How to get access to clean, healthy drinking water?

Since our bodies are basically over 70% water, shouldn't we be a bit more picky about what we drink?
Think back ten years—who actually bought bottled water back then? Just people grabbing seltzer for a cocktail, right?
Nowadays, either the water quality has tanked or we've all just become way more health-conscious.
Can we really trust the tap water coming out of the sink? I have my doubts.
And bottled water? Who knows how it’s processed. Is it just filtered through some cheap mesh? Plus, there's the plastic issue. PET packaging is definitely not the way to go.
Then there's filtration. It all depends on the filter quality, ranging from basic meshes to pricey setups using silica sand and silver powder. But even then, most filters don't catch everything—bacteria can slip through, and chlorine often stays put.
Basically, filtration helps, but it can also be a bit of an illusion.
Options are narrowing down. We either need to find a pure spring or make our own clean water at home.
There are really only two ways to get truly pure water, which are
reverse osmosis or distillation using a home setup.
Reverse osmosis is pricier than a distiller, doesn't strip away every single impurity, wastes a lot of water, and those replacement membranes? They're outrageously expensive.

Let me guess where this is going... You're probably about to drop a link or some "special deal" on one of those miracle gadgets that supposedly cures everything under the sun, right? And hey, you can even put it on a credit card with monthly installments... blah, blah, blah...

Look, if this thread turns into a sales pitch for those fake medical devices, I'm shutting this whole thing down instantly, and you'll be getting a permanent ban before you can even blink!

Bradley Bailey10 said:The real issue with this filtration method is that it doesn't actually get rid of impurities or bacteria, and most of the chlorine remains in the water anyway.

I suppose a little bit of a weakened immune system might not be the worst thing for anyone.🤣 😂

Bradley Bailey10 said:Since our bodies are basically over 70% water, I honestly think we need to be way more picky about what we're drinking.
Like, ten years ago, who even bothered buying bottled water? (Unless you wanted bubbles for a cocktail).
Nowadays, either the quality of water has tanked, or people have just finally woken up to the reality of it.
And tap water? How safe can you really trust it? Personally, I wouldn't bet the house on it.
Then there's bottled stuff—how much processing are we actually talking about here? Is it just filtered through some cheap nylon sock? Plus, let's talk about the packaging. PET plastic is garbage. Period.
As for filtration, it all comes down to the filter itself. You’ve got everything from basic mesh junk to high-end setups using silica sand and silver powder. The big issue with standard filters is they don't kill off bacteria, and most of them leave the chlorine right where it is.
Basically, filtration helps, sure, but half the time it feels like a total scam to make you feel better.
The options are shrinking. Either we find a pure spring or we start making our own clean water at home.
There are really only two ways to get truly pure water, and those are
reverse osmosis or distillation, both of which you can set up at home.
Reverse osmosis is pricier than a distiller, it doesn't totally strip out every single impurity, it wastes a ton of water, and the replacement membranes? Absolute ripoff. They're insanely expensive.

Look, tap water is perfectly fine (assuming it's coming from a municipal system!) because it gets tested daily against hundreds of different parameters following strict US and international standards. The laws here are crystal clear about what's allowed in the water and what happens if even one tiny thing fails inspection. Seriously, just go Google how they handle bacteria or what the legal limit for chlorine is in drinking water. For any normal person, you don't need ANY filters, let alone fancy reverse osmosis or distillation setups! Drinking water shouldn't have bacteria, heavy metals, or organic contaminants... if anything shows up, it's in trace amounts way below the legal threshold. And for the folks who want the deep dive, distilled water isn't even great for regular drinking (especially in large amounts), and I'm sure Bradley Bailey10 can explain why since he clearly thinks he's such an expert on water!
DON'T FALL FOR THIS NONSENSE AND DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON TRASH WHEN YOU COULD BE BUYING SOMETHING USEFUL!!!🧐

Scott Allen10 said:Let me guess... you’ve probably got a link ready to go, right? Or maybe just a "great deal" on some miracle device that supposedly cures everything under the sun? You know, the kind they let you pay off in monthly installments on your credit card... blah, blah, blah.

If this heads down that path and people start talking about those kinds of gadgets, I’m shutting this whole thing down immediately. And you? You'll be getting a permanent ban before you can even blink!

