Arsenic is Not a Bay Area Concern. Arsenic is mainly an issue for residents in the Central Valley of California.
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City Water Filter offers an Arsenic filter within the Reverse Osmosis system to a non detect level because Arsenic is not safe for drinking. The current drinking water standard for Arsenic is 10 parts per billion.
The word ARSENIC, is all you have to say and people know it is bad! The fear is automatic. We have all heard about it on the news and/or from our parents as children. The information is engrained. Most of us are aware it is used as a rat poison. It is common sense this is not something anyone wants in the water we drink. We don’t need much education regarding the health effects. Most people trust that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking care of this toxic contaminant from the water. We think if a Water treatment facility does not comply then the facility will shut down or at least the residents will be notified.
The EPA was created to protect the health and safety of Americans. Their goal is not to eliminate every contaminant or danger. This is just not economically feasible. The EPA regulates potential contaminants that may cause harm and try to keep the number of people affected as low as possible. Even so, hundreds of contaminants remain unregulated.
On January 22, 2001 EPA adopted a new Maximum contaminant standard for arsenic in drinking water at 10 parts per billion (ppb), replacing the old standard of 50 ppb. However, this is still not good enough.
The Environmental Work Group presents articles based on studies conducted. According to the EWG December of 2009 article there had been discovered over 300 contaminants found nationwide. They also stated of those contaminates 201 were unregulated contaminants by early 20 million drinking water tests conducted by water suppliers nationwide between 2004 and 2009.
I recommend reading the article, “On arsenic and apple juice: Is the EPA’s drinking water limit even safe?”
Groundwater Arsenic Poisoning in Bangladesh
It provides an eye opening point of view to the EPA guidelines. The author states the EPA goals are for “one person in 100,000 to develop cancer as a result of drinking that water daily” The current EPA guide lines for Arsenic violate their own memorandum by 50 times! “One out of every 2,000 of those Americans is likely to develop cancer because of the arsenic in their tap water”. That mean the guidelines should be 200 parts per Million, to achieve end stage toxicity goal within their standards. This does not take into account all the people suffering from other medical conditions caused by toxic injury.
According to another political article titled, “How politics derailed the EPA science on arsenic, endangering public health.” The EPA states “Women are especially vulnerable. Agency scientists calculated that if 100,000 women consumed the legal limit of arsenic every day, 730 of them would eventually get bladder or lung cancer from it.” .
Prolific American author Upton Sinclair said it best. “It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” There is funding to support the EPA efforts. However, the funding to stop it is greater. Then the money gets redirected to other agendas. Please take the time look into the matter further.
When you put the pieced together it is suddenly clear. The government is NOT doing a good job at protecting U.S. citizens from toxins.
Arsenic is a known carcinogen, increasing the risk of cancer even at very low concentrations.
It is absorbed through the skin in nominal amounts when compared to oral exposure. Animal tests showed 0.6 – 4.4% absorption in monkeys. Recent research with human subjects demonstrated showering in water containing 100 ppb of arsenic resulted in significantly elevated arsenic levels in urine for several days following exposure. Ingesting very high levels of arsenic can result in death. Exposure to lower levels can cause nausea and vomiting, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, damage to blood vessels, and a sensation of “pins and needles” in hands and feet.
Health Effects
Some people who drink water containing arsenic well in excess of the MCL for many years could experience skin damage or problems with their circulatory system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
Solution:
Take a Look at This City Water Filter Product