Water-come On!

[Guest digmom1014]

Anyone else think that when they drink water from the tap they have a reaction? Every night I get a drink of water from the bathroom sink and every night I lay in bed with those familiar rumblings. I have no other side effects from the water but, I thought I remembered someone else here saying the same thing. (I couldn't find the post)

Anyone?! Or am I just weird?

[darlindeb25]

I'm sorry, I do not remember a thread about water. For me, the water doesn't matter. I drink bottled water, simply because I can carry it with me to work, keep it sitting on my desk. I prefer my water to be room temperature most of the time, so I like it this way. I do drink water from the tap at home sometimes, I see no difference. It is city water, I live on Long Island. I guess I am not helping you!

[lizard00]

I don't react to water like gluten, but tap water does hurt my stomach. But, I grew up drinking distilled water, so most tap water and bottled water makes does a number on my stomach. If you are used to drinking filtered or purified water and drink tap water (especially if your tap water is not too good) then it would definitely cause you to have some rumblings. Ever heard of traveler's diarrhea? That's one of the reasons for it... different water supply.

[gfgypsyqueen]

I've known people who have problems with tap water. Drinking tap water would make their stomach just hurt. Try a Brita or Pur filter system. That usually did the trick for them. I like the filtered water just for taste

[tarnalberry]

If you live in a city that does a fair amount of chlorinating and it doesn't all get removed, you may find that bothers your stomach - and it has nothing to do with gluten. A cheap water filter will take care of chlorine. (If that's the problem, you may be able to smell it, if you have a relatively sensitive nose. I know that I can, even with low levels of chlorine!)

(Ok, really, iirc, what's in the tap water is chloramine, not chlorine. But the chemical difference isn't vital here, just the concept.)

[larry mac]

If you live in a city that does a fair amount of chlorinating and it doesn't all get removed, you may find that bothers your stomach - and it has nothing to do with gluten. A cheap water filter will take care of chlorine. (If that's the problem, you may be able to smell it, if you have a relatively sensitive nose. I know that I can, even with low levels of chlorine!)

(Ok, really, iirc, what's in the tap water is chloramine, not chlorine. But the chemical difference isn't vital here, just the concept.)

The chlorine must be there in suficient quantity to prevent bacteria from growing. It is mandated and regulated by the state. It would be unsafe otherwise. Most of tap waters unpleasant taste is from the chorine. I have a filter in my fridge that removes it. Makes the ice taste better also.

There are other natural minerals also, this is lake water after all. Unless you have well water which has even more minerals. Surface water (lake water) also contains algea that may affect taste (especialy in the summer). Water treatment plants just make the water safe to use and drink. They can't & don't filter it to remove everything.

If all you had to drink was distilled water you would die. Our bodies need minerals, salts and other components of natural water. Drinking distilled water is not recommended. Drink spring water if you must. Some bottled waters tastes terrible to me. I love my filtered water. It costs me nothing. Well, you do have to change the filter ocassionally, but the filter only cost $10.

best regards, lm

BTW, I work in a water quality laboratory that serves 3.5 million customers.

[blueeyedmanda]

I don't drink our tap water since it is so hard that it leaves a lot of residue behind...we even give the cat bottled/ spring water now. After one day his bowl would start turning black...its gross....I like Deb have city water so I am not helping either.

[lizard00]

If all you had to drink was distilled water you would die. Our bodies need minerals, salts and other components of natural water.

If ALL you had to drink was water, you'd die. Distilled or not. I've been drinking it for 20 years... still alive.

I agree, we do need minerals and salts from water, but our water is so polluted with other things, that I'd prefer to get those things from vegetables and fruits or supplements and have pure water. I don't want all the other toxins that come along with it.

Drinking distilled water is not recommended

Depends who you talk to; in talking to my doctor, I found out she only drinks distilled water.

[tarnalberry]

The chlorine must be there in suficient quantity to prevent bacteria from growing. It is mandated and regulated by the state. It would be unsafe otherwise. Most of tap waters unpleasant taste is from the chorine. I have a filter in my fridge that removes it. Makes the ice taste better also.

There are other natural minerals also, this is lake water after all. Unless you have well water which has even more minerals. Surface water (lake water) also contains algea that may affect taste (especialy in the summer). Water treatment plants just make the water safe to use and drink. They can't & don't filter it to remove everything.

If all you had to drink was distilled water you would die. Our bodies need minerals, salts and other components of natural water. Drinking distilled water is not recommended. Drink spring water if you must. Some bottled waters tastes terrible to me. I love my filtered water. It costs me nothing. Well, you do have to change the filter ocassionally, but the filter only cost $10.

best regards, lm

BTW, I work in a water quality laboratory that serves 3.5 million customers.

I think we're in total agreement. (I also use a filter through my fridge. Though, we do have an RODI system - for the reef tank my husband is setting up. Yes, I won't be drinking from it.)