Scott Allen10
Think of this forum as a spot to share what's on your mind, toss around some ideas, and swap info. Sounds good, right?
If I look closely at what you wrote, it feels like you're just picking at your own flaws without actually adding anything to the conversation. Is there even a point?

Bradley Bailey10 said:Scott Allen10
I have always believed this forum should serve as a space for sharing perspectives, exchanging ideas, and spreading useful information.
When I take a moment to look over your post, aside from the way you seem to be being rather hard on yourself, I struggle to see how it actually contributes to our discussion.

You should probably just be glad you didn't get banned instantly, because on some other subreddits, you would have been kicked without even getting a warning or a comment first!☕

Bradley Bailey10 said:Scott Allen10
The forum exists as a space for sharing opinions, exchanging ideas, and spreading information.
When I look at your post, aside from you basically attacking yourself, I don't see any actual value added here.

Unsanctioned advertising is strictly prohibited on this forum, especially since everything about your post suggests you're just setting the stage to hawk some bizarre invention—and Scott Allen10 gave you a fair warning. So, go ahead, decide which direction you want this discussion to take.

Besides, what you wrote was complete nonsense and pure idiocy, if not outright lies. Anyone can distill water using basic household items, but why bother?

I suggest 🙂

The conversation isn't over yet, and we aren't handing out bans here without a legitimate reason. Honestly, both Scott Allen10 and I have dealt with those "miracle cure" types before, so yeah, sometimes we just shoot in the dark...

But look, this discussion actually matters. Water quality is declining, and the standards for what counts as "safe" are constantly being lowered. In some parts of the country, tap water barely meets health safety guidelines, if it meets them at all. And that’s a massive issue. We're talking about a nation that ranks in the top five for water wealth in all of Europe, yet our water and sewage infrastructure is absolutely crumbling. Even in the heart of Washington, D.C., you've got households without proper water connections. Meanwhile, right near major pumping stations, there are families without any access to a sewer system—and you can probably guess the mess that creates when septic tanks fail in areas where they're still used. Bottom line? We are doing a terrible job managing our water resources.

Casey Palmer5 said:Water quality is going downhill fast, and honestly, the standards for what counts as "safe" just keep getting lowered... We’re talking about a country that ranks in the top 5 for water resources in all of America, yet our pipes and sewage systems are absolute junk. ... Bottom line? we're totally screwing up our water management.

I'm with you on this one!👎

Casey Palmer5 said:The discussion stays open, and we don't just hand out bans here without a legitimate reason. Since both Scott Allen10 and I have dealt with all sorts of "miracle workers" and sales pitches before, we occasionally take a shot in the dark ourselves.

But honestly, this conversation is necessary. Water pollution is increasing, and the standards for water safety are constantly being lowered. In certain areas, tap water barely meets—if it meets them at all—basic health safety requirements. And yes, that is a genuine issue. How can a nation that ranks among the top five most water-rich countries in America simultaneously possess such pathetic water and sewage infrastructure? In the heart of Washington, D.C., there are households that aren't even connected to the main water supply. Meanwhile, right near some of our most lucrative water pumping stations, you find homes without any access to a sewer system—and what do you think happens when those faulty septic tanks start leaking? We are managing our water resources incredibly poorly.

While water management is generally a mess, there are cities in the US, like Columbus, that are actually world leaders in efficiency because they have the lowest water loss in their networks globally!
Look, the point about septic tanks might hold water, but it might not either. A septic tank could be twenty yards away from a pumping station and have zero impact on it; everything depends on the specific radius of influence for that station.
It isn’t that the sewage and water networks are inherently poor; the real issue is that they aren't being serviced regularly. That's the core problem. Negligence causes 40% of Washington, D.C.'s water to leak straight into the ground😁 when that same water could be sold to fund infrastructure repairs, leaving plenty of profit left over. The people in Columbus figured that out; the question is when everyone else will catch up.
As for water quality, it's perfectly fine—in fact, haven't they actually tightened the criteria recently? 😉😉

