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Tackling PFAS – The “Forever Chemical” in Your Drinking Water

For decades, communities around the world have been unknowingly exposed to a class of industrial chemicals known as PFAS — short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Scientifically classified as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down naturally, PFAS are used in everything from non-stick cookware to firefighting foams. Once in the environment, they can persist for generations, seeping into soil, waterways, and ultimately, our drinking supply.

Studies have linked PFAS exposure to a range of health risks, including certain cancers, thyroid disease, immune system suppression, and developmental problems in children.

The most concerning part? PFAS contamination has been detected in many municipal water systems across Australia and around the globe — often at levels far exceeding the latest health advisory limits. In some cases, residents have been unknowingly consuming these toxic chemicals for years, as traditional water treatment plants are not equipped to remove them.

A Proven Solution

The Doulton Ultra Sterasyl Filter offers a powerful line of defence against this hidden threat.
Removes over 99% of PFAS from drinking water, safeguarding your family’s health.
The only ceramic gravity water filter in the world certified to NSF 42/53/372/401 standards, guaranteeing independent verification of performance.
Eliminates virtually all contaminants except fluoride, ensuring the water you drink is as pure as nature intended.

Why it matters

Unlike other filter cartridges, the Doulton Ultra Sterasyl Filter doesn’t just improve taste and odour — it tackles the real dangers you can’t see or smell. By substantially reducing PFAS levels, it helps to lower the risk of long-term health problems caused by these persistent chemicals.

For households concerned about water safety, especially in areas where PFAS contamination has been reported, this filter provides peace of mind backed by science and certification.

Clean water should be a right, not a risk.

With the Doulton Ultra Sterasyl Filter, you can take control of what’s in your glass — and what’s not.

Are you aware of the benefits of water filtration

In a world where access to clean drinking water is essential, many individuals are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of water filtration. Whether it’s tap water, well water, or water from other sources, filtering can significantly improve its quality and safety.

One popular option for water filtration is the use of under sink or benchtop gravity-fed water filters. These filters, such as the Valley Pottery ceramic benchtop gravity-fed water filter, offer a reliable and efficient solution. By utilizing filter cartridges like the SCP Fluoride Plus, these filters effectively remove contaminants, including fluoride, ensuring that the water you consume is free from impurities.

The advantages of filtering your drinking water are numerous. Firstly, it improves the taste and odor of the water. By eliminating unwanted chemicals and pollutants, filtered water tastes fresher and cleaner, making it more enjoyable to drink. Secondly, filtration removes harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, pesticides, and chlorine. This ensures that the water you consume is healthier and reduces the risk of waterborne illnesses.

Furthermore, filtering your water provides peace of mind. It allows you to take control of your water quality, ensuring that you and your family are consuming water that meets your standards of safety and purity. Additionally, by reducing the consumption of bottled water, you can contribute to a more sustainable environment by minimizing plastic waste.

Installing an under sink or benchtop gravity-fed water filter, like the Valley Pottery ceramic filter, is a convenient solution. These filters are easy to install, require minimal maintenance, and are cost-effective in the long run compared to buying bottled water.

In conclusion, filtering your drinking water using the Valley Pottery benchtop offers numerous benefits. From improving taste and eliminating contaminants to providing peace of mind and promoting sustainability, filtration ensures that the water you consume is clean, safe, and enjoyable. Make the choice to filter your water and experience the positive impact on your overall well-being.

How Do Water Filters Work & How Often Do They Need Changing

Water is excellent for dissolving things like dirt and minerals because it has an unusual molecular structure. This can, of course, be helpful in everyday life things like washing clothes or dishes, however, it can also have negative effects. Because water constantly mixes with the air and environment in what is known as the water cycle, it tends to pick up every type of contaminant you can imagine in the process of travelling from the clouds to your tap.

As water makes its journey to your drinking supply, it picks up all sorts of things from both the earth and the atmosphere, from chemicals and minerals to bacteria and parasites and the only real way to make sure these contaminants don’t end up in your body, is by filtering it before you drink it or use it.

Water Filters – How Do They Work?
There are two main types of filtration processes, and they are physical filtration (also known as mechanical) and chemical filtration.

Physical filtration basically strains the water to remove larger impurities, in the same way a sieve or gauze filters things.
Chemical filtration uses an active material that removes impurities through a chemical process as water is passed through it.

Water filters are constantly evolving, however the basic science behind it remains the same.

Mechanical or Physical Filtration
To explain this in simple terms, water contains many impurities, and they come in different sizes. The particles can include sediment, like lime, rust particles and lumps of dirt as well as parasites like cryptosporidium and giardia. Quality water filters, like the Southern Cross Pottery Ceramic Water Filters, will manually filter down to 1 micron in size, to ensure parasites like cryptosporidium and giardia (which are roughly 4.5 microns in size) don’t make it past. The first stage of the water filtration process is this 1-micron particle barrier.

Chemical Filtration
The second stage is called chemical filtration and this process improves the taste and smell of the water. Most tap water will be treated with chemicals like chlorine, to disinfect it, and kill the parasites mentioned above. The water also passes through underground pipes which can in some places be over 100 years old. Travelling through these pipes means that other particles can be picked up after they have already been removed from the water before it reaches our taps, and can also alter the taste of the water. This is where a carbon filter comes in.

How does it work?
Most water filters use an activated carbon block which features micro pores within the carbon that absorb tastes and odours, as well as removing chemicals like chlorine and fluoride. Other filter types include Ceramic water filters, which are created from natural clay, sand filters, and Diatomaceous earth filters.

How often should the filter be changed?
Depending on your local area, and how clean the water is, most filters will need to be changed at least every 12 months. The core of your filter can dissolve over time and it can also become blocked with limescale or other contaminants, so to keep the filter working efficiently it is important to change your water filter cartridge regularly.

Why “Raw Water” is a trend to Ignore

The idea of catching natural spring water in your very own bottle to enjoy a sip of perfectly fresh water sounds great, doesn’t it? You avoid all the chemical treatments that water goes through and go straight to the source for raw water, brimming with minerals that your body needs. This is what the “raw water” movement is telling its’ potential customers. It’s become incredibly popular in America and Australians are also getting on board. It sells well and at a cost.

The freshest water out there are sold in glass bottles right to the customer. Forget chlorine! Tap into it how nature intended.

The problem with this trend, though, is that it ignores just how important those water treatment practices are. We often get caught up in what chemicals we could be putting into our bodies, but that’s because we haven’t lived in a time (or country) where drinking water could actually kill us. Raw water may help you avoid all those chemicals, but it could also mean that you’re drinking parasites, bacteria and viruses that could make you very sick.

Know where water comes from
It’s great that people are interested in the quality of their water and the potential additives that are present, however, it’s equally as important people know where their water is coming from, and that it’s safe. In Australia, the water supply (for the most part) is incredibly safe. There are certain laws and expectations in place to ensure that tap water is safe, and here we have various water rules to protect our citizens. This cannot be said for the raw water movement, there are no standards in place to keep consumers protected.

Raw water, of course, is completely safe to drink provided it’s clean – the problem is whether it’s clean or not and how will you know. Experts say that the molecules in water are identical, whether drawn from a spring or poured from a tap. So, if they’re the same…why would anyone want to risk the bacteria that could potentially accompany raw water?

Water filtration is vital to health
The problem at hand is that your water might look clean, but there are factors that you can’t know. You don’t know what animals have bathed themselves in the water (or used it as a toilet). You don’t know whether the groundwater has been contaminated with chemicals like pesticides, lead or arsenic. And you don’t know if it’s run-off from a parasitic filled waterhole.

The entire purpose of water treatment is to remove bacteria that are harmful to human health, whether it be salmonella, giardia or E.Coli. Specials filter cartridges (such as this one) can remove these harmful bacteria. It wasn’t all that long ago that waterborne illness was extremely common. Just a hundred or so years ago people didn’t know to separate their drinking water from their sewage and there was a variety of epidemics because of that. This is what led to water treatment processes being put in place. When these treatments began, the epidemics disappeared. And it’s one of the reasons why our life expectancy is over 40, compared to 200 years ago!

The best way to protect yourself, whether you’re drinking from the tap or the creek out the back; is to invest in water filter system such as one of these – water filters. It will filter your water to keep you safe and make sure that you’re hydrating healthily so you can still enjoy raw water – but without the potential health dangers.

Taking the right precautions to enjoy rain water

Many of us feel that there is nothing better than fresh water and as such, we invest a small fortune in rainwater tanks so we can get the best benefits from delicious goodness that falls straight from the sky. While the idea is a good one, could we actually be putting our health at risk?

According to research, the short answer is yes. Rain water can actually be quite harmful to our health and if you are not careful when collecting it (and if you don’t take precautions before drinking it) you could be putting your health at risk.

The problem is, although rain water is generally clean, your tank may not be! And if the water is left untreated, it’s actually not recommended for human consumption. In fact, water tanks are generally filled with bacteria and can even have traces of toxic metal!

So what is actually in the tank?

Water, right? Sure. But there is a lot that you haven’t thought about. According to CSIRO & Smart Water Fund research, the main bacteria found in rainwater tanks is E Coli, which can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. This is thanks to all those birds, rats, possums and other animals that love to get on your roof and keep you awake all night. When they get on your roof, they often leave behind faeces, which gets into your rainwater tank – and if you don’t treat it properly – into your stomach.

How to keep your rain water healthy?

You want to ensure you clean your gutters regularly to make sure there are no bugs, bird or rodent faeces (or carcasses), and limited debris getting into the tank. It’s recommended you did this at least every 3 months. Every 6 months, check the quality of your water by smelling it, testing the colour and checking the sediment; and you should also check the pumps and pipes at the same time.

Once the tank is in good working order, you still can’t be too sure about the quality, so there are two things you could do. First is boil the water before you drink it. The problem with this is that you have to ensure you have plenty of water in storage, already boiled. Because when you’re thirsty, you don’t want to be waiting an hour to quench it while the water cools down.

