Aluminium in our drinking water

People are now becoming more aware that our drinking water contains a high number of contaminants and added chemicals, with aluminium being one such additive that can be found in our drinking water. Did you also know that it could actually be found in our tea as well as indigestion tablets too? This means that we’re ingesting a lot more aluminium than we first realised. The question remains however, why is aluminium in our drinking water? More importantly, is it safe?

Aluminium is already widely present in our soil and is therefore found in most untreated water sources. This naturally present aluminium can be removed if carefully controlled processes are carried out at water treatment works however this doesn’t always happen. On top of this, aluminium compounds are also used in order to remove any impurities within our drinking water.

It’s been known to be very good at reducing any colouring and cloudiness within the water before the final stages of treatment. This means that at the very least, a residual amount may remain within the water supply for us to consume. This is where the danger lies as researchers have now found out. Here we look at just why aluminium in drinking water is such a concern.

Why is aluminium a concern in our drinking water?

For years, a number of researchers have been confused as to the high levels of aluminium that have been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease victims. Whilst some researchers believe the aluminium to be a direct side effect of Alzheimer’s disease, there are now a growing number of investigators who believe aluminium actually plays a rather pivotal role when it comes to causing the disease that terrorises so many of our elderly population. As we mentioned before, aluminium occurs naturally in some of our water however it’s also added as aluminium sulphate by a lot of water treatment departments in order to make our water appear clearer.

Our water departments will often control our water so that it’s ever so slightly alkaline between a pH of 7 and 8. In an alkaline condition however, aluminium can actually present itself as very fine yet solid particles. These particles are sometimes removed with the help of sand filters however these sand filters are inefficient for particles smaller than 4 and 5 microns. Therefore, such fine particles slip through and remain in our drinking water. The very latest link between aluminium and Alzheimer’s disease emerged recently when scientists in Australia reported that aluminium (used to purify the water) had accumulated within the brains of lab rats.

This Australian study focused new and rather intense interest on the subject, becoming quite an important topic. This was because it showed the body could absorb aluminium in our drinking water. As to whether it could definitely lead to memory loss and brain damage, although the evidence still isn’t conclusive, it’s currently pointing very strongly in the direction of ‘yes’.

Although aluminium is used in a variety of products that include antiperspirants and processed foods, the metal is still consistently present in our drinking water. In the past, studies have shown that the rate at which Alzheimer’s disease develops can actually be slowed when patients are treated with a drug that can remove the aluminium from the brain. These aren’t the only shocking findings however as the university of Waterloo in Ontario conducted another such study back in 1995.

The study, published by a man named William Forbes found a direct connection between mental impairment and aluminium. After conducting their research in around 100 Ontario communities, they found a direct correlation between the amount of aluminium in the water and mental health problems. People were tested from the age of 45 to 80 years of age. They concluded that those with high levels of aluminium in their drinking water supply were around 10 times more likely to suffer from impaired mental functions. Despite such shocking finds, aluminium is continually put into our public water supplies today.

Avoid aluminium with the help of our water distillers

Such findings are enough to make anyone fear for their own health however here at Make Water Pure we have the perfect solution in the form of a water distiller. Although some believe their basic water filters can help, it’s scientifically proven that only a quality water distiller can remove 99.8% of impurities (including aluminium) from our drinking water. So when it comes to a water filter vs water distiller there’s no competition.

Not only are our counter top water distillers easy to use, but they also lack any difficult installation steps. Simply place the stainless steel water distiller on top of your kitchen workspace or office desk, fill with water and depress the one switch on the machine. Then sit back, relax and watch the water distiller get to work creating 99.8% pure water. The process the water distiller uses is essentially the same process used by Mother Nature herself.

The water is heated until it reaches boiling point and begins to steam. As the steam rises, it’s collected in a coil and begins to cool. As it does so, it condenses back into a liquid form where it’s collected in a separate chamber. The reason distillation is able to remove aluminium sulphate, along with a multitude of other contaminants is due to water having a lower boiling point than the additives it contains. This allows the water to rise out of the contaminants.

Evidence of this can be seen in the boiling chamber of the water distiller although we warn you; the remaining chemicals and contaminants are not a pretty sight. If you’d like more information on the harm that aluminium can do or how to get your hands on one of our quality water distillers then contact us today.