The Filtered Files - Filters Fast

What Should You Do if Flint Happens in Your City?

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Most of the country has read the news about Flint, Michigan’s water contamination crisis that began in April 2014 when reports found high levels of lead in drinking water. Halfway through 2016 and water quality across the city has improved as a result of changing water sources and public education for how to avoid exposure to lead. Yet several long-term challenges remain resulting from antiquated infrastructure containing lead and lack of human and financial resources.
If a similar crisis were to unfold 555 in the area you live there are steps you can take to try and lessen its impact on you and your family. Bearing in mind outside factors like where you get your water and the age of your plumbing could make it difficult to find a permanent fix. Also when lead is dissolved in water there is no smell or taste. Other contamination might point to issues with your water, such as a murky or discolored appearance and questionable odor.  Otherwise you will need a lead water test.
If you want to know about the quality of water supplied to your home you can contact your water utility. It is the responsibility of your local utility provider to test water quality and make those reports available. According to the EPA, “community water systems that serve 100,000 or more people must post their reports on the Internet. EPA encourages other systems to post their reports as well.” Many of these reports can be found on their Consumer Confidence Reports page.
If your provider is a non-community system you can contact them directly. After making a request, if your provider fails to provide a suitable answer, try contacting your state drinking water program offices.
For example, the water utility where I live in North Carolina serves more than 700,000 people and has indicated that lead at a concentration of 7 ppb has been found in 10% of water samples. This is below the 15 ppb limit set by the EPA, therefor no further action is required on the part of the utility.
Lead-Copper-Contamination-ReportIt is important to understand that the source of drinking water might have a lower concentration of lead than what comes out of your faucet. Water must often travel through hundred of miles of pipes before reaching your home. It is possible for contaminants to leech into your water supply in an area where water testing is not being assigned.

Watersafe Lead Home Drinking Water Test KitIf you are interested in learning about lead in the water you drink you can gather a sample and send it to a local lab for testing, though this method can be costly. An at home lead water test kit can often provide results with up to 99% accuracy in around 10 minutes.

The EPA has determined there is no safe levels of lead in water, however they do indicate that a concentration above 15 ppm requires action to prevent health risks to children and pregnant women in particular. Think of parts per million (ppm) as a single penny in $10,000. It is a very small amount but its affects can be devastating.

If you find elevated levels of lead in your home water supply you should stop drinking or using the water to cook. Note: Boiling water is not effective at destroying lead. You can still safely wash your hands, shower, and bath as lead dissolved in water does not absorb through skin.

The next step you should take is to flush all of your water line and retest the water. The water you drink is slightly corrosive and when left stagnate in pipes it is at a greater risk for leeching lead. Start by running cold water through all of your faucets, outside water lines, and anywhere else for as long as possible. Up to 10 minutes should be enough. Take another sample and write down your results. You should consider testing from multiple faucets.
If you find levels of lead higher from another faucet then you might be able to pinpoint a specific cause, such as an old fixture or pipes leading to that area of the home.If flushing helps to reduce lead then getting into the habit of running water for 30 seconds before use could largely eliminate any health risks.
After determining the safety of your drinking water getting your children’s blood or your own tested will help you to determine if any medical actions is necessary as there are treatments for lead poisoning.
Finally, talk with your friends and neighbors who live in your area and use the same utility company. Have them test their water. If they find elevated levels of lead it might be safe to assume local schools and businesses are also using contaminated water.
Lead Removal Options
Short of ripping out old pipes and replacing fixtures, if lead is coming from beyond your property then there is little you can do to stop contamination. Besides flushing pipes, there are several filtration options available that are designed to remove up to 99% of lead.
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Pentek 150237 10″ Big Blue HFPP Housing
 To clean water coming into your home you will need a system with a large sump and filter. The Pentek 150237 is one of our most popular housings, providing high flow rates and durability. These system are generally good for up to 10 years with normal maintenance including changing the o-ring and replacing the filter around every 6 months. The added benefit of a whole house system are how much better point-of-use systems (refrigerator filters, undersink filters, Britia pitchers) work as a result of not having to take out so many contaminants.
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Pentek DBC-10EX2 10″ KDF/GAC Big Blue Filter
The Pentek DBC-10EX2 works with Big Blue housings and combines a carbon filter element with complex KDF, a material that mixes differing metals to safely reduce aresenic, mercury, lead, and much more from your water supply. The multi-purpose design reduces minerals and the possibility of limescale buildup around fixtures and decreases the amount of chlorine. For showers, taking out chlorine from the water will help to improve the look and feel of your skin as the chemical, even in small amounts, can be corrosive. For drinking water there will be fewer odors and takes.