Listen, folks—pardon the long-windedness here, but I absolutely cannot sit idly by while I read all this nonsense being peddled on here (with a few exceptions, obviously). All these claims about water quality—specifically regarding the municipal supply—are not just baseless, they are flat-out wrong. People love to cite whatever sensationalist garbage hits the news cycle, but that’s exactly the point... who actually controls the media? The government? Of course they aren't going to broadcast the truth if it makes them look bad—their capacity for manipulation is staggering. I spent years working for an environmental protection firm, handling everything from hazardous waste management to maintaining industrial and public sector water purification systems. What I saw firsthand was nothing short of appalling. In America, we barely even touch our wastewater; maybe 4% of it gets properly treated. When you consider we generate roughly 600 million cubic meters of wastewater annually... well, there's more than enough left over for us to drink. Ever since I started at that company, my kid hasn't touched a single drop of tap water. I actually agree with a specialist who once joked that we should patent the "method" of drinking pure, healthy water without actually treating any of the wastewater first. Our infrastructure is ancient—some of these pipes are a century old! We're talking corroded metal, asbestos-cement, etc.—so don't come to me with that laughable argument that purification is "unnecessary" or "too expensive." I'm not some shill for a filtration company, but stop repeating things you only half-understand. If you want the truth, take a sample of your actual tap water to a lab. Don't tell them where it came from; just let them test it. You'll be shocked. While the legal limit for dissolved solids might be 50 mg/L, my sample from a Cave location hit 155 mg/L, and out on Manhattan, it was over 500. Furthermore, there are no "beneficial minerals" in that water. Those are inorganic minerals that the human body can't even absorb or process—it's like eating dirt and expecting to feel great. Only plants have the ability through photosynthesis to convert those useless, sometimes harmful inorganic minerals into organic ones that humans can actually use. That 155 ppm figure mostly refers to limescale. Think about why people buy distilled water to protect their irons—who are they actually protecting? Think about what happens to our water heaters, dishwashers, and even the residue on our dishes. That same stuff builds up in our arteries and veins, causing damage—calcification, hardening, atherosclerosis. That’s why cholesterol builds up; calcium and magnesium damage the vessel walls, creating a landing strip for fats to settle and form plaques that would otherwise just flow through. Then there's the bigger picture: dialysis, chemotherapy... the reality is that cancer rates are skyrocketing here in the US, especially in regions like San Francisco, while mortality rates for cancer are actually dropping elsewhere. And get this: if the liars at the CDC decide to "test" water quality but don't want to release the real data, they simply run tests on the specific connection points they know are within limits, rather than testing the spots everyone knows are contaminated. It’s blatant manipulation of the public. In total, hundreds of contaminants have been identified in water supplies, yet we only track about ten of them. I know this is a wall of text, but I hope this provides some actual substance for those who think they're experts, and for anyone else looking for the real story. There are plenty more details and arguments proving that public utilities are essentially poisoning us, but that would require far too much time and space.

Here’s another little bit of technical reality for those claiming there are zero bacteria or parasites in the water just because of chlorination. Sure, chlorine has been used as a disinfectant since the early 1900s—long before we actually understood all the side effects and nasty byproducts—and yes, it does kill bacteria. But people conveniently skip over the most important part—whether they're ignorant or just looking the other way. Some bacteria have developed a massive resistance to chlorine now; take *E. coli*, for example. On top of that, thanks to the incredibly rough materials—all those various metals—used to make water pipes over the last century, bacteria, viruses, and parasites create biofilms. They build up these clusters in the tiny pits and imperfections of the pipe surfaces. Because they're tucked away like that, they're shielded from the main flow of the water, creating actual little ecosystems inside the lines. Eventually, chunks of that biomass break off the walls and end up right in your tap!! "Just Google it." Don't let them pull the wool over your eyes—not that our institutions haven't been doing that for years anyway!!

Casey Palmer5 said:Water quality is getting worse, and they just keep lowering the standards for what counts as "safe."

Actually, I think it's the exact opposite—they're making the standards much stricter. I'm just not sure how much of that is for public health versus pure profit. Needing those super precise analyses means companies have to buy incredibly expensive equipment, which obviously drives up their sales. On top of that, meeting these new requirements forces everyone to adopt new, high-end technology. When you add all that up $\rightarrow$ water prices go up.