Occasionally, though, water treatment facilities use too much chlorine. Sometimes it's more than is needed, but not too much to go over safety levels (there's buffer room), sometimes it's over safety levels for things like showering and they send warnings to your college so your whole dorm is warned not to take showers for the next day because there's too much chlorine in the water and it may cause skin and eye irritation. :-o (This is *after* we called them about smelling WAY too much chlorine and already *getting* such irritation for two weeks... :/)

But yeah, I stick with my fridge filter, and I'm happy. I can smell the standard, 'safe' levels of chlorine. (the quotes are there not as snark, but as a relative - to note that they still bother my nose, even if they may be lab tested to be safe for ingestion for the majority of the population.)

[MyMississippi]

I would NEVER drink tap water. (Unless, I had my own well) ------- UGH ! ! !

[Guest digmom1014]

I guess no more drinking from the tap for me. But the filtered refrig. H2Ois way downstairs in the kitchen!!!

[MelliDuff]

Every time I drink my tap water (at least 3 - 4 consecutive days) I get sick. I get a cold or a bug and start to feel very bad....I have hash. thyroidis. I have read that the fluoride in tap waters will effect my thyroid. I suspect the fluoride is what makes me sick....I'm not supposed to have it in my toothpaste either.

[larry mac]

I don't drink our tap water since it is so hard that it leaves a lot of residue behind...we even give the cat bottled/ spring water now. After one day his bowl would start turning black...its gross....I like Deb have city water so I am not helping either.

Have you tried using filters? Most bottled water starts out as municipal tap water. Then there's the plasticizer chemicals that leach out of the bottles. The billions of bottles going in the landfills. And the oil and energy thats used to manufacture and transport the bottles.

best regards, lm

[larry mac]

I would NEVER drink tap water. (Unless, I had my own well) ------- UGH ! ! !

I lived in the country for 15 years. We had well water supplied by a small water company. Pathetic water pressure. Extremely high mineral content, what's called hard water. And who knows how much septic tank and other polutants seeping through the ground.

best regards, lm

[gfp]

If ALL you had to drink was water, you'd die. Distilled or not. I've been drinking it for 20 years... still alive.

I agree, we do need minerals and salts from water, but our water is so polluted with other things, that I'd prefer to get those things from vegetables and fruits or supplements and have pure water. I don't want all the other toxins that come along with it.

Depends who you talk to; in talking to my doctor, I found out she only drinks distilled water.

If you only drink distilled water it will literally leach vitamins and mineral out of the food and you literally pee them out... and this is the wrong forum to say "My Dr. does it "

I lived in the country for 15 years. We had well water supplied by a small water company. Pathetic water pressure. Extremely high mineral content, what's called hard water. And who knows how much septic tank and other polutants seeping through the ground.

As mentioned on another thread ... this is how I got typhoid.

Shallow well water can contain all sorts of contaminants. Ground water seepage is a big issue as are dead animals and birds and algal growth.

We pump sewage, industrial waste and inject acidified water ... and reinject radioactive waste. That's just for starters.

Like me you have probably seen the analysis of thousands of ground water samples and probably have the same thoughts.

If I lived on the side of a mountain it might be a different matter but anywhere in a basin uggh ...

I have analysed shallow wells for drinking water in the middle of the Sahara and found industrial pollutants, not to mention run off from oil fields etc. so its a little scary to imagine drinking shallow well water which is not regularly tested.

Regular testing is necassary ... my tyhpoid was traced back to the fact is was summer. The underwater spring feeding the well dried up and started flowing in reverse. The outlet became an inlet and the inlet was located next to a sewage outlet.

[pixiegirl]

I drink water that come straight out of the ground, its not filtered or treated in any way. We do have it tested yearly and its clean with no contaminants, we don't just test for bacteria either but do the big expensive test (like 450.) that tests for crazy things like jet fuel and fertilizers etc. It tastes excellent. My well here on Cape Cod is twice as deep as all the other locals, 75 feet deep.

What is interesting, in one of the posts above it said something about chlorine being added to the water supply and that being regulated by the fed/state.. I have to assume they were talking about a specific area they live in because here on cape cod the public water supply comes straight up from the ground, no chlorine is added at all (or fluoride, nothing at all), its not filtered but according to the water co. they do add something (salt maybe) to adjust the PH. (we don't have public water we stayed with our well but I looked into getting it).

I do drink Poland Springs water a lot too as I buy it all the time when I'm out and about. I don't react to any of it.

Susan

[larry mac]

...What is interesting, in one of the posts above it said something about chlorine being added to the water supply and that being regulated by the fed/state.. I have to assume they were talking about a specific area they live in because here on cape cod the public water supply comes straight up from the ground, no chlorine is added at all (or fluoride, nothing at all), its not filtered but according to the water co. they do add something (salt maybe) to adjust the PH....

You are right about the regulations. Wells can't provide enough to supply tens of millions of people. So lakes are constructed. Surface water and sub-surface water supplies are completely different scenarios. There is pee & poop in lakes. From fish & animals. From all the runoff in creeks & streams (more animals in those woods). And from wastewater treatment plant discharges (which are highly regulated). Then there are numerous chemical substances that run-off and affect the water dynamics. Fertilizers provide nitrogen that promote algea and plant growth. Then there are pesticides and industrial sources. But, at least here in North Texas, it's all been carefully orchestrated and the water supply should be relatively safe.