So your best bet is to invest in a water filter. That way you can still enjoy the benefits of rain water, but you are getting fresher, cleaner water that has any chemicals, microbes and so on knocked out before it reaches your lips. Some filter systems have been found to not be 100% effective in removing dangerous metals; but if you ensure they are looked after and kept in good condition with the filter cartridge changed regularly, you can certainly reduce any risks associated with drinking water straight from the tank.

If you want to invest in an Australian handmade ceramic water filter, or to know more, contact us today.

Tips for staying healthy (and hydrated) this summer

There’s no doubt that when summer rolls around it also brings searing temperatures across the country. This is why it’s so important that you ensure you’re staying cool and hydrated.

As you know, we promote filtered water because we know it’s so good for you. That means we think your health is important. So we came up with these great tips to help you get through the summer season with your health – and your hydration – intact.

Drink plenty of water
Of course filtered water is definitely best for you. It tastes better, is a lot cleaner than tap water and there are no chemicals or contaminants polluting your body. So prior to Christmas break and before the heat of summer really sets in (that means now!), treat yourself to high quality water filter system. Once you do this, ensure you stay well hydrated. Most recommendations are that you drink 8 glasses of water a day, but in the Australian summer – you’re probably going to exceed this quite easily.

The colder the better
When it comes to beating the heat, the colder the water is, the more likely you are to finish it. If you need to take water to work (particularly if you work in trades), freeze your water overnight first in a stainless steel or BPA Free water bottle.

Drinking Water Curbs Snacking

One way to curb your snack cravings and possibly loose a few extra kilos is to drink filtered water when you’re feeling peckish. You’ll actually find that most of your “hunger” is dehydration; so a glass of water is the perfect solution. And if you are actually hungry, water will help fill your stomach so you don’t over indulge.

You can also add fruit
If you want to add flavour to your water, rather than drinking cordial or soft drinks, grab a few lemons or limes and cut a slice off to add to your drink. Watermelon is another household favourite in the summer time, and as the name suggests – they are more water than they are melon! In fact, watermelon is 92% water! It tastes amazing on a hot summer’s day; and of course, fruit is good for you (much better than mince pies).

With the summer months upon us and the temptations of spending time out doors ensuring you have plenty of access to hydration is imperative. If you haven’t already done so, treat yourself to a new filtered water system this summer and start revelling in the joy of clean, healthy water. Get in touch with our team today to find out how we can help you on the path to a healthier summer.

7 Health Benefits Of Filtered Water

Water is supposed to be really good for you, right? Right. But the problem with water is that regardless whether you are drinking it from a bottle or a tap, it’s filled with contaminants that (if you knew more about them) you’d prefer not to be putting into your body.

In fact, water that comes straight from the tap has been found to contain over 30 different chemicals that are actually said (by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2011) to be safe. These include chlorine, nitrate, lead, aluminium, mercury, fluoride and trihalomethanes – just to name a few! And bottled water isn’t much better. Although it claims to be pure and natural most of the time, it is actually prone to contamination as well – and in 2011 a batch of water from Cool Ridge was actually found to have chlorine in it (and was recalled).

So how can you ensure that the water you’re drinking is safe? The simple answer is to get yourself a water filter system, designed to eliminate 99.9% of contamination from your water.

Not yet convinced? Here are the top 7 health benefits of drinking filtered water:

Your water will not only be healthier and (almost completely) free of contaminants, giving you peace of mind; but it will also taste a whole lot better!
Cleaner water has been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers, including bladder cancer, colon cancer and rectal cancer.
Drinking filtered water helps to give you better health in general, providing you with the essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium – without the other harmful chemicals that tap water brings.
It can help with a number of ailments, from eliminating headaches and migraines, right through to reducing the risk of gastrointestinal disease by removing cryptosporidium and giardia. It can even help you feel happier!
It is great for children and helps to strengthen their immune systems. Children will also get a kick out of being able to get their own water from the filter tap (without risk of burning themselves at the sink) and are more likely to enjoy the fresher, cleaner taste.
Helps you lose weight. Because filtered water tastes better than tap water, you’re likely to drink more of it. And drinking more of it, means less snacking on foods you shouldn’t be eating; and an enhanced metabolism.
Healthy water makes your skin glow. If you are dehydrated, your skin suffers. It becomes dry, your wrinkles are more pronounced, you might get breakouts of pimples, your eyes get dark circles under them, your lips get dry and your skin loses its colour. Drinking regular cups of filtered water throughout the day will leave you looking as fresh as you feel!

This dry spell could make you sick

Public health warnings are being circulated as a dry spell across New South Wales and Queensland continues.

After a larger then usual gastro outbreak across the two states, those drinking unfiltered tank water are being urged to inspect their water storages for contaminates.

After a prolonged dry spell over autumn and winter, the levels of many rainwater tanks have fallen drastically due to a lack of rain.

Low rain and bore water levels can pose a danger with contaminates on the bottom of tanks presenting a concern for people relying on tank supplies for drinking water.

Harmful microorganisms, viruses and bacteria such as salmonella or campylobacter and gastro-intestinal parasites such as giardia or cryptosporidium can become prevalent in rainwater tanks due to contaminated gutters and roofs.

These harmful pathogens, are not visible to the naked eye and may even be present in relatively clear water.

Drinking water containing these microorganisms can cause severe gastro-enteritis, possibly lasting for several weeks.

Infants, the elderly and people with suppressed immune systems are most likely to be affected by gastrointestinal illness with symptoms including diarrhoea, stomach cramps and nausea.

With water carters filling many water deliveries, people drinking from water tanks without filters installed are urged to inspect or clean out their tanks or boil drinking water.

Research into tank water quality has found Australian tank water supplies are often heavily contaminated with bird and possum poo and some average rainwater storages have been found not to pass minimally acceptable standards for consumption.

A 2007 study found about 40% of rainwater tanks that were tested contained “heavy amounts” of animal faeces contamination that could lead to gastrointestinal disease.

Professor Ted Gardner, an expert in water-wise strategies at Queensland Institute of Technology where the research was presented, said more than two million Australians depended on roof-collected rainwater for their drinking water.

“People love rain water because it’s soft and apparently pure, but clearly it comes with more risks than many people realise,” Prof Gardner said.

The rise in cases at Emergency Departments amounts to a 34% rise in gastro compared to the same period last year.

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal pain, headache and muscle aches and can take between one and three days to develop and usually last between one and two days, sometimes longer.

Coffs Coast Advocate 17th September 2017

Dangers of plastic fibres in your tap water

A leading ecologist has called for more investigation into the health impacts of micro-fibres in Australia as new tests revealed 83 per cent of samples taken from across the world were contaminated by the pollutant.

University of New South Wales ecologist Mark Anthony Browne has called on more research to be done into the health impacts of micro-fibres found in Australia’s tap water.

A new investigation by Orb Media found 83 per cent of the 159 drinking water samples collected from countries across the world were contaminated. In light of this study, Dr Browne, from UNSW’s School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, said researchers now needed to tackle the question of how micro-fibres affects the human body.

During Orb Media’s investigation, samples were collected from the UK, Germany, France, the US and Indonesia, according to The Guardian. It was found the US had the highest rate of pollution with 94 per cent of fibres present in samples.

Contamination was seen in water taken from the US Environmental Protection Agency headquarters, Congress and New York’s Trump Tower – which had similar levels of fibres seen in Lebanon and Uganda.

An average of 4.8 fibres were found in 500mL water in the US compared to 1.9 across the continent of Europe. Through previous research, Dr Browne had been unable to determine how many microfibres were present in Australia’s tap water. Filtering your tap water will help to remove these contaminants.

By looking at what washes up on beaches he found 65 per cent of materials on the coastline were clothing fibres. Most of the clothing fibres were coming from polyester fleeces – a material where 1,900 fibres come off in every wash.

“When we treated the environment, we were seeing acrylic, polyester and nylon fibres, and we tried to find out where it was coming from,” Dr Browne told SBS World News, “what we found was where there is more people, there is more plastic.”

But Dr Browne said even though the toxicity of plastic was well-established, there had been no research done to see the extent of the problem.

He said certain types of medicines were made from plastic which were carried into organisms and those tiny particles of plastic can transfer from the lungs, into the body and into the bloodstream where it can remain for months.

“The question is now that we’ve seen the quantity we are taking in through water or through our food or through our air, are they a problem for us?” Dr Browne said.

“These products were allowed to go onto the market. What we have now is that we have people asking those pertinent questions for humans or wildlife.

“It is very diffcult to do that research because that’s not funded by the government or the [plastics] industry. We see consumers being blamed for their choices but we are seeing very little information given to consumers.”

Dr Browne, who tries to educate people of the risks and reduce the use of toxic fibres through an initiative called Benign By Design, also pointed out natural fibres were not exempt from risk.

“People have this misconception that we can resolve this issue by choosing natural fibres,” he told SBS World News. There’s been lots of studies that cotton wool and lots of other fibres and asbestos, which is also a natural fibre, can cause health problems.”

Watch this video to see how micro-fibres are hurting our world. Also listen to an ABC Catalyst program with Dr Mark Browne talking about micro-fibres and micro-beads here.

Written by Louise Cheer

Filtered water vs bottled water

One of the factors that influence our health the most is the quantity and the quality of the water that we consume on a daily basis. Seeing how hydration is a key element to our survival, it’s important to be picky when it comes to the quality and purity of the water ingested. The fact that tap water is full of health-threatening contaminants is not a mystery anymore, so it’s clear that it can’t be consumed. There remain two types of water to hydrate with, more precisely filtered and bottled water. In the following, we will present you with the pros and cons that come with consuming each type of water to help you reach the best decision possible for your health and overall well-being.

