- Jul 11, 2001
- 38,436
- 8,721
- 136
I've been reading some environmental books:
Finished Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
1/2 way through The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
About 20% into Water 4.0 by David Sedlak
The first book is alarming, a benchmark in the environmental movement. The second is also alarming, it looks like humans are in the process of killing off a million species, maybe a lot more if things continue as they are.
Ocean Life Faces Mass Extinction, Broad Study Says
The 3rd book is by a professor and I just finished a chapter explaining how water born diseases have been largely eliminated by water treatment plants featuring filtration and chlorination. He hasn't yet mentioned any negative aspects of chlorination (his typical audience is probably graduate students who want jobs in industry, not in non-profits!), but I figured they are there and I had no trouble locating online resources linking water chlorination with carcinogenesis, particularly of the bladder and rectum.
I live in Berkeley, CA and my water evidently comes from EBMUD's Orinda treatment plant. EBMUD's website indicates that they are using chlorine to kill off organisms in water (bacteria and viruses).
EBMUD water treatment page
Online sources say that using ozone is not only safe but cheaper than chlorine, but EBMUD is evidently not using ozone for this.
So, my question is should I install a water filtration system in my house whose input is my tap water? I suppose the best would be a system under the sink using carbon. My counter top is tile, I suppose I could drill a hole and mount a spigot. Comments/info?
Finished Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
1/2 way through The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert
About 20% into Water 4.0 by David Sedlak
The first book is alarming, a benchmark in the environmental movement. The second is also alarming, it looks like humans are in the process of killing off a million species, maybe a lot more if things continue as they are.
Ocean Life Faces Mass Extinction, Broad Study Says
The 3rd book is by a professor and I just finished a chapter explaining how water born diseases have been largely eliminated by water treatment plants featuring filtration and chlorination. He hasn't yet mentioned any negative aspects of chlorination (his typical audience is probably graduate students who want jobs in industry, not in non-profits!), but I figured they are there and I had no trouble locating online resources linking water chlorination with carcinogenesis, particularly of the bladder and rectum.
I live in Berkeley, CA and my water evidently comes from EBMUD's Orinda treatment plant. EBMUD's website indicates that they are using chlorine to kill off organisms in water (bacteria and viruses).
EBMUD water treatment page
Disinfection
The addition of a chlorine solution kills any pathogenic microscopic life, such as bacteria or viruses. Finely controlled amounts of chlorine are added on an ongoing basis. Prior to leaving the treatment plant, small amounts of ammonia are added to the chlorine to form chloramine, a more stable disinfectant, that will last longer in the distribution system.
Online sources say that using ozone is not only safe but cheaper than chlorine, but EBMUD is evidently not using ozone for this.
So, my question is should I install a water filtration system in my house whose input is my tap water? I suppose the best would be a system under the sink using carbon. My counter top is tile, I suppose I could drill a hole and mount a spigot. Comments/info?
Last edited: