Water Contamination Concern By Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui

I read about water contamination concern by Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui in his blog. I think it is really good that he as the minister in Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water show concern regarding this poor water quality in Malaysia.

Please visit his blog for greater details.

http://peterchin.my/?p=120#more-120

The copy of article from Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui blog.

It’s indeed very disheartening when I got the report on this Ammonia Contamination at The Cheras 11th Mile Water Treatment Plant & Salak Tinggi Water Treatment Plant recently.

Time and again, due to several contributing factors, such as the dumping of sewage matter, garbage and industrial effluent into the river, both plants have to be closed due to high ammonia levels detected at the intake point.

The Cheras 11th Mile Water Treatment Plant resumed its operation at 3.30 pm on 19th August 2009, recorded an interruption time of 869.5 hours.

Meanwhile, Salak Tinggi Water Treatment Plant also resumed its opeartion at 10.45 am, 22nd August 2009 and recorded an interruption time of 1,125.75 hours.

Ammonia Contamination at The Cheras 11th Mile Water Treatment Plant & Salak Tinggi Water Treatment Plant

The Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry is studying if water treatment plants can be equipped to treat ammonia contamination.

The Salak Tinggi water treatment plant in Kampung Ginching, Sepang has been closed since July 6 after high ammonia levels were detected at the Sungai Labu raw water intake point.

Sungai Labu is contaminated with industrial effluent from the Nilai Industrial Area in Negri Sembilan. Evidence of contamination was obvious from the foaming and foul-smelling water seen at the intake point. There were also bubbles and a thin film of oil.

With its 10.8 million litre daily (MLD) capacity, the plant supplies water to 10,000 consumers in Kampung Ginching, Kampung Labu Lanjut, Kampung Salak Tinggi, Ginching Hulu, Ginching Hilir, Kampung Lembah Paya and Pekan Salak.

The Cheras 11th Mile water treatment plant was also closed due to high ammonia levels detected at the intake Sungai Langat point.

The plant supplies water to 26,000 consumers in Balakong and Sungai Besi Indah.

The ammonia content was very high which is above the permissible level of below 1.5 ppm. There were several contributing factors, such as the dumping of sewage matter, garbage and industrial effluent into the river.



Sg. Raya (After Sg. Nering)
Date & Time : 4/8/09 @ 1.20 pm
Ammonia Level : 3.8 mg/L



Sg Nering (Before Confluence With Sg. Raya)
Date & Time : 14/7/09 @ 11.05 am
Ammonia Level : 5.4 mg/L



Sg. Raya (At Pasar Suntex)
Date & Time : 4/8/09 @ 2.03 pm
Ammonia Level : 3.3 mg/L



Sg. Sering (At Jambatan Taman Orked)
Date & Time : 4/8/09 @ 5.25 pm
Ammonia Level : 4.27 mg/L



Sg. Batang Nilai (Near Taman Ros)
Date & Time : 23/7/09 @ 12.00 pm
Ammonia Level : 6.9 mg/L

The Importance Of Clean Water and RO As The Provider

This subject touch about the importance of clean water and Reverse Osmosis System as the clean water provider. Enjoy...

Soalan-Soalan Lazim Berkenaan Air..

A. Tentang Air Minuman Kita

1 Apakah definisi air?
Secara saintifik, air didefinisikan sebagai gabungan H2O semata –mata (dua atom hidrogen dan satu atom oksigen).

2. Mengapa air penting terhadap badan manusia?
Air ialah asas kehidupan manusia. Ia mengawal dan menyelaras sistem penghadaman, detoksifikasi/sistem perkumuhan dan menyelaraskan suhu badan. Ia juga membantu mengekalkan kesihatan badan dan berat badan.

3. Adakah air dari paip air selamat diminum?
Di kebanyakan negara, air dirawat sebelum disalur kepada pengguna dan ada yang minum air terus dari paip. Ini menunjukkan bahawa air tersebut adalah 'selamat' atau dalam erti kata lain, 'boleh diminum'.

Di Malaysia, walaupun saya tidak kenal sesiapa yang minum air secara terus dari paip, tetapi kita akan terminum sedikit air paip setiap kali kita mengosok gigi. Memandangkan kita tidak mengalami kesakitan serta-merta atau masalah kesihatan, maka kita boleh menganggap air yang disalur ke rumah kita adalah 'selamat' diminium.

4. Adakah air paip menyihatkan?
Ramai di antara penduduk Malaysia yang saya temui kurang pasti tentang perkara ini. Oleh itu, kita harus mempertimbangkan bahawa 'selamat' tidak selalunya bermaksud 'sihat'. Untuk menerangkan maksudnya, satu analogi yang selalu saya gunakan ialah: Sekiranya anda berada di sebuah negara yang mundur, adakah anda akan pilih untuk makan di sebuah gerai tempatan atau di sebuah kedai makanan segera berangkaian antarabangsa?

Saya percaya hampir semua orang akan setuju bahawa makanan segera ialah pilihan 'selamat'. Akan tetapi, adakah anda akan makan makanan segera setiap hari walaupun ia adalah selamat? Harap–harap tidak! Oleh itu, 'selamat' tidak selalunya bersamaan dengan sihat melalui contoh ini.

5. Bagaimana pula dengan ubat-ubatan yang berbahaya dalam air?
Sebenarnya ubat-ubatan farmaseutikal – termasuk ubat penenang, ubat sakit jantung dan hormon jantina – melepasi proses rawatan air buangan yang moden dan meresap ke dalam bekalan air minuman seluruh dunia.

Mungkin tiada kesan buruk serta-merta apabila meminum air yang mengandungi sedikit sisa-sisa ubatan, tetapi dalam jangka masa yang lama, ia berpotensi membawa kesan mudarat pada kesihatan seseorang. Alasannya agak mudah: Ubat-ubatan dicipta khas untuk membawa kesan tertentu terhadap badan munusia walaupun dalam dosej yang rendah.

6. Adakah ini satu ancaman di Malaysia?
Pada saya, ini ialah ancaman kepada mana-mana negara yang penduduknya mengambil ubat-ubatan. Badan manusia sentiasa berfungsi pada cara yang sama, cara rawatan air juga adalah sama dan cara pembuangan ubat-ubatan yang tidak digunakan juga adalah sama. Oleh itu, masakan kita boleh mengharapkan keputusan yang berlainan?

7. Adakah terdapat sebarang ujian yang telah dilakukan terhadap isu ini?
Setakat hari ini, masih tidak ada permintaan secara mandat untuk menjalankan ujian atas kandungan ubat-ubatan farmaseutikal dalam air minuman. Sebenarnya, masih belum ada tahap keselamatan yang ditetapkan terhadap ubat-ubatan dalam air. Walau bagaimana pun, semenjak laporan siasatan AP selama 5 bulan dipaparkan pada bulan Mac tahun ini, perbincangan secara aktif telah dijalankan. Saya yakin bahawa anda tidak mahu anak anda meminum hormon jantina atau ubat-ubatan lain yang ditemui dalam air minuman seluruh dunia.

8. Bagaimana pula dengan bahan pencemar yang lain?
Ubat-ubatan ialah ancaman air terkini yang dilaporkan, tetapi ia mungkin bukan ancaman yang tunggal. Mengikut laporan Earth Day Network yang disiarkan di CNN, 14 juta penduduk Amerika minum air yang tercemar dengan racun rumpai setiap hari.

Di New Zealand, air bawah tanah Southland telah dikenal pasti mengandungi paras nitrat yang semakin melebihi tahap keselamatan. Kandungan nitrat yang tinggi berkait rapat dengan penyakit yang digelar 'Simpton Bayi Biru'. Air minuman yang mengandungi nitrat adalah sangat merbahaya kepada bayi, ibu mengandung serta janin.

9. Sistem rawatan air gagal menyingkirkan banyak jenis bahan pencemar. Adakah ini meningkatkan paras bahaya dalam air?
Laporan AP menunjukkan bahawa bahan disinfeksi kuat yang dikenali sebagai klorin digunakan untuk membunuh kuman dan virus. Akan tetapi, laporan yang sama juga menunjukkan bahawa klorin sebenarnya boleh menyebabkan sesetengah jenis pencemar farmaseutikal menjadi lebih merbahaya. Klorin bertindak-balas dengan bahan organik secara semula jadi dalam logi, sungai dan punca air yang merupakan sumber bekalan air minuman. Tindak balas ini menghasilkan bahan sampingan disinfeksi (DBP) seperti Trihalometana.

DBP ialah penyebab penyakit kanser. Kajian telah menunjukkan bahawa orang yang minum air yang merngandungi klorin mempunyai risiko yang lebih tinggi terhadap beberapa jenis penyakit kanser berbanding dengan mereka yang tidak minum air yang berklorin. Ini merupakan salah satu sebab mengapa paras DBP dikawal secara ketat di kebanyakan negara.

Mengikut kajian pekerja alam sekitar yang diterbitkan pada tahun 2005, air paip yang disalurkan kepada 178,679,000 penduduk di 41 buah negeri di Amerika, mengandungi 44 jenis pencemar bahan sampingan proses rawatan, penyimpanan serta penghantaran air.

10. Adakah kita memerlukan air yang 'baik' untuk kesihatan yang baik?
Hampir 70% badan manusia terdiri daripada air! Bagaimanakah kita boleh mengekalkan kesihatan yang baik sekiranya kita tidak minum air yang 'baik'?

11. Mineral adalah baik untuk kesihatan, jadi, betulkah air minuman patut mengandungi mineral-mineral?
Walaupun terdapat pendapat yang bercanggahan, saya amat pasti yang kita tidak memerlukan atau mahu mineral dalam air kita.

Pertama, kebanyakan mineral dalam air adalah tidak organik (daripada batu–batan yang berlarutan) dan sukar diuraikan atau digunakan oleh badan kita. Kedua, walaupun badan kita boleh menggunakannya, tiada sistem rawatan air dalam rumah yang mampu membezakan mineral yang 'baik' seperti kalsium atau magnesium dengan mineral yang 'buruk' seperti nitrat, arsenik, plumbum dan sebagainya.

Alam semula jadi membekalkan bumi dengan air melalui hujan atau salji yang langsung tidak mengandungi sebarang mineral. Tidak ada sebab mengapa air minuman kita mesti berbeza.
Ketiga, segelas susu mengandungi lebih banyak kalsium daripada 500 liter air paip secara purata. Untuk mendapat kandungan kalsium yang bersamaan dengan segelas susu, anda perlu minum sekurang-kurangnya 500 liter air paip setiap hari, yang sememangnya tidak mungkin berlaku.

12. Bagaimanakah kita memilih sistem rawatan air di rumah?
Kita seharusnya membezakan di antara sistem penapisan air dengan sistem penulenan air. Sistem penapisan air secara asas hanya menyingkirkan segelintir partikel dan mungkin bau dan warna air. Tetapi, sistem penulenan yang direka khas melakukan jauh lebih banyak daripada itu.

Tidak kira sama ada ia suatu sistem penapisan, pancaran UV, penyulingan atau penulenan, fungsinya adalah untuk membersih serta meningkatkan kualiti air. Oleh itu, pilihlah sistem yang bukan sahaja mampu meningkatkan rasa atau warna tetapi mampu menyingkirkan pencemar lain yang selalu dijumpai dalam air.

Kajilah teknologi yang digunakan, jenis pencemar yang boleh disingkirkan, perkhidmatan selepas pembelian anda, berapa tahun syarikat tersebut terlibat dalam perniagaan tersebut dan adakah produk tersebut diiktiraf oleh badan berdikari antarabangsa. Kesemua ini harus diberi perhatian.

13. Apakah sistem rawatan air yang terbaik?
Salah satu cara terbaik untuk menghasilkan air tulen, iaitu H2O sahaja adalah melalui proses osmosis songsang (RO).


B. Tentang Osmosis Songsang (RO)

1 Apakah itu proses RO?
Ia dicipta pada awal tahun 1950. Teknologi ini mengambil masa beberapa tahun sebelum ia disempurnakan di mana ia menyerupai proses penulenan alam semula jadi yang unik.

Air dipaksa (dengan tekanan) melalui membran yang istimewa dan ditulenkan ke tahap molekul. Liang yang amat kecil (atau pembukaan) pada permukaan membran hanya membenarkan molekul air melaluinya. Hampir kesemua pencemar termasuk sisa–sisa ubat-ubatan tidak mampu melalui membran ini.