Filtered Water Pros
Filtered water is water that has been passed through a thorough filtration process provided by a water filter. There are different types of water filters that all basically provide the same end result but in different manners. Let’s not waste time and find out together what are the benefits provided by the healthy filtered drinking water:

Free of contaminants and impurities: What can’t be denied when it comes to filtered water is the fact that it’s free of contaminants, its purity being unsurpassable. Of course, the purity of the filtered water that you’re consuming relies on the type of filtration system used for the purification process. But as long as you test the water prior to buying the system, you are going to be aware of what contaminants need to be targeted, thus making a good decision when it comes to the type of water filter needed.
Improved flavor: Few things are as unpleasant as having to drink water that tasted funky. Not only are you ensured of the fact that the water you’re drinking is of a very poor quality but you won’t be able to hydrate with it as you will reject the taste and refuse to consume it at one point. Unfortunately, this is a major issue with tap water, but one that can easily be fixed with the addition of a water filter, the once unpleasant tasting water becoming tasty filtered water.
Lack of odors: Chlorine is the contaminant that gives tap water a highly unpleasant smell, but a contaminant that is ever-present as it aids destroy bacteria and other more dangerous impurities that lurk in the municipal water. Filtered water, which is basically tap water that has been passed through a filtration process, is, fortunately, free of the unpleasant odor normally left behind by chlorine because the chemical is eliminated from the water.
Money-saving option, in the long run: Although at the starting point filtered water seems to be an expensive option due to the high price of the filtration system, in the long run, it actually saves you a lot of money. Per year, a family of four will spend approximately $1.10 strictly on consuming tap water that has been filtered, without adding the maintenance costs that might be needed for the appliance. This is a lot less than the approximately $3,000 that a family of four spends per year on bottled water.
Produced on demand: Of course, we can’t overlook the fact that filtered water is produced on demand. Whenever you want to drink clean, contaminant-free water, just get it from the filtration system that provides it in a few seconds. Also, if you go out for a walk or any other activity, simply fill a container of your choice with the healthy water, and you can thus easily carry it with you.

Filtered Water Cons
There are a couple of downsides to consuming filtered water, these downsides being associated with initial costs and the maintenance work required on the water filters. Read the following lines to learn more about the cons that accompany drinking water that has been filtered:

Expensive water filtration system: Upfront, the water filter might end up costing you a pretty penny. But this isn’t necessarily a downfall as there are water filtration systems for all budgets out there, the market being flooded by these appliances. Thus, in case you don’t have hundreds or even thousands of dollars to buy a high-end whole house water filter, there’s no need to panic as there is surely a cheaper under sink system out there that will suit your possibilities. Also, considering that in the long run it actually helps you save money, it’s an investment worth making.
Maintenance work required on the filtration system: Regardless of the type of system that you install or use, one thing is for sure – maintenance work will eventually be required. Some costs will be involved as the filters need to be changed periodically. But this doesn’t add up to a considerable sum of money if you’re dealing with a quality filtration system as maintenance work won’t be needed too often.

Bottled Water Pros
There are reasons to the popularity of bottled water, reason that we will list and explain in the following lines:

Convenient hydrating solution: Obviously, bottled water comes in a plastic or glass bottle. The strong point of bottled water and what makes it so popular is definitely the fact that it’s a very convenient hydrating solution. When you’re on the go, it’s ideal as it’s easily portable, and in case you forget to take a bottle with you, you can buy from a store, so you won’t be in danger of getting dehydrated.
Safer than tap water: While bottled water might not be the ideal solution to stay hydrated, it’s still safer than tap water, that’s for sure. Normally, the water that ends up in stores and that people ultimately buy and consume is checked for contaminants that present a hazard to the health of those who drink it. Thus, the chances for it to contain impurities, bacteria, and any other types of contaminants are reduced, making it a healthy option to go with.
Good taste: Just like filtered water, bottled water tastes good. Depending on the brand that you purchase from, it can even contain minerals that add to its taste and that make it more beneficial for your health. The fact that the water tastes and smells good makes it more pleasurable for you to consume it, thus staying hydrated not because you have to but because you want to.
Easily available: As we have previously mentioned, all stores sell water. Well, almost all stores, of course. This makes for quite a big advantage as filtered water is only available in your home and other placed where filtration systems are installed. On the other hand, bottled water can be obtained from almost any store out there for only a few dollars, always being in your reach.

Bottled Water Cons
Obviously, there had to be downsides to consuming bottled water as nothing is truly perfect. These downsides are:

Expensive: Although at first, it might not seem so, in the long run, buying bottled water ends up costing you a lot of money. As we have previously told you, a family of four spends on average about $3000 per year on bottled water, a lot more than the same family would if they were to consume filtered water, which would amount to only $1.10 per year. These numbers are more than enough proof of how you’re actually affecting your budget by buying the water that you use to hydrate yourself with from the store.
Not always contaminant-free: While this water is promoted as being contaminant-free, this isn’t always true. First of all, there still exist cases where it isn’t properly freed of dangerous contaminants and impurities before ending up in the bottle, which means that you might actually be spending money to consume water that is less pure than tap water. Second of all, due to sitting in the plastic container for so long, it becomes contaminated by the chemicals in the plastic. But this is a downside that solely applies to plastic bottles and not glass or other types of recipients.
Leads to environmental hazards: Unfortunately, plastic is one of the main pollutants on this planet. Tons of plastic bottles are being thrown away improperly, not being recycled. This leads to a pollution of the air that we breathe, the land that we harvest our food on, and the water that we drink. While irresponsible management of plastic bottles is to blame for this situation, it still would be better to stop using the bottles altogether not to encourage the growth of this major issue.
Encourages use of fossil fuels: For the bottles of water to reach stores everywhere in the world, a lot of fossil fuel is consumed on transportation on lands and on water. This is an unfortunate truth that must be faced, the consumption of bottled water actually leading to the decay of the planet and a worsening of living conditions on Earth.

Conclusion: What Type of Water is Better to Consume?
Now that you know what the pros and cons to consuming both types of water are, it’s easy to understand why we consider the better option to be filtered water. Not only does consuming it save you a lot of money in the long run, but you help save the planet and you are guaranteed a lack of contaminants in the water that you’re ingesting as well. Therefore, your health, your wallet, and the planet will all have to gain from this decision, consuming water that is passed through a thorough filtration process first being a truly life-changing decision for the better.

Written by Amy Hamper, Prague Post/Lifestyle 2017

Toxic foam threatens major cities in Queensland

The population of almost every city and town in Queensland are at risk from toxic and cancerous chemicals, a survey conducted by the State Government has found.

About 425 tonnes of hazardous fire fighting foam containing PFOS and PFOA chemicals have been identified at 177 storage sites in major centres around Queensland, the Courier Mail reports. A recent survey by the State Environment Department identified forty three sites in the Brisbane region alone, the highest in the state.

Over 400 businesses participated in the survey said they had no management protocols in place for collecting fire fighting foam waste. Investigations have only just started to reveal the extent of the problem, and it’s now believed the chemicals have leached into the ground and surface water.

While banned in Queensland since last year, the foam is not currently banned federally.

Explosives company fined for toxic leak

Explosives company Dyno Nobel have been ordered to pay more than $500,000 for a toxic water leak that killed cattle in the Hunter Valley in 2015.

The Environment Protection Authority took Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific to the Land and Environment Court after significant rainfall in January 2015 caused water levels in a pollution retaining dam to rise and then water containing high levels of nitrate and ammonia escaped through a faulty valve at its Warkworth facility.

Five cattle on a nearby farm were found dead after the incident and others were in a serious condition.

The court was told about 80 cattle had been locked in a paddock where the only water source was the contaminated dam.

The cattle were mostly dairy cattle and the majority of them were in calf. Bulga Milbrodale Progress Association said “it had been an alarming incident and that the cattle deaths may have been kept quiet. The Hunter Valley should be pristine water. It should be pristine air. It is actually horrific. It is headline news and every farmer, every grape grower, every irrigator and every household in this district should be made aware of such contamination yet we never heard a thing about it from the EPA”.

These types of chemical spills could find their way into your drinking water, bores, dams and tap water. And with nobody advising that a spill has taken place there is an urgent need to filter your water before it is too late.

How much are you paying for water?

You could be paying nearly 6 times more to satisfy your thirst than to fill up your car! At $3.33 a litre for Mount Franklin and a eye watering $8 or more a litre for Voss compared with the average petrol price of $1.35 a litre for Premium 91.

In Australia plastic bottled water is a $500 million a year business and if you buy a bottle of water every day it is costing you a fortune when they could be drinking water from your tap for a fraction of that cost. The number of Australians buying bottled water has increased 8% from 2014-15 mainly due to clever marketing.

And just to put that into perspective, a study by consumer group Choice found that drinking 2 litres of tap water a day works out to be $2 per year, while consuming the same amount of the bottled water can cost almost $3,000. The average cost of a litre of tap water in Australia is just .001¢. Then of course you have to think of the millions of plastic bottles that get thrown away and not recycled. All going to landfill.

So, why are over 5 million Australians forking out so much money for something that could be had at a fraction of the cost?

Well, most of it comes from the marketing. Like displaying bottles with snow capped mountains and rain forests which sparks a pure, fresh visualisation among consumers who link bottled water to nature. By emphasising the natural and untouched quality of their water, these brands are implying, without stating outright, they are better for the consumer than tap water. This message appears to be resonating with more women than men. Not only do they drink more of it, but more women agree that ‘bottled water is better to drink than tap water.

Obviously, if you are out and about and you are thirsty then you are more than likely to pop into a deli and pick up a cool bottle of water. Australians between the age of 25 and 34 are also the most likely to purchase the bottled form of water. And, sorry to say, compared to men it is female shoppers who are driving the bottled water explosion and buy nine out of 10 of the top brands – including Mount Franklin, Natural Spring Water and Pump.

So, what do you do about it…well, first of all, buy a personal water container. One that you can carry around with you. Preferably not plastic, but if you must then buy one that does not contain BPA (BPA can seep into food or beverages from containers that are made with this plastic additive.) Then fill it up with fresh clean filtered water from a Ceramic Water Filter that will cost you less than $0.04 cents a litre. No throw away plastic containers…water that is free of bacteria and harmful pollutants and inexpensive to boot. What more could you want.