We are honestly doing a terrible job managing our water supply--> Ugh, I couldn't agree more. I’m with you on this one, heart and soul. It isn't just about the water, though; our entire industrial sector and manufacturing base (or what’s left of it) is a mess. We focus so much on the moment a product is made that we completely ignore the byproducts and waste left behind... it's just gone. Instead of fixing things when problems pop up, we just shut down the plants, lay off everyone, and tell people they should probably just go work in tourism instead. :)))

Bryan Wilson81 said:Managing water this way is generally a bad idea, but there are cities in America like Columbus that are actually world leaders in efficiency—they have some of the lowest water loss rates on the planet!
Well, that stuff about septic tanks might be true, but it might not be either. A septic tank could be 20 meters away from a well and not affect it at all; it really just depends on the radius of influence of the well!
The issue isn't that the sewage and water networks are poor quality; it's simply that they aren't being maintained regularly. That's the real problem. About 40% of the water in Washington, D.C. just leaks into the ground😁 when that same water could be sold. If they used that revenue to upgrade the infrastructure, they'd actually turn a profit. People in Columbus figured that out; I just wonder when everyone else will catch up!
Water quality is perfectly fine—in fact, the standards have actually gotten stricter recently! 😉😉

I totally agree, and I've heard similar things regarding the Hospital. I really hope other places follow that lead because, honestly, it’s the most cost-effective move in the long run. Crostan, I assume this is your neck of the woods? :-)) If I remember right, any updates or plans in the works?

Patrick Allen64 said:America barely treats its wastewater at all.

It’s more of a "sort of" situation. To be fair, I've actually been part of the team designing tech processes for about 20 different plants—mostly municipal wastewater, though we did four industrial ones. That’s just my own experience over the last six years, so obviously, other people in the industry are doing work too. It’s not like nothing is being treated, but man, we definitely need to be doing way, way more.

Patrick Allen64 said:The allowed concentration of dissolved solids is 50 mg/l,

I'm not quite following you there. Evaporated residue? Suspended solids? Conductivity? Which specific measurement are you talking about, and where did you get that number from?

Patrick Allen64 said:Just think about why so many people buy distilled water to protect their irons (who's really being protected here?). Think about what happens to our water heaters, washing machines, or those white spots on our dishes. That stuff builds up in our arteries and veins—calcification, hardening, atherosclerosis... that's why cholesterol builds up in the vessels. Calcium and magnesium damage the veins, so fat gets trapped in those spots while it flows through, creating blockages. On top of that, we're looking at dialysis and sometimes chemo. The fact is, cancer rates are skyrocketing in America, especially in places like San Francisco, while mortality rates elsewhere are actually dropping. And one more thing: if the liars at the CDC decide to test water quality but don't want to release the truth, they'll just run tests on the specific connections they know are within limits instead of testing the ones everyone knows are failing. They claim the water is fine, but it's just manipulating the public.

Good grief! Man, what on earth are you even rambling about????????

What am I even rambling about? It’s about the thing absolutely nobody thinks about when they turn on the tap—the fallout from drinking water saturated with inorganic minerals (which are always present) and all the other junk floating in there! A respected colleague of mine—who actually worked on certain filtration systems—pointed out that while people think it's being cleaned, they've got it all wrong. Out of 600 million cubic feet, less than 4% is actually properly treated; the rest just ends up in the municipal supply. Did you know that along the entire coast, there's only one decent municipal water purifier—located in San Francisco—while the rest are completely inadequate? Most of them only use primary treatment, and even then, they were designed for a fraction of the volume we produce today. But let me cut to the chase: building modern sewage and wastewater treatment plants to meet current needs is insanely expensive. Given the current economic climate, even Germany, the US, or most Western nations couldn't afford it right now, let alone us—so, naturally, they take the path of least resistance. Which means, once again, we pay the price. They rely on chlorination to kill bacteria (which creates trihalomethanes—toxic byproducts—and isn't even effective enough anymore) or adding aluminum sulfate for clarity (which causes anemia and is extremely toxic). It’s cheap, and people don't get it. One last detail: the "quality tests" used to check if water is safe? They are intentionally inadequate. It's the old "if you don't look for it, you won't find it" tactic. They run analyses for elements or compounds that they already know are within legal limits, but for the stuff they know is over the line, they simply don't test for it or report it. For instance, I managed to get my hands on a private report from two years ago regarding the water supply for San Francisco from the Zvir reservoir. The published data showed everything was perfectly fine—exactly what they wanted everyone to see. But the actual analysis for compounds that exceeded safety limits, like lead, showed levels up to 30 times higher than allowed! And yet, you won't find that reported anywhere. Why? Maybe I've written long posts before that bored someone or helped someone else, but to me, this is crystal clear. I honestly have nothing left to say. If you choose to trust the Department of Health—who are paid by the government, mind you—then go ahead and keep poisoning yourself. People in Europe realized this delusion a long time ago.