2. Apakah itu membran?
Membran RO yang separuh terap ini menyerupai fungsi dinding membran sel hidup. Liang-liang dinding begitu kecil sehingga hampir kesemua pencemar terhalang. Membran menghalang hampir kesemua pencemar (walaupun saiznya amat kecil) dan pada masa yang sama membenarkan molekul H20 (air) melepasinya.

Dalam sistem RO yang berkualiti tinggi, keberkesanan liang membran adalah 0.0001 mikron ukuran garis pusat, iaitu bersamaan dengan 500,000 kali ganda lebih kecil berbanding dengan garis pusat rambut kita.

Berikut ialah carta yang menunjukkan saiz pelbagai pencemar air:

Pencemar Saiz partikel
Rambut/Abu 20 - 80 mikron
Bakteria 0.1 - 3 mikron
Virus 0.004 - 0.1 mikron
Bahan Kimia Bukan Organik > 0.0001 mikron
Logam berat terlarut/garam > 0.0001 mikron


3. Di mana dan bagaimana RO digunakan selain daripada digunakan dalam sistem penulenan air minuman di rumah?
RO digunakan oleh banyak syarikat multi-nasional, terutama yang terlibat dalam industri makanan dan minuman seperti air botol dan minuman ringan, dan industri-industri di mana bekalan air tulen adalah sangat penting seperti syarikat farmaseutikal dan pembuatan mikrocip. Rawatan hemodialisis dan kilang penyahgaraman seluruh dunia, termasuk Newater di Singapura juga menggunakan teknologi RO untuk menukar air laut kepada air minuman.

4. Bagaimana air RO berbeza daripada air tapisan yang lain?
RO boleh menyingkir partikel dan bahan terlarut sekecil 0.0001 mikron. Ia menyingkir hampir kesemua bahan pencemar seperti pencemar biologikal, bahan kimia organik, mineral bukan oganik, produk sampingan disinfeksi, kesan ubat-ubatan dan lain-lain. Yang penting sekali, anda memperoleh air tulen sahaja.

5. Memandangkan semua sistem RO menggunakan membran, adakah ini bermakna kesemuanya sama bagus?
Salah. Anda mendapat apa yang anda bayar. Terdapat pelbagai gred membran RO yang berbeza. Tambahan pula, penapis dan membran tersembunyi daripada penglihatan, anda tidak dapat mengenal pasti jika jaminannya adalah betul. Komponen lain dalam unit mungkin juga menyumbang kepada pencemaran semula. Di situlah pensijilan antarabangsa menjadi faktor penting.

6. Bolehkah air menjadi terlalu tulen untuk kesihatan?
Pastinya tidak! Ini adalah seperti mengatakan bahawa makanan kita terlalu tulen, atau udara terlalu tulen! Sebenarnya, air yang tulen akan membantu membersihkan badan kita serta menguatkan sistem badan kita.

7. Perlukah kita minum air beralkali untuk kesihatan badan kita?
Memang benar 80% daripada makanan yang kita makan patut bersifat alkali secara semula jadi, namun bukan untuk air. Air bukan pembekal nutrien. Air tulen secara semula jadi bersifat asid. Setitis air hujan terbentuk dengan pH lebih kurang 5.7. Oleh itu, alam semula jadi membekalkan air yang rendah dari segi pH.

8. Adakah air RO yand rendah pH-nya tidak sihat?
pH air tulen tidak ada kena mengena dengan kesihatan air. Apabila anda telan air tulen, badan anda akan menukar pHnya mengikut keperluan pada masa itu. Oleh itu, kita tidak perlu bimbang. Sebagai contoh, jus oren adalah 10,000 kali ganda lebih berasid daripada air RO, tetapi ia masih minuman yang sihat!


C. Tentang ELKEN BIO PURE

1 Di manakah saya boleh membeli seunit Elken Bio Pure?
Elken Bio Pure boleh didapati dari lebih 100 stokis di Malaysia dan enam buah negara lain - Singapura, Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong dan India.

2. Adakah bil air saya akan naik mendadak dengan penggunaan sistem Bio Pure?
Sudah pasti tidak. Dalam kebanyakan kes, pertambahannya adalah kurang daripada $1 USD setiap bulan secara purata.