Australian Surfers Clean Up

A unique ocean-cleaning technology developed by two Australian surfers has caught the attention of investors around the world.

Best mates Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski spent much of their childhood in the ocean and, after becoming frustrated at the amount of rubbish floating around, quit their jobs to come up with a sustainable solution.

They came up with an automated rubbish bin for marina docks called the Seabin that many hope could help reduce ocean pollution.

With the help of WA seed investors Shark Mitigation Systems, the duo designed a prototype of the bin in Perth before taking it to market in Mallorca in Spain, a marina capital of Europe.
YouTube: Seabin’s promotional video shows how it works

Mr Turton and Mr Ceglinski are now trying to raise enough capital to turn the prototype into a reality.

The proposal is gaining momentum fast, with crowdfunding raising $50,000 for commercial production, and a video of the Seabin attracting more than 10 million hits online – mostly from European countries.

“We raised $34,000 dollars in three days, it’s kind of snowballing now,” Mr Ceglinski said.

Built from recycled materials, the Seabin is fixed to a dock with water pump running on shore power.

The pump creates a flow of water that sucks all floating rubbish and debris into a natural fibre bag, before pumping the water back out.

It catches everything floating from plastic bottles to paper, oils, fuel and detergent.

Seabin spokesman Richard Talmage said the concept was simple but effective.

“It essentially works as a similar concept to a skimmer box from your pool filter. But it’s designed on a scale to work and essentially attract all that rubbish within a location within a marine harbour,” he said.

Mr Ceglinski said marinas, ports and yacht clubs were the ideal place to start cleaning up the ocean because they combined high levels of human activity with oil and fuel pollution.

Photo: Rubbish collected by the Seabin can harm marine life if allowed into the open ocean. (Suppled: Seabin Project)
“The Seabin is more efficient than a marine worker walking around with a scoop net,” Mr Ceglinski said.

It is hoped the invention will prevent toxic materials from floating out into the open ocean where they can degrade and be eaten by marine life.

Mr Talmage said the concept could help prevent chemicals from plastics becoming part of the marine food chain.

“There’s not only the pollution side, but (it’s) for the broader environment, and then extending that through marinas into education for local communities as well, so that one day we can drive towards a cleaner environment for everyone that’s using the water,” he said.

Mr Turton and Mr Ceglinski have set up a research and development centre in Mallorca to develop production techniques.

“We want to build it in the most sustainable and ecologically responsible way we can, but to do that it’s quite expensive so we thought to give crowd funding a go,” Mr Ceglinski said.

“We also went to the METSTRADE show, which is the biggest trades show in the world for the marine industry.

“From that we found a few people that want to help us with manufacturing and we’ve also been in contact with lots of mariners and governments around the world.”

The concept aims to complement the more expensive option of using trash boats, vessels that drive around harbours scooping up rubbish with nets built into them.

Taken from a post by Laura Gartry, ABC News

The Seabin Project is now looking for expressions of interest. The pre series Seabin should be in the water by the end of April for a 3 month trial period. If all goes smoothly then Seabin will be taking Pre Orders mid May. For any expressions of interest please email sales@seabinproject.com or visit www.seabinproject.com. For general enquiries or to be put on their mailing list please email contact@seabinproject.com

How you can help our waterways

The growing urban population is placing increased pressure on our lakes and rivers as more rubbish, leaves, gravel, cigarette butts, fertilisers, animal faeces and chemicals are washed into our stormwater systems.

In every city these stormwater systems run into our river system and water storage basins. Besides being a source of our drinking water, these rivers and basins are home to a ecosystem of birds, fish, trees and wetlands – many of which are threatened species.

Many governments, local and federal, around Australia in particular the Australian and ACT governments which have joined forces to launch a new education program, “H2OK: Keeping our waterways healthy”. The program is part of the Healthy Waterways Project which in the ACT alone is a $93.5 million project which includes the construction of water quality infrastructure on up to 25 sites around the capital territory.

The message is simple – “Only rain down the stormwater drain”.

As the Minister for the Environment and Heritage Mick Gentleman said, “H2OK: Keeping our waterways healthy aims to reduce pollutants entering our waterways by engaging with the community and teaching people better ways to keep pollutants out of our water. The program highlights key habits that contribute to poor water quality such as raking or blowing leaves into the drains, over fertilising and washing cars in driveways.”

Rake up autumn leaves – turn them into mulch or compost

Don’t sweep or blow leaves or grass clippings into gutters and stormwater drains; they decompose and release polluting nutrients into our waterways.
Instead, turn leaves into mulch to protect your soil or compost for your garden, take them to a green waste recycling facility or, if you have one, put them in your green waste bin.
Recycling leaves and grass and using them on your garden can save you money and help you create a water-efficient garden.
Safety first. Never sweep or rake leaves from the road, only from the verge and make sure you face the traffic.

Look after your nature strip

Keep your nature strip free of leaves, grass clippings and litter. It’s the area closest to the street so anything left on the nature strip easily makes its way into stormwater drains when it rains.
Use a catcher when mowing your lawn. Clippings make great compost.
Avoid parking on your nature strip or front yard. Cars cause the soil to be compacted and kill the grass which means water doesn’t soak into the ground. Instead, it washes sediment into the stormwater drain.

Maintain your vehicle

Make sure your car doesn’t leak oil or any other fluids, including coolants. Chemicals are very harmful to our waterways.
ash your car and other equipment on grassed or gravelled areas so that harmful detergents can soak into the ground.
Consider washing your vehicle at a commercial car wash facility.

Look after your drains

Paint or paint cleaners and other hazardous household waste are toxic to aquatic animals, other wildlife and humans. They don’t belong in the stormwater drain. Instead, dispose of them at your local resource management centre.
Pick up any litter on your block or in the street
Put rubbish in its place. Use bins for waste, put paper and plastic in the recycling.
Make sure your bins stay closed when you put them out for collection; rubbish can easily blow out of bins that are over-full.
If there is rubbish on your street, do the right thing, pick it up and put it in the bin.
Keep poo out of the water
Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets– scoop it, bag it and put it in the bin. Dog poo left on footpaths and verges washes into our waterways via the stormwater system. Animal faeces contain bacteria and contribute to higher ecoli counts in waterways, posing a serious health threat to swimmers, recreational users and wildlife.
When ecoli levels are too high, lakes across the region are closed. Increased nutrients (from decomposed organics like leaves) can lead to blue-green algal blooms and lake closures. Blue-green algae can be harmful to humans and can be deadly to pets.
Avoid feeding ducks, swans and wildlife with bread and other food. They eat mostly plants and algae so human food is not good for their health. It also increases the risk of faecal contamination in our waterways.

Keep gravel on your block

When it rains even gravel can wash into the stormwater drain so make sure it is contained by edging.
Make your garden stormwater-ready.
Avoid fertilising your garden or using pesticides just before or during rain. The run-off can carry the excess into the stormwater system.
Plant lots of natives and groundcovers to help slow stormwater down and reduce sediment run-off.
Install a tank to collect and reuse rainwater before it becomes stormwater.
Disconnect your downpipe and create a rain garden.

Avoid over-watering your gardens and lawns—even in summer, you only need to water once or twice a week.

Cigarette butts belong in the bin

Butt out responsibly; bin it, don’t flick it.
When cigarette butts are left on the ground, on roads and on footpaths, they are washed down gutters and into our lakes and waterways. A cigarette butt takes more than two years to break down in fresh water. Fish, birds and aquatic animals can mistake the butts as food, resulting in serious digestive problems that may lead to death.
Toxic chemicals such as lead and cadmium, which are trapped in the cigarette filter, can leach out in water. Within just one hour of contact with water, the chemicals begin to leach into the aquatic environment. One cigarette butt in a litre of water can kill a fish. Find out more about cigarette littering.

You could also volunteer in your neighbourhood. Volunteering for the environment is a great way to make a difference.
Learn more about where you live, get outdoors, stay fit and meet new people.

For those that are interested in the ACT Project click here “H2OK”

Toxic Water Contamination Gets Serious

Residents in Katherine, NT are being asked to give blood samples to confirm whether they have been contaminated with toxic chemicals PFOS and PFOA which were used in fire retardant that was outlawed by DFES in 2003, after being used for firefighting for decades. Toxic chemicals associated with the historic use of firefighting foams have been found on or around all three sites tested by the Defence Department go back as early as 1988.

The Defence Department has begun a major investigation into how far the contamination from the base has spread after NT Government discovered traces of the chemicals in the town’s water supply late last year. Sixteen sites including RAAF Bases Tindal and Darwin as well as Robertson Barracks in Palmerston were sampled, and the toxic chemicals were detected on or around all three bases. Residents have been told that chemicals could continue leaking into Katherine’s water supply for a century or more with more than 50 neighbouring homes being supplied with water supplies from the department. It could take up to eight years for the chemicals to pass out of their bodies.

The Federal Government together with the Department of Health, has already established voluntary blood testing for people that work or live at east coast base RAAF bases at Williamtown and Oakey.

The extent of all the contamination in Australia is still not completely known as government departments, the health department and the RAAF bicker over the matter.

Inside the Pottery at Southern Cross

Established in 1987 by Jeff Sosower, Southern Cross Pottery is a multi award winning production pottery specialising in the manufacture of all Australian made, stoneware water filters and ceramic water purifiers. Over 40 colour combinations to choose from, the largest selection in Australia.

The pottery water purifier system filters out as much of 99.99% of impurities producing naturally cool great tasting drinking water. Our water purifiers substantially reduce the risks of ill health due to consumption of contaminated drinking water. There is no plumbing or electricity needed.

The Water Filter Company distributes Southern Cross filters and cartridges right across Australia providing support for all of our customers. Every water purifier includes a written 12 month warranty and they are delivered FREE anywhere in Australia.

We also distribute the Royal Doulton Super Sterasyl or SCP Fluoride Plus filters for all of our water systems.

