What about those bottles of water that so many people have become attached to? First, they’re expensive --- sometimes costing more than $1.00 per liter, which translates into 800 to 4800 times the cost of tap water. Second, they’re cumbersome to tote, and you have to go to the store to purchase them. Third, all of those plastic containers must be recycled, or they’ll crowd landfills. And finally, depending on the source of the bottled water, it may be nothing more than filtered municipal water. In fact, contrary to the popular image of remote Alpine meadows and unspoiled streams, bottled-water sources are often near metropolitan areas.

Also of interest is the fact that Federal standards for bottled water are no stricter than standards for tap water. That means that federal regulations only require bottlers to test for a handful of the hundreds of known chemical contaminants. In-home drinking water systems, which have also boomed in popularity in recent years, deliver the same benefits and more, without the inconvenience. And best of all, they’re actually less expensive than bottled water with a Kinetico VX Plus Deluxe delivering better than bottled water for as little as 7 cents a liter.

The US has been chlorinating its water supplies for over one hundred years. It is through this treatment method that we have been able to virtually wipe out water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid fever.

It is what lies beneath the surface of the population’s concerns over chlorine’s effect on the taste and odor of water that has sparked heated debate. A debate has centered on the safety of chlorine with respect to its potential as a carcinogen.

When chlorine breaks down organic material, it creates byproducts that can damage the heart, kidneys, nervous system and lungs. These byproducts also increase the incidents of certain types of cancer. Many articles have been written about THM’s (trihalomethanes) and their impact on our health. This is well worth your investigation. Data showing these results prompted the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States to respond with limits to the amount of chlorine byproducts permissible in drinking water. Eliminating the byproducts of chlorine should be a primary objective in any personal water treatment plan.

One can go weeks without food but only days without water.

Water affects the functioning of our organs and our ability to fight disease. It helps us to maintain a healthy weight and cope emotionally.  The positive effects of drinking plenty of quality water can be seen in all aspects of our health and appearance.

In a typical day you lose 2 to 3 liters of water. If you don’t replace it, your body will naturally pull the water away from your skin, nails and hair – the fundamentals of good looks – to the critical systems that need it for basic good health. Drinks with caffeine such as coffee, tea and soft drinks have a limited water replacement value as they are diuretics and therefore promote water loss. Fruit, vegetables and juices all contribute well to water replacement; however, they also contain calories that, for a growing segment of the population, are a problem. Water, on the other hand, is totally calorie free. This is why it is recommended that we drink 8 ten ounce glasses of water each day. It is the most sensible way to meet our fundamental water needs.

Studies have found that minerals in your drinking water make essentially no contribution to your health and may even be present in forms your body can't absorb. Minerals in an inorganic state flow through our systems versus minerals in an organic state that are readily absorbed by our bodies. You are much better off maintaining a balanced diet that provides you with an adequate supply of important vitamins and minerals.

However, for those who do want to add healthy mineral into their drinking water, or if you'd just prefer the flavor of water with a bit of mineralization, we offer the Mineral Plus Flexfiltration cartridge which can be included in the Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station.

While bottled water is generally of good quality, Federal standards for bottled water are no stricter than standards for tap water. That means that federal regulations only require bottlers to test for a handful of the hundreds of known chemical contaminants. But there are other issues to consider such as cost, convenience and usability. It is a lot less expensive to own your own Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station when you consider the time and costs associated with bottled water. Also, your Kinetico drinking water system will allow you to use the water for many purposes including cooking without rationing. Treating your own water at home will eliminate the need for storing bulky plastic bottles and supply you with unlimited water, right on tap, at prices per litre that are considerably less than buying bottled water. 

Another issue is that the use of bottled water is environmentally questionable when one considers the unnecessary costs of plastic generation, product transportation and empty bottle waste/recycling.