~Reynolds Water Conditioning Co. – Michigan’s oldest water treatment company featuring state of the art softeners, filters, and drinking water systems.

HOW UNSAFE IS OUR DRINKING WATER?

Even the experts disagree as to the extent of groundwater and surface water contamination. Each drinking water supply is different and subjected to various sources and types of contamination. Drinking water's quality and it's potential for contamination needs to be determined.

THE REAL THREAT

To ignore the seriousness of this issue would be to ignore the following facts:

According to the National Water Quality Assessment Program (an ongoing study by the U.S. Geological Survey) about fifty percent of the wells sampled contained one or more pesticides. More than fifty percent of streams sampled contained five or more pesticides.

Experts for the Center for Disease Control estimate that one million people get sick each year from contaminated water, and nearly one thousand of these people even die. The 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee alone accounts for over 400,000 people becoming ill and over 100 people dying.

According to studies conducted by the Environmental Working Group, between 1994-1995 (the most recent federal data available) over 45 million Americans were supplied drinking water that violated federal health standards for fecal matter, parasites, disease causing microbes, radiation, toxic chemicals, lead and other pollutants.

Trihalomethanes, which are by-products of disinfecting with chlorine, are now being linked to urinary, bladder and rectal cancer at levels starting at 10,000 cases per year.

MAJOR SOURCES OF CONTAMINATION

There are approximately 5 to 7 million underground storage tanks in the United States. The U.S. EPA estimates that over 11 million gallons of gasoline per year are lost due to leaking undrground storage tanks.
According to a 1994 report issued by the National Wildlife Federation, farmers apply 600 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides annually that eventually end up in the groundwater table.
The Environmental News Network estimates that 154 million tons of garbage are generated each year within the United States. Improper disposal of garbage can leach harmful contaminates into groundwater.
Lead has been used in service connections, goosenecks, water meters, solder and brass fixtures. Corrosion in older municipal distribution systems allows lead to leach into our drinking water supplies.
Chlorine used in municipal supplies to protect us against microbiological contamination is known to form by-products called trihalomethanes, which are suspected carcinogens.
There are approximately 250,000 solid waste disposal facilities in the United States. Each contains various chemicals that have the potential to threaten groundwater supplies.

These are just some of the numerous sources of water contamination. The total list is endless, as is the list of contaminants which come from these sources.

ANY PROBLEM CAN BE CORRECTED

Practically any problem that arises in drinking water can be corrected through the application of one or more water treatment systems offered by Reynolds Water Conditioning Co. The cost of treatment will depend on the type and scope of the problem.

These are important decisions to be made and options to consider, but good safe drinking water can be provided.

DOES ALL OF THE WATER IN THE HOUSEHOLD NEED TO BE TREATED?

Although approximately 60-75 gallons of water are used per person per day, each person actually consumes less than 5 quarts for drinking and cooking. When it comes to improving the quality of a drinking water supply, there is a choice to be made: to correct all the water in the home by the use of a "whole house" or "point of entry" (POE) system or to correct only water used for drinking and cooking, "point of use" (POU).

Aesthetic problems such as hardness, iron, and hydrogen sulfide usually require "whole house" treatment; whereas, potential contaminents that may cause health concerns can be treated by a system directly attached to the drinking water supply or POU. Some contaminants that cause health concerns, such as volatile organic chemicals and radon in water, because of their nature (rapidly volatizing into the air) also need to be treated as the water enters the home by a POE system to avoid any exposure to the inhabitants.

WATER FACTS

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. This likely applies to half the world's population.
In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism by as much as 3%.
One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
Lack of water is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue.
Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or printed page.
Drinking five glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.