Take the nasties out of your water and rest assured that the water you drink is cool fresh and healthy for you.

Exeter General Store

While visiting one of our favourite cafe’s, Exeter General Store, in the Southern Highlands, we noticed they had one of our Southern Cross Ceramic Water Filters in Sage & Ash. Used by their customers to give them fresh, cool filtered water. Great choice guys!

To learn more about the Sage & Ash ceramic Water Filter click here.

Dodgy plumbing products blamed on high lead levels

Non-compliant plumbing products may explain how water at the new Perth Children’s Hospital contains unsafe lead levels, the industry’s peak association has suggested.
Treasurer Mike Nahan recently told parliament a new pipe installed under a road could be the source of the contamination, but further tests were underway.

Master Plumbers Australia chairman Noel Abercromby said Australian legislation required all plumbing products to carry WaterMark certification, so for any new builds it could only be assumed non-compliant products had been used.

“Lead is leached into water when it makes contact, particularly if it sits stationary for a number of hours, with pipes, taps and even the solder used to join them,” Mr Abercromby said.

“Home-owners and retailers can purchase products directly from overseas that are not inspected and in many cases don’t have WaterMark certification – and which may contain brass or use solder with higher than allowable lead content,” Mr Abercromby said. “There is also no onus on local retailers to ensure the products they sell are compliant so it comes down to those installing the products.”

The water contamination is the latest in a string of problems at the unfinished $1.2 billion hospital, including asbestos in ceiling panels imported from China.

Using a filter to remove lead, asbestos and bacteria from tap water is the best and surest way to keep your family safe. After all it took 2 years for the Macquarie University research project to conclude that there was lead in the water and it was due to faulty products. During this time residents have been drinking their tap water unaware of any problems.

Mackay Council stops adding fluoride to drinking water

Townsville will be the only major Queensland regional centre outside the south-east to fluoridate its water, after Mackay voted narrowly in September to stop adding fluoride to its drinking water, following the same decision by Gladstone in July.

The issue was a divisive one for the Mackay Regional Council with six councillors voting to end fluoridation and five voting to continue. Mayor Greg Williamson said it was the right move after months of surveys and public forums.

“Everybody made a decision based on their research and the people that they’ve spoken to along the way,” he said. “For me the decision was that everybody I’ve spoken to, all the groups, I’ve spoken to, wanted it removed from the water supply.

The decision by Mackay and Gladstone means fluoridation will continue in only 24 of the state’s 77 councils, most of them in the south east.

There is an increasing number of councils which had acted on the decision by the previous LNP government to make fluoride optional, after Labor made it compulsory in 2007.

Original story ABC News by Chris O’Brien and Krystal Gordon

Asbestos Laden Water Pipes!

Over 40,000 klm’s of Australia’s water pipelines, mainly made by James Hardie, contain asbestos that is wearing out. Supposedly, there are millions of pipes around the country that remain in the ground that are now up to 70 years old and have come to the end of their life and need replacing. This means they are shedding asbestos into the drinking water!

Now water utilities are monitoring those pipes to see how they are holding up. Although there is no evidence to suggest that drinking water contaminated with asbestos might be harmful to your health there cannot be many people in Australia that would be wanting to take that risk.

The pipes are mostly concentrated in regional areas, where up to half of all water pipelines are made with asbestos.

Authorities are not going to rush in and replace the pipes either, rather doing it a section or pipe at a time. Every time an asbestos pipe is removed it allows more asbestos fibres into the pipes that remain. Asbestos that enters our homes through your taps.

It’s a scary thought that you may be drinking asbestos!

Water Filters – it’s all in the book

Ever thought about drinking a book?

According to Page Drinking Paper “The Drinkable Book is both a water filter and an instruction manual for how and why to clean drinking water.”

Photo by Brian Gartside

Page Drinking Paper is a non-profit organization founded in early 2014. The information about how to use the book is printed on paper in edible ink and teaches about taking care of clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

The Drinkable Book is cost effective, very portable and simple.

Most people affected by a poor water supply and inadequate sanitation and hygiene are located in developing countries. According to the WHO 663 million people around the world are without access to clean drinking water drinking water.

Photo by Brian Gartside

The Book filter works by pouring the untreated water through a page of the book which contains silver nanoparticles. The silver kills bacteria in the water as it passes through the filter.

The Page Drinking Paper organization estimates that about 100 liters of water can be purified by one page of the book. They added that the filters can last a couple of weeks to even a month, so the Drinkable Book could provide the tools to filter safe drinking water for about a year.

Dr. Theresa Dankovich, a postdoctoral researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, invented the bactericidal paper for her PhD at McGill University in Canada.

“It was originally just a filter paper that I was researching which I worked on during my PhD. I was doing a lot of laboratory experiments to see if the filter paper could kill bacteria and show that in a lab,” Dankovich said.

Photo by Brian Gartside

“After that, I was contacted by DDB New York Ad Agency who then were interested in taking the filter papers and bounding them in a book. We then started working with them in what became known as the Drinkable Book project,” Dankovich said.

At this time the Drinkable Book is not for sale as they are completing project development however this is a world first and Dr Dankovich and her team should be congratulated on inventing a low cost easily transportable filter for the worlds third world.

A very commendable effort to help give the poor clean drinking water.

Water Filter Company

Is your tap water killing you?

This week I decided to remove an old pond in the back of the garden. It had been there for years and was really quite forgotten. The goldfish had long gone to “fish heaven” so it was time to turn it into a flower bed.

It was a concrete pond so removing it was going to a bit a of task…but I was well prepared. First came the water plants that had almost completely overgrown the pond. Then it was time to drain the murky water out but as I was doing this tadpoles starting coming to the surface.

Being a bit of a wildlife advocate I decided the best thing to do would be to pop them into a glass of water and take them to the local stream. I went into the house and poured a glass of water from our tap…not too hot…not too cold and into that I popped all twelve “taddies”.

I placed the glass in a cool sheltered location and watched them swim around for a while before I remembered that I was the designated “handyman” for the day and the pond would not wait.

Well, the pond took about an hour to break up and fill with some mulch that Bunnings had provided. I then went back to inspect my newly acquired aquatic family. To my horror every little tadpole was dead. I looked around for the culprit but found none. The water came from the tap. It was fresh…the glass had been rinsed, there was no immediate answer until I googled the question “tadpole…tap water”

The answer was fluoride and chlorine in the tap water…it kills them dead! Fish will also die if you place them in tap water.

So the question is, “what is tap water doing to our bodies especially young children and babies?”

If you want to be safe and sure about the water you drink, maybe it’s time to invest in a ceramic water filter. After all, your tap water could be killing you!

www.waterfiltercompany.com.au

Too much chlorine

Chlorine is commonly used to disinfect water, however, too much of it can cause serious health issues.

Recently the town folk of Gloucester north of Newcastle, have been told tap water is now safe to drink, after an earlier warning to avoid it because of a chlorine overdose in the town supply.

MidCoast Water issued an urgent alert to residents not to drink the water when there had been reports of some people burning their throats.

Schools, preschools, the hospital and local nursing home had been alerted by Midcoast Water which said the problem was caused by a failure in chlorination equipment at the Gloucester water treatment plant, causing high chlorine readings way above national standards.

One woman posted on Facebook that her daughter had a burnt throat while others complained about burns to their eyes and of experiencing migraines.

MidCoast Water said chlorine levels were still causing taste and odour issues and staff would continue flushing out the water supply network and have told Gloucester residents to flush their water pipes for at least 10 minutes before drinking the water.

Both our Doulton and the SCP Plus cartridges remove 99.5% of the chlorine from your water supply making it safe to drink in situations like this that could harm your health.

Congratulations!

If you have purchased a Southern Cross Pottery water filter …congratulations. This system will filter out almost all impurities providing you with naturally cool great tasting drinking water. This substantially reduces risks of ill health.

Unlike distilled water and reverse osmosis, purified water using a carbon filter retains natural energy vibrations and is recommended by Homeopaths and Natural Therapists: healthy minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium are not removed.

The Water Purifier is not only an attractive addition to your home or office but also acts as a water storage container without the need of plumbing or electricity.

Our system is extremely economical. Water is filtered through a replaceable ceramic filter at a cost of just a few cents per litre.

Regardless of the filter purchased there will be five components in the box. You will have either a Royal Doulton Super Sterasyl cartridge or an SCP Fluoride Plus cartridge and four separate ceramic pieces: a base, a water container including a stainless steel tap, a filter container and a lid. Carefully unpack these items from the box and assemble.

Firstly, remove any air bubbles in the new cartridge by placing the new cartridge upside down in a container of water to soak for a few hours, leaving the small opening at the bottom of the cartridge out of the water to allow air to escape before installation. This will help to increase the rate of water flow.

Remove the filter from the box and unscrew the wing nut removing the washer as well unless already loose in the box.
Place the base on the counter and then put the water container on top when you start with the base, the widest opening sits on the counter top, the narrower opening and the opening that has ceramic pulled toward the middle forming a doughnut shape is the side that the water container actually sits on.
Insert the thread of the filter through the hole in the filter container, place the washer over thread and tighten firmly with wing nut, the thread is inserted toward counter top, if two washers are supplied put one inside the unit and the other underneath the unit.
Carefully place filter container into the top opening of the water container.
Fill with water to the top of filter container and place lid in the unglazed galley at the top of the filter container.

All done! Just wait for the water to drip down into the water container and enjoy drinking water the way nature intended.

To ensure efficient filtration your filter cartridge must be replaced at the end of the manufacturer’s recommended period, usually 12 months or 2000 litres, whichever comes first.

Walk highlighted risk to Sydney’s water

On the 21 February hundreds of people started a week long walk through Sydney’s western suburbs to bring to light the risk coal seam gas poses to Sydney’s drinking water.

Starting at Cataract Dam walkers travelled 160 kilometres through Camden, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Fairfield, Prospect, Parramatta, Auburn, Ryde and Gladesville and ending at Parliament House in Sydney.

