I was reading the article Debating How Much Weed Killer Is Safe In Your Water article and thinking of some of the steps that we as a family are taking to help ensure that the water we ingest is going through some filtration system. One of the highlights of the article was a reference to the August 22 New York Times article about the popular weed killer, atrazine, and the dangers of ingesting the atrazine that washes into water supplies (and is therefore commonly found in drinking water). It is easy to believe that we have done all that is necessary to ensure that we are drinking water free of weed killers because in general we are a proactive family. For example, from the standard water filter we use for our shower heads or faucets to the natural detergents we’ve moved to, we try and stay one step ahead of the game.

According to the New York Times article:

Officials at the Environmental Protection Agency say Americans are not exposed to unsafe levels of atrazine. They say that current regulations are adequate to protect human health, and that the doses of atrazine coming through people’s taps are safe — even when concentrations jump.

But some scientists and health advocates disagree. They argue that the recent studies offer enough concerns that the government should begin re-examining its regulations. They also say that local water systems — which have primary responsibility for the safety of drinking water — should be forced to monitor atrazine more frequently, in order to detect short-term increases and warn people when they occur.

The E.P.A. has not cautioned pregnant women about the potential risks of atrazine so that they can consider using inexpensive home filtration systems. And though the agency is aware of new research suggesting risks, it will not formally review those studies until next year at the earliest. Federal scientists who have worked on atrazine say the agency has largely shifted its focus to other compounds.

Clearly our efforts at merely filtering water was not enough. We thought we were one step ahead of the game but in reality we were not. With pitcher filters and shower head filters, your water is only as clean as the filter you use. Have you even seen the chart for the waste generated as a result of the disposable filters?

In trying to research what else we can besides not relying on bottled water I came across a product called Zuvo. The Zuvo’s patented puration process apparently uses nature’s own cleansing process right in your kitchen. It treats non-pathogenic organisms, taste and odor contaminants, reduces aesthetic chlorine, lead, and tiny particulates.

It is time for our family to be proactive one more time.