I’m hitting a wall trying to find an answer on my own, and honestly, you guys usually have a better handle on this stuff than Google does.
I was wondering if anyone knows which option is actually better regarding mineral content—is tap water typically lower in magnesium, phosphates, and ammonia compared to bottled brands like Dasani or similar?

Laura Castillo92 said:Tap water is perfectly safe—assuming you're getting it from the municipal supply! It gets checked daily against over 100 different parameters using both European and global standards. The laws here are crystal clear about what levels are allowed and exactly what happens if even one single parameter fails to meet the requirements. Maybe try Googling how bacteria is neutralized in water or how much chlorine is actually permitted in drinking water! Honestly, you don't need ANY filters for tap water, let alone reverse osmosis or distillation systems. Drinking water DOES NOT have bacteria, heavy metals, or organic pollutants... if anything shows up at all, it's just trace amounts, way below the legal limits. And for those who want the facts, distilled water isn't even great for drinking (especially in large amounts), and I guess Bradley Bailey10 can explain why since he clearly knows so much about water!
DON'T FALL FOR THIS STUFF AND SPEND YOUR MONEY ON SOMETHING ACTUALLY USEFUL!!!🧐

Jesus, what absolute nonsense 😂

Patrick Allen64 said:What am I rambling about? It’s just what nobody thinks about when they turn on the tap—the fallout from drinking water loaded with inorganic minerals (which is always in there) and all sorts of other junk! A colleague of mine who worked on filtration systems mentioned that it isn't like things are actually being cleaned properly. He didn't mean it's not filtered at all, he just meant out of 600 million cubic feet, less than 4% actually gets treated—the rest just goes straight into the municipal supply. Did you know that along the entire coast, there's only one somewhat decent treatment plant, located in San Francisco? Everywhere else is totally inadequate because they only use primary treatment, and those plants were designed for way less volume than what we're pumping out today. Anyway, to make a long story short: building enough systems to handle the actual demand is just too expensive right now. Even big players like Germany or the US couldn't afford it given the current economy, let alone us. So, they take the path of least resistance, which obviously screws us over. They use chlorination to kill bacteria—but then you get trihalomethanes as byproducts, and it's not even effective anymore—or they dump in aluminum sulfate for clarity, which is incredibly toxic and causes anemia. It's cheap, and people don't realize it. One last thing: the tests they run to check if water is safe? They're rigged. It's basically the "if you don't look for it, you won't find it" method. They test for elements they know are within limits, but they conveniently skip the ones they know aren't. For instance, I managed to get my hands on some water analysis from the Zion reservoir used for Chicago from a couple of years ago through a private channel. The official data they published made everything look perfectly fine, but the analysis for compounds that exceeded safety limits—like lead—was up to 30 times higher than allowed! But you won't see that published anywhere. Why? Maybe I write too much, maybe I bore people, or maybe I'm useful to some, but I think it's pretty obvious. Honestly, I have nothing left to say. If you trust the CDC (who are state-funded anyway), go ahead and keep poisoning yourselves. People elsewhere realized this mistake a long time ago.

There are actually smart people on this forum... who would've
thought...
Here are a few links proving this guy knows what he's talking about. For anyone clueless, maybe learn something instead of posting nonsense here... or just stay ignorant, just don't spread it around and make fools of yourselves.
Links:
http://vodaizdravlje.blogspot.com/
http://vodaizdravlje.blogspot.com/20...1_archive.html
http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...oda-1%2F6&aq=f
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaGa3kSpK30

And yeah, there's tons more. If you want to know, Google it. If you don't have a clue, you'll just keep posting stupidity here and poisoning yourself and your kids.