Water Filters / Purifiers

• See buyer's guide to water treatment systems.
• Water Treatment Contaminants: Too Much Toxic Trash in American Water 2/27/13
• Lead in drinking water causes irreversible damage in children
• Artificial sweeteners in your water? 9/27/11
• New York Times' Toxic Waters: a series about the worsening pollution in American waters
• Harvard study shows 69% increase in BPA when drinking from plastic bottles
• Bottled Water Quality Investigation: 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants
• Pharmaceuticals Again Found in U.S. Drinking Water
• What's Coming From Your Tap?
• Children consuming contaminated tap water and food at risk
• A National Assessment of Tap Water Quality (enter your zip code and water provider's name and see what's in your water)
• Considering a water ionizer? Read this first.
• Reconfiguration of 5- and 6-stage LivingWaters Systems for chloramine removal 12/8/10
• Water alkalinity and pH explained
• Fluoride in water can cause IQ loss in children 12/21/10

It took us over a year to decide which water system to purchase to replace our family's water distiller. During this decision process we spent countless hours researching water quality issues, health factors, and treatment options from more than 50 sources. As you may already know, water is an incredibly complicated subject, especially with all the controversial (and bogus) claims out there. For non-scientists, busy parents, and even health professionals, it is extremely difficult to sort water treatment facts from fiction.

LivingWaters^® drinking water systems

In mid-2008 we started a discussion with Lono Ho'ala, a naturopath, biochemist, and founder/product developer for LivingWaters^®. Unlike the other companies we talked to, Lono truly understands both the science of water treatment and the impact of water on health. After receiving thorough, intelligent, fact-based answers to an endless barrage of questions, we knew this was the company we wanted to represent. In mid-2009 we installed a LivingWaters drinking water system in our home and have been enjoying super-clean, healthful, delicious water ever since. LivingWaters water purification systems provide the highest level of filtration possible today. The cartridge-based units utilizing their Safewater Technology™ systems do the job without electricity or wasted water; and without removing all the healthful alkaline minerals such as calcium and magnesium. These top-quality systems are affordably priced, and an excellent value for fail-safe protection from contaminants and made in the USA.

Material sources, environmental committment

LivingWaters' "Big-Blue" housings as well as faucets, fittings, tubing, and cartridges are manufactured in the United States. Standard housings and brackets are manufactured in China. Whole-house systems including backwashing tanks, media and valves are manufactured in the United States. Filter media is manufactured in North America, Europe and Asia. LivingWaters is committed to a business policy founded upon environmental awareness. They print on recycled paper and use recycled packaging materials whenever possible. Products are designed to provide point-of-use access to clean water so people can stop buying bottled water and discarding millions of tons of plastic bottles every year.

Contaminants removed by LivingWaters' SAFEWATER TECHNOLOGY™

• all pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, cysts, viruses, parasites)
• chemical disinfectants (including chloramines and fluoride)
• disinfection by-products (produced when chlorine interacts with organic materials)
• organic contaminants (VOC's including solvents, fuel additives, pesticides, etc.)
• inorganic compounds (arsenic, mercury, fluoride, heavy metals, etc.)
• radioactive elements
• turbidity

Information about radioactive particles in our water from the Fukushima nuclear accident

4/20/11 by Lono Ho'ala, Conscious Living Systems, Inc.
The radiation released into the environment from the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan is now finding its way into the water supply here in the United States. The water molecule itself cannot become radioactive. What happens is that water naturally picks up radioactive particles and gasses in the atmosphere. Rain deposits these materials onto the soil and water sources below. This is the problem caused by the Fukushima nuclear accident but it is not the only source of radioactive contamination that can be found in water. When the source of water is a well, the decay of radioactive minerals produces radioactive particles that can become dissolved in groundwater. These source of radioactive contamination is far more problematic right now in the U.S.

How To Make Your Water Safe From Radiation

Faucet mounted filters and filtered pitchers are ineffective because they don't contain enough media to get the job done. Sediment filters and refrigerator filters are completely ineffective as well. To remove the spectrum of radioactive contaminants a system must contain ion-exchange media, a sufficient amount of high quality carbon, as well as particulate filters capable of microfiltration. This combination will dramatically reduce radioactive particles in water. Fortunately, our 5 and 6 stage LivingWaters™ cartridge based systems (see below) as well as our RO systems contain ALL THREE of these media, and will provide water that is completely safe.

You should realize that filters in any kind of system will retain collected radioactivity. If there is an unusual release of radioactivity, those who want to make sure their water is perfectly safe should replace their filters every 6 months instead of annually. As we've watched the Fukushima nuclear accident unfold it appears that only miniscule amounts of radiation are reaching this country. So far we see no reason to accelerate your cartridge change schedule. For a more detailed explanation of radiation and how to protect yourself from contaminated water and food, see this article from Conscious Living Systems, Inc.