Hot take – I suspect fixing your water quality might be one of the most underrated health interventions you can make – and it’s surprisingly easy to address.
While many of us think about things like food quality (organic vs not), or cookware safety (non-plastic), we tend to overlook something far more fundamental: the purity of our water.
Let’s do a quick reality check: that fancy filter in your fridge or that trendy water pitcher on your counter? They’re about as effective at removing modern contaminants as using a tennis racket to catch mosquitoes.
Sure, they might make your water taste better, but they’re allowing a cocktail of concerning contaminants to come to your cup.
What most people don’t realize is that our municipal water systems were designed in an era before we knew about microplastics, PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), or the countless pharmaceutical residues that now flow through our pipes. Even well water, often thought to be pristine, has naturally occurring arsenic, lead, and mercury that conventional filters barely touch.
This is unique to the present day.
We haven’t dealt with it before, and don’t know what will happen years down the line if we don’t deal with it soon. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t deal with it. We’re pretty sure that a lot of these compounds are, like, really super detrimental to our health…..we just aren’t 100% sure. Eff it – I’m rounding up. Other people can run their own experiments.
Microplastics: These tiny plastic particles are, quite literally, everywhere. Recent studies have found microplastics in 93% of bottled water and 83% of tap water globally. We’re talking about particles so small they can cross the blood-brain barrier.
PFAS: Nicknamed “forever chemicals” because they basically never break down in nature. Or in your body. They’re linked to everything from cancer to hormone disruption, and yet a 2023 study found PFAS in 45% of tap water samples across the United States.
Pharmaceutical Residues: Think about all the medications people take. Kind of gross, but trace amounts of these drugs end up in our water supply through human waste. Conventional treatment plants weren’t designed to remove these compounds.
Heavy Metals: Lead, arsenic, and mercury – common in aging pipes or agricultural runoff
The health implications of these contaminants read a bit like a horror story. PFAS exposure has been linked to increased risks of certain cancers, liver damage, decreased fertility, and increased risk of asthma and thyroid disease. Microplastics are now being found in human blood and organs, with emerging research suggesting they might contribute to inflammation and cellular damage. Heavy metals can cause neurological damage and developmental issues for children and adults alike.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Unlike many health interventions that require massive lifestyle changes or iron willpower, fixing your water is surprisingly straightforward. Enter reverse osmosis (RO) systems.
Think of water filtration like trying to clean a sandy beach. Basic filters (like those in your fridge) are like using a rake – they’ll catch the big stuff, the trash. Carbon filters (like in most pitchers) are like using a broom – better, but still leaving plenty behind. Reverse osmosis? It’s like bagging up the entire beach, sand included, and individually selecting each perfectly pure grain of sand to put back down.
Here’s how it works: RO systems force water through a semi-permeable membrane with pores so tiny they’re measured in angstroms (one ten-billionth of a meter). For comparison, while a standard carbon filter might catch particles down to 50 microns, RO membranes filter down to 0.0001 microns. That’s the difference between catching a baseball and catching a virus.
Installing an RO system typically reduces:
– 99.9% of microplastics
– 94-99% of PFAS compounds
– 95-99% of pharmaceutical residues
– 99.9% of lead, arsenic, and other heavy metals
Think about it this way: every glass of water you drink is an investment in your health. You wouldn’t knowingly eat food laced with plastic or industrial chemicals. So why would you drink water containing those same contaminants when there’s an effective solution available?
You might be thinking – ‘this sounds expensive and complicated’. It isn’t.
A quality RO system costs between $200-500, and typically lasts 10-15 years with very basic maintenance, and produces water for about 10-25 cents per gallon. Compare that to bottled water services at $1-3 per gallon (which often contains microplastics anyway).
Installation is pretty straightforward – most systems fit under your sink, and you can install them yourself. The maintenance? Change a few filters annually and replace the membrane every 2-5 years. That’s it.
Like many things that improve health, the solution is simple once you know what to do. Put the stuff with the highest return on effort first.
You can go through all the steps of reading the studies and running the tests, but the solution at the end of the day is honestly pretty simple. Install the RO system and never worry about your water again. It’s one-and-done. A set-and-forget. It’s arguably the most important upgrade you can make to your home’s water quality and your family’s long-term health.
