!
Kritts

[Enviro Girl]

Kritts, Anytime! From my 'superior mind' to yours...
Woulda pegged you for a been there done that w/the TRI Data already, u got whole house osmosis for drinking water or no? I looked for total lbs in my county and then looked at each river, stream - ICK

[Kritters]

Not yet, E-girl~

I haven't made much $$$ because of having this plague for a few years, but I plan on getting a complete system. I just buy the best bottled water and boil THAT to use.

Kritts

[tcmgpt13]

Might want to rethink how you boil water:

How Long Do You Need To Boil Water?

I frequently come upon bad advice about boiling water to make it safe to drink. Having enough safe drinking water is of utmost importance to any survivor. Proper information is very important and for that reason I am writing this Survival Topic in order to set the record straight.
Boiling Water is the Best Method

As some of us know, boiling water is surest and most effective method of destroying microorganisms including disease causing bacteria, viruses, protozoan’s, and parasites.
Modern filtering devices and the chemical treatment of water come in a poor distant second to the ancient and almost foolproof method of boiling water to make it safe to drink. And importantly to the survivor, the boiling of water requires no special apparatus, training, or difficult to find chemicals. The means to boil water for safe drinking are usually close at hand:

• A source of heat
• A vessel to hold the water.

Boil Water Advisory


Couldn’t be simpler. Or is it?
Commonly Stated Water Boiling Times

I am always hearing different amounts of time that water needs to be boiled to kill disease organisms. Recently I perused various publications put out by the government and trusted health organizations. What is glaringly obvious is they disagree on the length of time water should be boiled to make it safe to drink.


Common water boiling times that are stated include:

• “Boil water for 10 minutes” is a common statement
• “5-minutes of boiling” is also frequently heard
• “Boil the water for 20 minutes”. Would there be any left?
• “A rolling boil for 1 minute”. Is it enough?
• “When at high altitudes you need to boil water for twice as long”

Modern filtering devices and the chemical treatment of water come in a poor distant second to the ancient and almost foolproof method of boiling water to make it safe to drink.

Which of the above statements are true? None. That’s right. Following any of the above advice for the boiling times of water is a big waste of fuel (and a waste of water if you are short on water cannot afford to lose any to evaporation).


Throughout the world whole forests have been cut down for firewood in order to boil drinking water. Hikers and mountaineers have used up precious fuel boiling water for inordinate amounts of time. In a survival situation you cannot afford to waste valuable resources and energy. With all the bad advice around, many thousands of trees and other fuels and a huge a amount of effort have been wasted. See Deforestation and Health: A Woman's Perspective / Radio Scripts / Farm Radio International

Correct Water Boiling Time

whole forests have been cut down for firewood in order to boil drinking water

The correct amount of time to boil water is 0 minutes. Thats right, zero minutes.



"According to the Wilderness Medical Society, water temperatures above 160° F (70° C) kill all pathogens within 30 minutes and above 185° F (85° C) within a few minutes. So in the time it takes for the water to reach the boiling point (212° F or 100° C) from 160° F (70° C), all pathogens will be killed, even at high altitude."

Source: http://www.princeton.edu/~oa/manual/water.shtml
"What is not well known is that contaminated water can be pasteurized at temperatures well below boiling, as can milk, which is commonly pasteurized at 71°C (160°F)...".


Source: Water pasteurization - Solar Cooking.

What is not well known is that contaminated water can be pasteurized at temperatures well below boiling

The fact is, with a water temperature of 160 to 165 degrees F (74 C) it takes just half an hour for all disease causing organisms to be inactivated. At 185 degrees this is cut to just a few minutes. By the time water hits its boiling point of 212 F (100 C) - plus or minus depending upon pressure or altitude - the water is safe. Even at high altitudes the time it takes for the water to reach a rolling boil and then cool means you can safely drink it.
Lacking a thermometer to measure water temperature, you only need to get your water to a rolling boil. By that point you know the water is hot enough and that the disease organisms in your water were destroyed quite some time earlier. End of story, turn off the heat. Stop wasting fuel. Let the water cool down. Your water is safe to drink!