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Does Water Have an Expiration Date?

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water-expiration-date

The water that comes out of your tap has existed on Earth as a solid, liquid, or gas for about as long as the planet is old. Just about every living organism today consumes and expels water to survive, and while it can be contaminated, or the 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen molecules (H2O) separated and put back together, at no point will anyone complain about expired water.

That’s not to say you won’t find an expiration date on your bottle of water. At one time a New Jersey law did require that companies use an expiration dates on bottled water products, despite the FDA stating there is no scientific reason to do so. Today some companies still do this to help control stock. Stores may pull unsold cases of water after a few years due to quality concerns. Water can leach plastic flavors, or if there are minerals added or naturally present, they may settle and cause unsightly granules that people won’t want to see floating in the water.

That begs the question: If water doesn’t expire, why does water that sits out in a glass overnight taste or look different?

A few different things are happening with your drinking water.  If you take a glass and fill it with tap water you might find there are a few unwelcome flavors, though it is still safe to drink. The big reason for bad tastes right from the faucet is chlorine used to disinfect the water, but because water normally travels through underground pipes that are cooler than the air at ground level, the flavor pallet is diminished. The same happens when you add ice or if you keep a Brita pitcher in the fridge. As the water sits out and warms, your senses begin to pick up a more complete profile of flavors. After a day or so, due to exposure to sunlight, particles in the air, various gases, and changes to acidity, a different appearance and tastes become stronger.

Due to bottled water being sealed, even if you leave it out at room temperature for years, the tastes probably won’t change very much from the original source of water. Once you break the seal expect the water to begin a slow transformation depending on how long the cap was left off. But you probably won’t want to keep the water around too long. Even though water doesn’t expire chlorine does evaporate. This leaves room for microorganisms that are in your mouth, on the glass, your faucet, or floating around the air and will quickly multiply in your open bottle or half-empty glass. Unlike juices or sodas, or foods that contain sugars or other elements that feeds the growth of mold, water will continue to look clear despite the likelihood of potentially harmful bacteria forming after 48 hours.

When storing bottled water or other emergency supplies there are a few precautions to take. Always keep water, food stuffs, and medicine in a dark, cool place where it won’t come into contact with animals or accidentally become damaged. You probably should not bottle your own water unless you know how to do so safely. While bottled water isn’t environmentally safe and can contain many contaminants, there is a much lower risk to coming into contact with microorganisms. There are many ways to ensure your water is free of most contaminants and bacteria including Reverse Osmosis, Ultraviolet, and NSF 53-rated water filters.

 

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Hurricane Preparedness: Take Action and Save Your Life

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Are you ready for hurricane season

Hurricane preparedness and our ability to warn the public of impending super-storms is vital to saving lives and lessening property damage. As we have seen in the past decade entire cities can be flooded with people stuck at the center because they were not given enough of a warning to take actions, leave their homes, or stock up on supplies.

The first hurricane warning service was established in Cuba during the 1870s and used a series of observation sites to track clouds. Flags were raised to warn the public that a storm was imminent. The United States took over this system in the early 1900s and by 1955 the National Hurricane Center officially opened its doors in Miami, Florida. Over time our ability to track and predict storms improved with the use of Hurricane Hunters, planes that flew over storms, and later through satellites imagery to help issue more accurate public warnings.

