Cancer and drinking water… those are two words that one really does not want to hear in the same sentence, yet all over the world communities are becoming very concerned about the quality of their drinking water and the possible links between chemicals found in their drinking water and the high incidences of cancer.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has laid out Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, which are supposed to be adhered to by all governments, but despite this, the definition of “safe drinking water” differs greatly. This has led to water providers having to publish the results of their water testing annually for public review.
The reason for this is that some of the chemicals that are being added to water to supposedly protect us from toxins and keep us healthy may in actual fact be doing more harm than good, and may well be responsible for a rise in cancer cases in various countries.
Two of the biggest culprits of this are chlorine which is used mainly in the United States of America to “purify†the drinking water, and fluoride, which is used in quite a few countries for the treatment of water to make it potable for use by the public.
Studies have determined that water that has been treated with chlorine contains high levels of carcinogenic chemicals. Chlorine contains Trihalomethanes (THMs), which studies published in the American Journal of Public Health link to incidences of bladder, rectal, and pancreatic cancer. Most THMs are consumed via drinking water, but secondary exposure can come from inhaling the THM vapours in the shower or the bath.
Tests done on animals show that high levels of THMs are toxic to the liver and the kidneys. When one is exposed to high levels of the contaminant regularly at high doses, it results in adverse effects on the human central nervous system, liver, kidneys, and heart.
When it comes to fluoride, an article published in the Journal of Epidemiology in 2001, links it as the genetic cause of cancer. A National Toxicology Program study undertaken in 1990 determined that fluoride could be the cause of mouth, pharynx, colon and rectal cancer. In another study published in the Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology and Oncology in 2001 links fluoride to high incidences of osteosarcoma, which is a rare bone cancer.
Other carcinogenic agents that can often be found in drinking water are naturally occurring radioactive agents such as uranium, radon and radium, which can cause brain and/or bone cancer. Fertilizer, insecticides and herbicides also carry carcinogens that sometimes filter down into the public water supply, albeit more often in rural areas than in urban areas.
The best way to ensure that your drinking water is pure and toxin-free is to get yourself a water cooler. Most water coolers are fitted with a water filter that ensures that about 99% of toxins are removed from your drinking water prior to you drinking it. Some water companies offer bottled water coolers that dispense spring water, which is the most pure water on the planet.
You could also get a mains or point-of-use (POU) water cooler, which is plumbed straight into your main water supply and has a filter that is attached where the supply leaves the municipal water pipes. This means that the water is cleared of any toxins long before it reaches your drinking glass.
Drink water regularly in order to keep your body hydrated and healthy, but remember, if you are not drinking pure water you may be doing more damage than good.