Originally Posted by Kritters

Not yet, E-girl~

I haven't made much $$$ because of having this plague for a few years, but I plan on getting a complete system. I just buy the best bottled water and boil THAT to use.

Kritts

[jonsi]

Hi tcm,

I have a water filter in my shower head that is supposed to filter out toxins such as chlorine & fluoride (which kill living cells, including our largest organ, the skin).

Am I wasting my money on a shower filter? I know my skin isn't flaky when I use a shower filter. I live in a very dry climate/high altitude and without the filter I have to use skin lotion. I don't have a filter on my kitchen or bathroom sink faucets.

Are you saying that water heaters that are set at 160/165 degrees F should kill anything toxic to our skin or does that temp just apply to killing living organisms?

My belief is that "M" feeds on toxins. I don't boil water but I live in a very small isolated town at 7,500 feet and everything runs downhill from here. That might make a difference.

Do you "boil" your water before you drink it? How many of us do?

Itwl,
~jonsi

[tcmgpt13]

Hi, Jonsi,

No I do not boil my water, but I do have a whole house filter which does filter out the chlorine from the water for bathing (but not the fluoride unfortunately). If fluoride and chlorine are filtered from your shower, I do not think that is a waste of money (unfortunately there is no solution for the tap at the tub when you want to take a bath). I certainly could not afford a whole house system which purified my water enough to drink it at the tap or remove fluoride. I rely on buying bottled water for drinking, but I buy distilled which I feel is filtered sufficiently. Of course the only way to know what is in the water is to have it tested, but even that would change from bottle to bottle. Boiling water for long periods of time however can concentrate toxic impurities (like the plastic it was stored in or the metals which are in it) which is why boiling water the old fashioned way is probably not a good idea.

I don't think that water heaters should be heated to 160. Too expensive to run and too much of a chance of scalding oneself in the shower or at the sink. I do not think keeping the heater at that temperature would remove other types of toxic impurities, just the bacteria etc. So many questions and no sure answers. I thought the article (which I did not write) was interesting and it contains some additional links for those who want to look into it further. I guess all we can do is the best we can, about food and about water.

tcm

[Enviro Girl]

Kritts, I was gonna post this before but I thought you all would have seen this. I've read of ppl feeling slightly better from the Morg when they moved out into the country (?) - I know my own Morg seemed to have a static element to it. (?) Can't help wonder if we do not attract metals, as well as parasites. I think any of these things we can do to get rid of our Other Things and keep the junk out to expedite our healing are swell!
I posted a non-GMO shopping list I think ya might enjoy, as well.

[jonsi]

Thanks tcm for your reply.

I have a two huge water filters that can be hooked up to my water supply, I need to hire a plumber to install it though... I used to sell them and they are part of my stock! What's crazy is that I've had these filters in my closet for over 10 years now! similar to: Aquasana Whole House Water Filtration System I think I should gift one to buggedout2. She's not doing very well. Say prayers for her... or, I could sell it foR $500 + shipping (haha, seriously tho, in my closet that long...)

In the white light,
~jonsi

[Enviro Girl]

I was liking the taste of Osmosis Water to drink/make coffee/cook with, after trying that and Distilled, both like a buck somethin' at the store, but then it's all in plastic jugs and is that bad, now, too?
Ugh...Plus, who's bottling that bottled water/I don't want water from my local pond. It's prolly out the tap 1/2 the time, ick...
So, I did gallons of Osmosis Water to drink (tastes so good, much better than filtered tap of both Pur and Brita, to me), PUR tap filters @ the sinks and the shower filter.
If we even suspect we attract metallics and chemicals and unknown parasites, those fibers that have heat resistance or whatever - it sounds like we have a good selection of options going and sounds like people will get better, faster!
From the shower filter, there's soooo much chlorine here that my hair felt like silk w/in 3 days, it was amazing! For $25 and it just zips right on the shower head, what they hey! Jonsi, you could double up and boil the osmosis or distilled water or tap filter water!
Armed w/this info., we can make a household's water a lot better for like $10-$30 per month (?), depending on consumption.
- If anyone knows of either a bath tub filter or a shower filter w/a guage that's still around $25 for 6 mos. or if you need help checking out your local pollution stats, please advise.

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