Ten community groups organised the walk, including the Western Sydney Environment Network, Stop CSG Macarthur, Parramatta Climate Action Network and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.

“We need to protect Sydney’s water for future generations. In the lead up to the NSW state election, we want watertight assurance from party candidates that they will end the dangers to Sydney’s water quality, quantity and affordability, organisers of the walk said.

“Underground coal mining is cracking the tributaries of Cataract Dam and other reservoirs south of Sydney. Coal seam gas fracking has already come too close to houses and water infrastructure.

“We are also concerned that Sydney Catchment Authority, the authority on water quality, is being abolished and the government is further commercialising water provision. Our water supply is a public good and must be governed to ensure the public interest is honoured.”

If water conservation means a lot to you, your family and our future generations then support actions such as this walk.

Worried about plastic water filters

Are you worried about plastic water filters and what plasticisers or even BPA (Bisphenol A) they may contain?

Bisphenol A, is a chemical found in a lot of plastics and coatings of many products. It affects hormones in the human body which behave similar to estrogen and other hormones in the body.

BPA interferes with the function and elimination of natural hormones. It can imitate the body’s own hormones in a way that is detrimental to our health. Babies and young children are believed to be especially sensitive to BPA.

BPA can be found in many products, including water bottles, baby bottles, plastic water filters and in epoxy resins which are used as coatings inside food and drinks cans.

Public authorities do set BPA safety levels, however, experts believe these levels are too high and should be reviewed following a number of recent studies. Governments, especially in Australia, are lobbied by the chemical and plastics industry not to eliminate BPA.

So, if you are using a plastic water filter you had better be very sure that it does not contain BPA or plasticisers that can be damaging your health. The only way to be sure is check with the manufacturer or switch to a ceramic water filter.

Ceramic filters taken to the world

Potters Water Action Group is an association of individuals and organisations united in the war against waterborne diseases.

Since 1999, members of the group have been promoting and improving the silver enhanced, ceramic water filter that can be produced almost anywhere in the world using locally obtained materials.

Professor Richard Wukich a Slippery Rock University ceramics professor came up with the idea for filter factories in undeveloped areas of the world. He travels the world in a bid to eliminate the thousands of children dying every day from drinking contaminated water.

Today, unclean water is the biggest extant threat to human health. Over one billion humans do not have access to clean water resulting in the deaths of roughly 5,000 people every day from preventable water-borne illnesses.

The Potters Water Action Group have designed a cheap effective filter designed to help eradicate water borne diseases. A ceramic bell is made from a blend of local clays and a friable material such as sawdust or rice husks. As the filter is fired to 900 centigrade the friable material burns out leaving micro-pores which filter out any particulate matter in the water. After firing, the filter is impregnated with silver nanoparticles which act as an anti-microbial agent. The filter is housed on top of an easily obtained 19 litre bucket.

For more information about the good work the Potters Water Action Group do then go to their website here.

The Water Filter Company commends the work done by this group.

A quick demo about fluoride

This is an interesting demonstration about fluoride and how bad it is.

Drink more water in hot weather

In this hot climate of ours the message out there is clear, you need to stay hydrated…drink more water.

During hot spells means busy times for paramedics as they get a lot of heat related illnesses when the heat rises. The young and the old are most susceptible and the key was keeping up the fluids.

We all dehydrate quickly in hot weather but kids and elderly more so. People dehydrate quickly when they’re sick.

There are signs and symptoms of dehydration trouble including headache, lethargy, fatigue and feeling faint. Our bodies are made of 70% water so when we don’t drink water we suffer the effects of that, the end result being dehydration; we can even go into shock.

In hot and humid weather drinking eight glasses of water a day may not be enough if you are outside working and sweating.

And don’t think that by drinking fizzy drinks and coffee and tea will help…it needs to be water.

So the message is, in hot weather drink more water. And if you are smart that water will be filtered water to remove all the contaminants.

Do you have fluorosis?

If you have been drinking fluoridated water then there is a good chance that you have some form of fluorosis. Over 41% of adolescents have fluorosis damage to their teeth. Using an SCP Fluoride cartridge to filter out the fluoride is the only way to be sure of your health.

How Toxic Is Fluoride?

Listen to Today Tonight Adelaide about Fluoride at Mt Gambier

Lose weight by drinking water

Your body can not survive without water but drinking just enough to get-by is not ideal. You need water to help lubricate your joints, protect your brain and other internal tissues, regulate your body temperature, and remove waste from your body. When you don’t drink enough water you become dehydrated.

Dehydration can cause dry mouth, dry skin, low blood pressure, headaches, dizziness and fatigue. You might be dehydrated and you won’t even realise it. A simple way to tell is by taking a look at the colour of your urine. A light, transparent yellow, even clear is what you want. Anything darker usually means you’re not getting enough water.

So how much water should you drink. That all depends on you whether you are a man, women big, small, sports person, home body. Each of us needs to drink water according to our needs. The “experts” say:-

Men should drink about 3 litres (about 13 cups) of total fluids a day.
Women should drink about 2.2 litres (about 9 cups) of total fluids a day.

Of course, pregnant women and nursing mothers need more water. While a soft drink or sports drink may sound thirst-quenching, the sugar and other extras aren’t going to do you any good and will even make you more thirsty. An don’t forget, water is the cheapest drink around!

Keep your daily activities in mind too. If you’re exercising or doing any strenuous work especially if the weather is warm can dramatically the water you need. The same goes if you’ve been drinking a lot of coffee, tea or alcohol.

Make a habit of drinking a glass of water at a certain time each day…after you get up in the morning is a good time. Or an hour after lunch or breakfast.

Water bottles are a good way to increase your water intake by keeping the water right there with you. Get a high quality one, even if it costs you a little more. Stainless steel is the best choice. Once you’ve found one you like, take it with you everywhere. And use it often.

Just be sure you’re not just drinking water in the morning and none for the rest of the day. Spread it out. If you are forever forgetting to drink more water during the day then set a timer on your phone. Set a few alarms through the day.

Water, surprisingly is also a good way to lose weight. Half an hour before having a meal drink a large glass of water. This has the effect of filling your stomach, making you fill full. It also helps flush the system which helps you digest your food better.

Also, to help water absorb into the cells of your body add a little fresh lemon or orange to the water. This sends a signal to your body that what you drinking is actually food and it will take it up much more readily.

Of course the most important thing if you are going to increase your water intake is to make sure that the water you drink is free of contaminants, fluoride, bacteria and other harmful things. A water filter gives you fresh, pure water you can trust.

Chef, Pete Evans, Against Fluoride

Celebrity chef Pete Evans has come out against the use of Fluoride in our water systems. Evans is currently campaigning to have fluoride removed from tap water in Western Australia.

Evans, who claims he doesn’t “touch” Aussie tap water, said: “This is definitely something that I am passionate and I care about future generations and where we’re headed.”

“If you look at the number of countries who have reversed their fluoridation programs, it really raises alarm bells,” he said. Countries that have previously had fluoridation but have since stopped include the UK, Greece and Israel.

Fluoride is a highly toxic substance that can cause a range of adverse health effects. Fluoride is known to cause Fluorosis, a white patch on the teeth that cannot be removed. It’s caused by overexposure to fluoride during the first eight years of life. If Fluoride does this to your teeth what is it doing to your bones or internal organs as Fluoride is retained by the body.

Even in North America, water fluoridation has come under increasing scrutiny. More than 75 North American communities have voted to end water fluoridation, and the issue is heating up as more and more people begin to demand water that does not expose them to this highly toxic industrial waste product.

It amounts to mass medication of the community. Medication should be tightly controlled where individuals receive just the right amount of a chemical whether it is prescribed. Fluoride is not subscribed by your doctor though. And the government cannot control how much water any individual drinks in a day. If you are drinking 8 glasses of water a day (water, coffee, tea, cooking) you are exposing yourself to toxic fluoride at a very high rate. Can you also be certain that authorities are placing the right amount of this chemical in the water system. Accidents do happen.

If you are at all concerned about Fluoride in your water then the answer is to put a water filter in your home or office fitted with a SCP Fluoride cartridge which will remove 99.9% of fluoride from the water.

How to keep your filter clean

After a while, especially if you live in an area the has a lot of sediment in the water, you will need to clean the Doulton ceramic filter. You can tell whether it needs cleaning as there is a brown sediment that accumulates on the outside.

If it is not cleaned occasionally the water flow will reduce as the pores of the filter become blocked.

The best and easiest way to clean the filter is to remove the filter from the housing and holding it firmly underneath running water run the back of a knife down the filter. The other way is to use a new Scotch Brite scrubber and gently run the scrubber over the filter while it is under the water.

This action will slowly remove all the sediment making your water flow more freely.

Rinse the filter under cold running water and replace the filter into the housing.

And there you have it…ready to enjoy clean fresh water once again.

What’s in your tap water?

That’s the question being asked by residents in Yamba after being told by the local government the discoloured and smelly water coming from their taps was safe to drink!

Although the Council’s Works and Civil Director assured the residents there were no health risks with the water.

However, after having the water tested independently at the Environmental Analysis Laboratory at Southern Cross University the results of the sample showed the water did not meet the Australian Drinking Guidelines.

Tests showed that the water samples had high PH levels, elevated total coliform bacteria and elevated levels of iron and manganese.

One of the concerning issues is that total coliforms are no longer assessed under the water treatment guidelines meaning that authorities are missing potential health problems tin the water that residents drink.

Fluoride and Chlorine are another health hazard that gets over looked when testing for health damaging substances. These chemicals can be removed from your tap water by using a filter that is designed to do just that.

Filtering the tap water using a Southern Cross water filter will remove this type of contamination before it’s too late.

Contaminated Water Scare

An environmental disaster management expert says that high levels of contamination from toxic metals, including Antimony, have been detected in water tanks and in the air in the Costerfield community near Heathcote.