You are really lucky Susan, to have your own deep well. That's pretty cool. Water is getting harder to come by, and more expensive.

BTW folks, I would never, ever drink water from a stream or lake without boiling it first. No matter how clean it looks. There's lots of tiny little critters living in there, and some of 'em are very dangerous.

best regards, lm

p.s., Flouride is sometimes added to prevent teeth decay in children. But that is decided by local governments mostly.

[tarnalberry]

...

BTW folks, I would never, ever drink water from a stream or lake without boiling it first. No matter how clean it looks. There's lots of tiny little critters living in there, and some of 'em are very dangerous.

best regards, lm

p.s., Flouride is sometimes added to prevent teeth decay in children. But that is decided by local governments mostly.

Heh... I don't even go for boiling. I'd be interested to hear your take on it, larry mac, but someone I knew who did a bit of research into it (experiments in college), found that water would have to be boiled for approximately 20 minutes to kill a high percentage of bacteria, viruses, parasites, and cysts. It's really the hardy cysts that are the big problem, of course. (Of course, all my stream/lake water drinking occurs on backpacking trips, and 20 minutes of fuel is a *LOT*, so it's filtration for me. A Open Original Shared Link for normal conditions, and chlorine dioxide tablets for emergency treatment (though those require a four hour treatment time), are what go with me if I'm drinking water that hasn't been commercially treated. (We don't get wells around here. )

Open Original Shared Link shows the by-state average of fluoridation levels. Obviously, it varies by municipality. (For instance, for a very long time - and possibly still, San Jose, despite being a large city, did not fluoridate.) On average across the country, about two thirds of all publicly provided drinking water is fluoridated (but that ranges from 9% in HI, to 100% in DC).

[home-based-mom]

San Diego just started fluoridating drinking water. And in case anyone missed it,

Open Original Shared Link

[larry mac]

Heh... I don't even go for boiling.

I just threw that out there, but you know more about it than I do. I've never had the occasion to drink "wild" water. Never been backpacking or anywhere that remote. That UV sterilizer pen is got to be the coolest thing I've ever seen. And it's only $80, amazing. Some of our newer wastewater treatment plants use UV. Large banks of huge blacklights kill micro-organisims as the water passes through special tanks. That's in leu of adding chlorine and then having to remove it before the effluent is released into creeks and streams.

We also have smaller UV lights in the lab to ensure certain test equipment is sterile for sensitive growth tests. And yet another use for UV light is kind of cool. On any new building construction (offices, homes, stores, wherever there will be potable water), the builder must bring water samples to us for testing after flushing the new lines sufficiently. They are taken in sterile containers supplied by us. We incubate them for 18 hours under controlled conditions, and then make certain observations. One, if the water sample turned yellow, that indicates coliform contamination. That's bad and requires more flushing and retesting. If it turned yellow, we also observe it under a UV lamp. If it fluoresces, or glows blue, that's really bad and indicates E-Coli contamination. Again, more flushing and re-testing.

OK, so UV lights are good. UV lights are our friend.

best regards, lm

best regards, lm

[tarnalberry]

I just threw that out there, but you know more about it than I do. I've never had the occasion to drink "wild" water.

One thing that fascinates me: I had a nalgene mostly full of water from a trip through the Open Original Shared Link, which had been sterilized, but gotten from one of the lower lakes. After sitting on my counter for a week, it most definitely smelled *off*. I don't get that from letting municipal tap water sit in a water bottle (even in a hot car) for a week. A little scary, quite frankly, but I'm still alive. And it's not like a sterilizer is going to *remove* things from the water, only kill things. (My co-packers were mostly using filters, which are quite different, but don't purify if you don't add the chlorine dioxide drops...)

[home-based-mom]

OK, so UV lights are good. UV lights are our friend.

Sigh. Too bad uv lights can't be "trained" to spot gluten!

Can the uv lights find the pharmaceuticals mentioned in my above post? It really grosses me out that stuff peed and pooped by every person in the land and every beast of the field winds up untouched back in everyone's drinking water.

[larry mac]

.....And in case anyone missed it, Prescription drugs found in drinking water across U.S.

Yes, but no ones proposed what could be done about it. Did you notice that most well water and bottled water was affected also?

I hope I'm getting my fair share of everyone's anti-anxiety meds. I need all I can get. Plus, I'm trying to cut back on water anyway and drink more margaritas.

best regards, lm

[MyMississippi]

I was raised in the country with our own well. Drank our well water all my life as did the rest of my family. Didn't do us any harm.

I will NOT drink tap water with all the chemicals and junk found in it. SOme days the water from my tap has a brown tinge to it. We are ALWAYS having "boil your water" notices.

No thank you, I'll take my chances with the "plastizers" in the bottles, and you can drink the filtered cooties.

[larry mac]

I've always heard Florida has some of the worst water. Something about the shallow water table?

best regards, lm