Today, once a storm is identified, the National Hurricane Center issues predictions every 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours. Unfortunately our ability to accurately predict a storms path and intensity drops significantly after 12 hours. Next time you turn on the news when they are reporting on a hurricane you might see a series of lines scattering out all across the east coast.

Hurricane predictions are not accurate.

Getting Ready for a Hurricane

Once a hurricane hits a life-threatening situation begins to unfold as flooding, storm surge, high winds and tornadoes tear across the landscape. Taking actions and being prepared for the worst could possibly save your own life and those of everyone around you.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration outlines 7 basic steps to take when preparing for Hurricane Season.

  1. Determine your risk – What type of wind and water hazards could happen in the area you live?
  2. Develop an evacuation plan – Where is higher ground and is there a safe path not at risk of flooding?
  3. Secure an insurance check-up – Is your home, car, or other property covered in the event of wind or water damage?
  4. Assemble disaster supplies – Do you have extra cash laying around, flashlights, food and water enough for a week if the power goes out?
  5. Strengthen your home – Whether you stay or leave, it is advised that you board up windows and check that your garage door won’t break from high winds.
  6. Identify trusted sources of information – False information can lead to panic or missed opportunities to evacuate or gather enough supplies so always listen to official government sources like NOAA or a trusted local or national news outlet.
  7. Write up a plan – Know what supplies you will need and the numbers and locations of people before a storm hits, put it all on a piece of paper you can stick on the fridge or copy and give to neighbors or family.

Thankfully canned food and closed water bottles, batteries, prescriptions or other medication and a first aid kits can be kept around for a few years or longer. So don’t think that if you go out and spend extra on your grocery bill that your emergency supplies are going to waste. So long as you keep a can-opener around, have a few extra tools like a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, and a battery powered radio or solar charger you are on your way to riding out the worst mother nature can throw at you. Visit Ready.Gov to read up on how to create a basic disaster kit.

Water Safety During a Hurricane

In some situations you could be without safe water even after power is restored. As towns begin the cleanup process, having quick access to filtered water to prevent dehydration or getting sick when emergency services are working in a limited capacity can help contribute to a quick recovery and returning life to normal.

You don’t need a complex filter system or electricity to make potentially contaminated water safe to drink. A number of manufacturers sell water systems that kill pathogenic bacteria and remove other waterborne contaminants in emergency situations.

Vapur-40040-microfilterThe Vapur 40040 microfilter filter fits .7 and 1.0 liters Vapur Water Bottles and  traps up to 99.99% of contaminants and bacteria such as Salmonella, Cholera and E. coli, in addition to Cysts and Giardia. The filter last around 130 gallons. In an emergency situation it is recommend you have 1 gallon of water for each person in a 24 hour period.

 

 

SteriPEN Classic Safe Water System UV Pen PurifierSteriPen offers a wide range of sterilizing devices that use ultra-violate light to kill pathogenic bacteria and other organisms. Purchase just the sterilizing pen or an entire kit that you can use with just about any 16 ounce water bottle to make water safe to drink.

 

 

Katadyn MyBottle Water PurifierA personal water bottle filter system is great way to get clean water if you need to travel during an emergency. The Katadyn MyBottle Water Purifier removes all viruses, bacteria, cysts, and other impurities from freshwater sources such as lakes, ponds, or even your own faucet if you think flooding as contaminated drinking water.

 

 

Hurricane preparedness can keep you and the people around you safe and healthy when the unexpected happens. We can’t fully rely on weather forecasts when even our most accurate predictions can be way off the mark. Waiting until the last moment to gather supplies can mean finding grocery store shelves empty with long lines to get a case of water. Gather supplies, keep a check list, and stay tuned into reliable new sources for the latest news and information about weather in your area.

 

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