Antimony is a toxic metal used to make car batteries can result in heart disease and miscarriages.

A farmer tested the water in local tanks and found some water was 16 times the safe limit set by the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.

An Environmental disaster management expert said test results released by the Department of State Development are alarming.

The roofs of the houses need to be cleaned down, the guttering needs to be cleaned out and tanks need to be cleaned.

Now the soil around the mine is contaminated, the dams are contaminated, as are people’s houses and drinking water.

Filtering your tap water is even more important to protect your health and the health of your family.

Charging the filter

Some customers have asked how you charge a filter. Well, apart from running at it full steam the best way to charge your filter here is a better way to achieve this. Before you install it into the ceramic water filter is to take it out of the box and place it into a bowl of water so that the hole at he top of the filter sites just above the water level in the bowl

What this does is allows air in the filter to escape and prevents any air bubble sin the filter and slowing down the flow of water through the filter.

Leave the ceramic filter sitting in the bowl for about an hour. After that you can screw the filter into the bowl of the filter.

The SCP Fluoride Plus cartridge is an “all in one” filter that removes virtually all impurities and bacteria including CHLORINE and FLUORIDE and will last up to 12 months.

Manufactured in England under exacting conditions this filter is only 120mm long and will fit all purifiers manufactured by Southern Cross Pottery as well as most other brands of gravity filtration systems including Stefani, Pozzani, Australis, Durand and Waterco.

Better safe than sorry

It seems that one South Australian Council is hell bent on hiding sewage spillage from ratepayers. This means the possibility of water contamination and health issues rest with the local people who are unaware of when and how it happened. And if the possibility exists for it to happen again.

Residents health is being put at risk and yet the Council is spending thousands of dollars trying to hide the cause from the community.

Be safe and use a water filter in your home.

Boil your water!

Boil your water. That was the warning Cairns Council gave to Bellenden Kir residents after bacteria and parasites were found in the water supply.

Routine tests revealed contamination of the waterborne parasite protozoa Cryptosporidium. Southern Cross Pottery filters eliminate this parasite.

This is the third time this year that residents have been forced to boil their water because of this parasite.

Babinda’s water supply was contaminated by the same parasite in January, before it surfaced again in Bartle Frere in March.

Drink more water and stay smart

It appears that if you want to increase your brain skills and IQ – drink more water.

Dehydration hampers our mental lives and the lack of water means our mental calculation abilities go down, our mood swings go up, irritability increases, fatigue increases and our short term and long- memory are impaired.

Our brain cells need water to function.

“Brain cells require a delicate balance between water and various elements to operate,” says University of Texas neuroscientist Joshua Gowin. “When you lose too much water, that balance is disrupted. Your brain cells lose efficiency.”

Apart from having enough sleep and eating good food, staying hydrated is one of the best ways to stave off performance eroding fatigue.

The longest we go without fluid intake is the six to eight hours we’re sleeping which means we’re dried out by the time we wake up.

What’s important is to not wait until you’re thirsty, since the feeling of thirst doesn’t show up until you’ve lost 1% to 2% of the water volume in your body.

Dehydration affects all people, and staying properly hydrated is just as important for those who work all day at a computer as it is for marathon runners.

How much water should you drink in a day. Consensus is around 1 to 2 litres a day, or about 6 to 8 glasses of filtered water.

Santos fails to remove contaminates

Last month it was revealed that Santos was fined for contaminating an aquifer in the NSW’s northwest. But now, unanswered questions have come to light over Santos’ Pilliga uranium aquifer contamination, as the environmental report is tabled.

In March 26, 2013, monitoring had detected aquifer contamination was at the Santos Bibblewindi site, which which had been sucked up from underground during coal seam gas (CSG) activates.

It was nearly a year after Santos was fined, in March 2014, that the EPA finally tabled its report on the contamination.

However, the EPA investigation leaves many questions unanswered concerning remediation of the Pilliga’s groundwater and having to rely on the companies themselves to own up to environmental spillages.

The EPA report confirmed that groundwater beneath the Bibblewindi storage pond was polluted with heavy metals and uranium 20 times the safe drinking limits. At the time Santos was fined a mere $1,500 by the EPA for causing the contamination.

The question has to be asked, can the contaminated groundwater be repaired? Probably not as efforts by Santos in October failed to remove the contaminated water.

The NSW Office of Health was consulted on potential impacts on drinking water. Its advice, reproduced in the EPA’s report, noted the “nearest public drinking water supply is 27 kilometres away (Narrabri) and does not appear to be affected by the Bibblewindi site. How reassuring to be told “does not appear to be affected”.

Santos proposes to drill over a 1,000 CSG wells in the area.

Is Acrylamide ruining your health

The 24th Australian Total Diet Study by Food Standards Australia New Zealand tested 94 commonly consumed foods and drinks. An analysis of foods we eat every day such as bread, coffee, milk, meat. Especially those foods that have been fried or burnt like toast.

The study also tested the water you drink and explored your exposure to chemicals such as Acrylamide, Aluminium and Perchlorates, three chemicals that can affect your health.

Of greater concern was the levels of Acrylamide which appeared to be of possible concern to human health. Acrylamide is used for to improve production from oil wells; making organic chemicals and dyes; sizing paper and textiles; ore processing. Just to name a few uses.

Each process can leach this chemical into the ground water and into your tap water. Filtering your tap water is the only way to be sure that your water is safe and your health is protected.

Will you be drinking recycled water?

One of Queensland’s Recycled Water Projects has been sitting idle waiting for the day that there is a drought and the plant can once again start turning “grey” water into your drinking water!

This was a big project and was known as the Western Corridor Recycled Water Project. It collected effluent from six sewage treatment plants around Brisbane, ‘polished’ that water at three new advanced water treatment plants so that it could be used to augment raw water supplies in Lake Wivenhoe, Brisbane’s largest drinking water reservoir.

Turn on your tap and you maybe getting recycled sewage. Might be better to filter your drinking water before you fill that glass.

Government Offers Sweetener

The NSW government has offered a $7.5 million sweetener to persuade recalcitrant councils to fluoridate your drinking water.

There are still 15 council areas across the state that don’t fluoridate their water, the government says.

Regardless of what the so called health professionals say about fluoride the fact remains that fluoridation of your water is mass medication…like it or not. With mass medication there are no controls on the amount that one consumes.

Fluoridation should be a personal choice not one determined by Governments.

Santos fined for Coal Seam Gas Leak

The NSW government should intervene after Santos was fined for contaminating an aquifer in the state’s northwest, environmentalists and Labor say.

Environmental groups and the state opposition are calling for the NSW government to act after energy producer Santos was fined for contaminating a northwest NSW aquifer, reportedly with uranium.

The Environment Protection Authority issued a $1500 fine to Santos last month following the “pollution incident” at the company’s Narrabri Gas Field operations in the Pilliga.

Fairfax Media reports that the aquifer was contaminated with uranium at levels 20 times higher than safe drinking water guidelines.

The contamination is said to have been caused by water leaking from a pond, with lead, aluminium, arsenic, barium, boron, nickel and uranium detected in the aquifer at elevated levels.

Santos on Saturday said that elevated levels of uranium, arsenic and other naturally occurring minerals at the Bibblewindi site posed no risk to people or the environment.

In a statement, Santos said the site’s water treatment facilities put in by the previous owner did not meet Santos standards and were shut down in December 2011 shortly after the company took over from Eastern Star Gas (ESG).

The company also said it continued to undertake rehabilitation around the Bibblewindi ponds including transferring water to a new facility being built at Leewood with double-lined ponds.

However, Labor environment spokesman Luke Foley said the government should tear up an agreement with Santos to fast-track the coal seam gas project.

“The MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) should be torn up in light of the contamination,” Mr Foley said in a statement on Saturday.

“This contamination of the water aquifer is highly alarming.”

Greens NSW MP Jeremy Buckingham called the contamination “totally unacceptable” and urged all coal seam gas projects in NSW to be halted immediately.

“Here is definitive proof that unconventional gas, such as coal seam gas, pollutes aquifers with extremely toxic elements,” he said in a statement.

“Other aquifers cannot be put at risk of serious pollution.”

Community alliance Lock the Gate also urged the NSW government to halt CSG projects and investigate the Santos incident.

The group’s president, Drew Hutton, said the government should stop “all CSG exploration immediately, and conduct a far-reaching investigation into how things have gone so horribly wrong”.

The Wilderness Society’s national director, Lyndon Schneiders, said the incident showed no groundwater was safe from coal seam gas operations and questioned why Santos was only fined a “paltry” $1500 when the maximum penalty was $1 million.

“Santos has a long, tragic history of failure in the Pilliga forest,” he added.

The company was fined $52,500 in January for failing to report a spill that saw 10,000 litres of untreated toxic coal seam gas waste released into the forest.

Santos also distanced itself from that spill, saying it occurred under the previous management of ESG before Santos acquired the company in November 2011.

In a statement, a spokesman for Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner said the contamination happened when the project was “operated by a completely separate company in 2007 under the previous government’s flawed regulatory regime”.

“The Memorandum of Understanding commits the Santos Narrabri Gas field operations to the highest environmental standard,” he said.

“The project will only be approved should it pass the government’s stringent assessment processes.”

Source: AAP By Sam McKeith March 8, 2014

Rio Tinto Fined for Water Pollution

Rio Tinto subsidiary Coal & Allied has been hit with a $45,000 fine after six megalitres of polluted water from its Mt Thorley Warkworth mine flowed into a Hunter River tributary.

The Mount Thorley Warkworth mine is an integrated operation with two open cut mines in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.

Is Fracking a health hazard?

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of extracting natural gas from shale rock deep within the earth. The gas is released by using a high-pressure water and chemical mixture that is directed at the rock to release the gas inside allowing it to flow out to the head of the well.

Recent evidence from a National Academy of Sciences study has come to show that fracking may contaminate drinking water, adding to the controversy surrounding the method of natural gas extraction.

