What is wrong with the Water?

The other day, a waiter placed a glass of tap water on the table, and my daughters laughed. "You're not drinking that, are you?" They asked because they know I avoid tap water. "Tap water is not going to kill us" they said. "What's wrong with tap water?" Instead of answering what seemed an obvious question, I replied, "It's the sum of all your choices that determines the quality of your life." It felt like the right thing to say, but I didn't address their question. So, what's wrong with tap water?

Contaminants found in U.S. drinking water include lead, arsenic, nitrates, chlorine, chloramine, PFAS (forever chemicals), fluoride, mercury, pesticides, radon, hexavalent chromium, parasites, bacteria, and viruses. These chemicals stem from industrial discharge, agricultural runoff, natural mineral deposits, aging infrastructure, and human or animal waste. Over time, they can accumulate in the body, potentially leading to cancer, immune system damage, hormonal disruption, and neurotoxicity. A single glass of tap water at a restaurant won't kill you, but daily exposure to these chemicals may impair your quality of life or, sure, kill you over time. You can find details about your local drinking water at ewg.org. EWG's database compiles test results from local municipal water utilities, reported to the State Water Resources Control Board. Below are the chemicals detected in our municipality from 2021–2023:

• Bromodichloromethane
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 9.88 ppb (165x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.06 ppb)

• Chloroform
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 17.1 ppb (43x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.4 ppb)

• Chromium (hexavalent)
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 0.0542 ppb (2.7x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.02 ppb)

• Dibromoacetic acid
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 0.784 ppb (26x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.03 ppb)

• Dibromochloromethane
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 4.92 ppb (49x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.1 ppb)

• Dichloroacetic acid
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 7.02 ppb (35x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.2 ppb)

• Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 36.2 ppb (362x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.1 ppb)

• Haloacetic acids (HAA9)
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 21.0 ppb (350x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.06 ppb)

• Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 32.2 ppb (215x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.15 ppb; Legal Limit: 80 ppb)

• Trichloroacetic acid
  Potential Effect: Cancer
  This Utility: 6.38 ppb (64x EWG's Health Guideline: 0.1 ppb)

*These are just chemicals in drinking water, excluding other contaminants like bacteria, viruses, parasites, microplastics, and PFAS.

PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are man-made chemicals used in industrial and consumer products, from firefighting foam to food packaging (reference below). PFAS contaminate water supplies worldwide and are linked to cancer, liver damage, and immune system disruption. Known as "forever chemicals," they persist in water sources and the inside the human body. It makes sense that more man made chemicals need a place to go and will eventually end up in the drinking water supply. When ingested they are filtered by your body, your body is acting as its own distiller except the filter and receptacle for the chemicals is your liver and and organs including your brain which is 73%-80% water.

Some of the recent research on the naturally occurring mineral fluoride is fascinating and subject of much debate. You can read more about the history of fluoride in drinking water, fluorides benefits and side effects in EWG's comprehensive guide to fluoride. The fact is exposure to fluoridated water (1.2–3 mg/L, slightly above the U.S. recommended level) during childhood has been associated with impaired attention, cognitive, and intellectual functioning. Increased urinary fluoride concentrations correlate with slower reaction times and poorer visuospatial organization, potentially affecting attention, reading, and writing. Fluoride is classified as a neurotoxin, meaning it can harm the nervous system. If you want to stay healthy and heal your central nervous system, why drink a neuro toxin regularly? This is not meant to convince anyone, do your own homework and see what you come up with. For more on fluoride and dental care, listen to Dr. Staci Whitman on Andrew Huberman's podcast (1:54 mark).

Options and solutions:

• Distilled Water: Purified through boiling and condensation, removing nearly all impurities, minerals, and contaminants. Check out the contaminants removed by distillation after the process and you will be shocked! Buy the best water distiller available from Pure Water here. A breakdown of the cost analysis versus buying water shows the distiller pays for itself.

• Spring Water: Sourced from underground springs, containing minerals like calcium and magnesium. Mountain Valley water, in my opinion, is exceptional. You can find a local spring to fill up on spring water for free here.

• Filtered Water: Passed through filters (e.g., carbon, reverse osmosis) to remove impurities like chlorine, sediments, or heavy metals while retaining some minerals. Filters are not ideal because they do not remove all toxins but better then not having one.

• Ionized Water: Water treated through electrolysis to create alkaline or acidic water with altered pH levels. Alkaline ionized water may neutralize body acidity, potentially aiding digestion. Quality depends on the water being used.

• Hydrogenated Water: Infused with extra hydrogen gas, marketed as “hydrogen-rich” water. It’s gaining popularity among the biohacking community. Like ionized water, it depends on the water source.

Good water is the cornerstone of a healthy brain and central nervous system. Once you start to cleanse it is likely the smell alone of bad water will steer you away from drinking anything but good clean water. The clarity and focus for your brain over time is a next level new normal. If you would like to test the water you are drinking for the total dissolved solid count, a meter is cheap and eye opening. Below are the PPM (parts per million, e.g. 50 PPM, 200 PPM) of TDS (total dissolved solids) found in various water types:

• Distilled Water: 0–10 PPM (nearly pure, minimal dissolved solids).
• Filtered Water: 10–100 PPM (varies by filter type; reverse osmosis typically lower, carbon filters higher).
• Spring Water: 50–300 PPM (contains natural minerals).
• Tap Water: 100–400 PPM or higher (depending on local water quality and treatment).
• Ionized/Hydrogenated Water: Varies widely (50–300 PPM, depending on source water and treatment).