The concern is that potentially carcinogenic chemicals used in the fracking process may contaminate groundwater around the fracking site.

Duke University researchers analysed 141 drinking water samples from water wells across the gas-rich Marcellus shale basin in northeastern Pennsylvania.

The research found propane in 10 samples, methane concentrations six times higher and ethane concentrations 23 times higher at homes within a kilometre of a shale gas well.

With no biological sources of ethane or propane in the region to explain the samples sizes apart from the fracking it suggests that drilling has affected the water table. Two previous studies by Duke scientists found direct evidence of methane contamination in water wells near shale-gas drilling sites in the same area.

In the USA fracking has led to a massive expansion of natural gas production but has been banned in many other countries such as France, Luxemburg and Bulgaria because of the environmental impact of the process.

The question has to be how far from a fracking well do you have to be before you feel safe drinking the water?

Sydney Water Pollution

Between July and September 1998 the Sydney water crisis involved the contamination of Sydney’s main water supply, the Warragamba Dam, by the microscopic pathogens cryptosporidium and giardia.

Residents were instructed to boil their tap water before use. The contamination was caused by low-quality raw water entering the dam. This was attributed to moderate rainfall in July, followed by heavy rainfall in August and September (after decreasing storage levels since mid-July 1997) which caused pulses of the raw water to enter the dam.

The incident was highly publicised and caused major public alarm. Three successive “boil your water” notices in which residents were instructed to boil their tap water before use affected up to three million residents.

Could this happen again and would the authorities issue a warning to residents to boil their water in time before you have a drink from your tap?

Is your tank water safe to drink?

Rainwater from your roof can be a valuable resource and can be quite safe to drink when stored in a properly installed and maintained water catchment system.

What happens to the water in your tank?

Heavy materials in rainwater settle on the bottom of the tank and form a thick layer of sludge. Rainwater generally contains few chemicals. However, airborne contaminants in major urban and industrial centres may increase pollution. Micro-organisms from the roof or gutters can build up in the sludge layer.

Most micro-organisms are harmless and do not pose a health risk. However, some organisms commonly found in rainwater tanks can cause stomach aches, diarrhoea and similar ailments and can be quite dangerous for the very young and the very old. Amoebae may also be found in rainwater which may cause amoebic.

How to reduce pollution in you tank

Roof catchments should be kept clean and clear of leaves. Overhanging branches of trees and shrubs should be removed.

Cover the inlet and turn the down pipe to one side so the water from the first good rain rinses down the roof (especially if newly clad) and gutters then runs to waste.

The inlet and overflow of the tank should be screened with a mesh to prevent birds, animals and insects from gaining access to the water.

A leaf trap will reduce the amount of organic matter that enters the rainwater tank through the inlet.

The tank should be covered to prevent light from reaching the water as it will encourage the growth of bacteria. The cover should have a tightly sealed manhole, to allow access to the tank for cleaning and inspection purposes

Asbestos-related diseases are mainly caused by breathing very small air borne fibres into the lungs over a period of time. There is no known evidence to suggest such diseases occur from drinking rainwater collected from an asbestos cement roof.

Sydney Water breached its licences

Fairfax Media has revealed Sydney Water breached its licences hundreds of times without prosecution by the EPA.

The state’s environmental watchdog suspended an investigation into complaints about Sydney Water after the head of the government’s water agency complained investigators had been ”heavy-handed”.

A NSW Ombudsman’s report into the actions of the Environment Protection Authority have revealed that, after criticism from Sydney Water, that too many staff had been sent to investigate an odour complaint and that the EPA had more serious things to look at.

The sequence of events could be perceived as evidence that the EPA allowed Sydney Water to influence the terms and manner of the investigation, including who could be interviewed and when, it was said.

Manly residents had complained about the way the EPA had brushed off their complaints about terrible odours coming from Sydney Water’s North Head Wastewater Treatment Plant and said it could not establish beyond reasonable doubt that there had been a breach of Sydney Water’s pollution licence.

The Ombudsman’s report revealed that while the initial investigation had been pulled up, some senior EPA staff believed the investigation had not been excessive and had uncovered evidence that pointed to potential sources of the offensive odour.

Ballina Council votes against Fluoride

Ballina Council have voted against the introduction of the scheduled S2 poison “Fluoride” into their water system.

Some anti-fluoride activists, such as Merilyn Haines, the president of Queenslanders for Safe Water Air and Food, argue that fluoride is a poison that is used as an insectide to kill roaches and ants. But Ballina Council member Keith Williams, who proposed the motion, said he saw it as a human rights issue. “I don’t dispute the scientific evidence of dentistry that it prevents cavities, but I don’t believe it is appropriate to add a medication to the water supply without everybody’s consent.”

There is a denial of civil liberties where a medication can be added to the water supply without any control of the amount of medication being taken by consumers. It is simply mass medication.

He said at least one-third of residents were opposed to fluoridation. “I think they have a right to clean, safe water that doesn’t have it,” he said.

Anti-fluoridation action has been spreading from Queensland south into NSW. Since Queensland Premier Campbell Newman’s government overturned the previous government’s decision to make fluoridation of the water supply compulsory, 17 councils, including Mt Isa and Rockhampton, have voted to either stop adding fluoride or have stopped moves to build fluoridation plants.

Currently, it is up to each council to decide, and then seek approval for its decision, or ask NSW Health to decide for it.

Some anti-fluoride activists argue that fluoridated toothpaste has removed the need for fluoridation of the water supply.

The bottom line however, is that consumers are being given a S2 poison that is not in their control to stop taking.

The high sales of filters that take out fluoride from the water is a good indication that people simply do not want it added to their water.

High lead levels at Indooroopilly mine

Lead tailings from an old silver and lead mine have contaminated land at Indooroopilly in Queensland. The former mine, which was used as a teaching and research facility by the University of Queensland, is now surrounded by residential properties.

Brisbane City Council and the nearby residents have been informed of the lead contamination on the site. Lead is common in the environment but can have serious health implications if swallowed or breathed in because it builds up in the body.

Children are more at risk to lead poisoning as it can cause learning and attention problems, hearing loss, slowed growth as well as disruptive behaviour. It can also have serious implications for pregnant women as the lead can pass through the mother’s body and harm the unborn baby.

The highly porous ceramic wall of our filters removes up to 99.99% of bacteria and suspended solids. The tiny pores of the ceramic purifier make it extremely efficient at removing metals such as iron, copper, LEAD and aluminium. The filter also removes bacterial pathogens and water-bourne cysts including e-coli, cryptosporidium, giardia and salmonella.

Drink more water

During the hot summer months we all perspire, some more than others. So we need to keep up our intake of water especially the elderly and women that are pregnant.
But how much should you drink?

Everyone differs on the amount of water they should drink during the day. A simple question but the answer is a little more complicated. A lot depends on the person, the heat of the day, whether they work outside, are an athlete or an office worker. And especially if you consume foods and drinks that are dehydrating like alcohol and coffee.

Water makes up about 65 percent of your body weight. Your body depends on water. It flushes toxins out of your organs, carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for your eyes, nose and other vital parts of the body.

The lack of water can lead to dehydration so your body cannot carry on bodily functions. Mild dehydration can drain your energy and make you feel tired. Severe dehydration can kill you.

So how much fluid do you need? The Institute of Medicine in the States determined that an adequate intake for men is roughly 3 litres (about 13 cups) of water a day. The adequate intake for women is 2.2 litres (about 9 cups) of water a day.

Now, if you were drinking all that water from the tap then you may be doing your body a disservice. The water can be polluted with contaminants such as lead, dirt, rust, hydrocarbons, algae, agricultural pesticides and industrial wastes. Then of course you have the chemicals added by water authorities such as chlorine, aluminium, fluoride and copper and you have a foul smelling and foul tasting toxic cocktail. You may also be ingesting E. coli, Cholera, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium and Giardia.

Not a very healthy combination! A Southern Cross Pottery filter can help you.

Water tastes like Dettol

At the beginning of the year Sydney Water was accused of covering up the real cause of a surge of contaminated drinking water that was pumped into hundreds of homes, causing serious symptoms including vomiting and dizziness.

The scare – which included reports of the water smelling like gas or petrol and people experiencing numbness in the mouth after drinking it – has sparked calls for an immediate investigation into what NSW authorities know about the incident.

The pollution scare affected homes in 85 streets stretching from Botany, Pagewood and Rosebery to Eastlakes. There were about 100 complaints and a health warning was issued for residents not to drink the water.

Residents reported numbness and a burning feeling in the mouth, nausea and vomiting. It tasted like Dettol and smelled like gas and made my mouth go numb until the next day, a resident said.

Sydney Water’s explanation that the problems were caused by bitumen getting into water pipes during routine maintenance has since been discredited by a number of scientists. Sydney Water has also admitted it did not test the water for gas.

Some residents were throwing up, some had the same tingling and burning sensation, and some had upset stomachs, she said

She took her own sample and had it analysed by an independent laboratory, which found chloroform and bromide – which could explain the numbness people reported.

Sydney Water’s explanation that the problems were caused by bitumen getting into water pipes during routine maintenance has since been discredited by a number of scientists. Sydney Water has also admitted it did not test the water for gas.

Dr Ian Wright said that Sydney Water did not share the information in an open and timely manner.

Despite 100 complaints about the water, Sydney Water told Fairfax Media it had taken only four samples in the affected area.

But Sydney Water has said its employee bungled the sample taking, and so no results were available. The only official results have been from a sample taken the day after the pollution incident. No one was given any results from samples taken at the height of the contamination.

The Sydney Water spokeswoman said they do not have an explanation for the reactions to the water but said: ”NSW Health advised that short-term exposure, including showering and drinking a glass of water, is not a risk to health.”

Even though they had no explanation for the contamination, what it was or the possible health risks from exposure.

Is it a risk worth taking? Filter your tap water and make sure your health and the health of your family is protected.

The NSW government should intervene after Santos was fined for contaminating an aquifer in the state’s northwest, environmentalists and Labor say.

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