3. Beberapa banyak air yang akan disimbahkan (air simbahan) untuk menghasilkan 1 liter air tulen?
Untuk menghasilkan satu liter air tulen, 3 liter air disimbahkan. Walaupun ia dilihat sebagai meggunakan banyak air berbanding dengan air tulen yang dihasilkan, carta berikut menunjukkan jumlah kos air simbahan harian/bulanan. Sekiranya anda tidak mahu membazir, anda boleh mengumpul air simbahan tersebut untuk tujuan pencucian lain.

Air yang dihasilkan oleh Elken Bio Pure Air Simbahan Kos Air
Sehari: 10 liter 30 liter *1,000 liter = RM0.57
30 liter = RM0.017
Sebulan: 300 liter 900 liter 900 liter = RM0.52

* Mengikut kadar bil air SYABAS terkini untuk 20 meter padu yang pertama.

4. Apakah perbezaan Elken Bio Pure berbanding dengan sistem lain?
Elken Bio Pure bukan sahaja menggunakan system RO iaitu system dengan teknologi terbaik tetapi juga mendapat Mohor Emas WQA, satu daripada mohor yang berprestij untuk kualiti dan perlaksanaan. Malah, Elken Bio Pure adalah satu-satunya system membran yang mendapat Mohor Emas S-300 di Asia.

5. Apakah teknologi lain yang digunakan di pasaran dan bagaimanakah mereka berbanding dengan Elken Bio Pure?
Terdapat pelbagai cara rawatan air yang digunakan pada hari ini, termasuk karbon aktif , sinar ultraungu dan teknologi penulenan membran RO.

Karbon aktif digabung dengan sinar ultraungu adalah berkesan dalam menyingkirkan bahan kimia organik seperti racun serangga dan racun rumpai serta pencemar biologi seperti bakteria dan virus tetapi ia tidak berkesan dalam penyingkiran pencemar tidak organik seperti pepejal terlarut (nitrat dan arsenik) dan logam berat seperti plumbun dan kadmium.

Membran RO digabung dengan karbon aktif menyingkir hampir semua pencemar termasuk mineral tidak organik, klorin dan produk sampingan disinfeksi.

Elken Bio Pure menggunakan kedua-dua karbon aktif dan membran RO.

6. Apakah kelebihannya yang lain?
Syarikat menyediakan perkhidmatan selepas jualan yang diiktiraf dengan sijil ISO, yang mempunyai lebih daripada 120 orang juruteknik, 100 buah kenderaan perkhidmatan dan 15 pusat perkhidmatan. Mereka juga menyediakan jaminan perkhidmatan dan alat-ganti yang jati.

Perbincangan Perbandingan Air Botol dan Air Paip

Artikel di bawah di petik dari MedicineNet.com (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=94130). Ia berkenaan study yang dilakukan oleh pihak MedicineNet tentang perbandingan antara air paip dan air botol yang di jual di pasaran. Yang menariknya, sila lihat petikan di bawah..untuk further understand apa yang dibincangkan, anda boleh membaca petikan dibawah sepenuhnya..

"It is important to know what you are trying to filter out before you spend the money," she says. "A reverse osmosis filter will get rid of most contaminants, but charcoal may be enough for odor and taste problems."


Bottled Water: FAQ on Safety and Purity


Questions and Answers on Bottled Water and How It Compares to Tap Water

By Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

Nov. 7, 2008 -- Americans drank 9 billion gallons of bottled water last year, or slightly more than 29 gallons for every man, woman, and child in the country.

They also spent $22 billion on a product that critics of the bottled water industry say they should be getting for free from their home faucets.

Most of the criticism has focused on the environmental impact of bottled water. But an investigation released two weeks ago also raises questions about the purity and even safety of commercially available water.

WebMD looked into many commonly asked questions and concerns about bottled water. Here is what we found:

What did the new report find?
The Environmental Working Group tested 10 best-selling brands of bottled water for 170 contaminants and found different mixtures of 38 contaminants, including bacteria, fertilizer, and industrial chemicals at levels similar to those allowed in tap water.

Two of the samples, bought in San Francisco, contained the chemical compound trihalometrane in levels that exceeded the amount allowed in California.

"The bottled water industry really presents this image of purity, but our investigation demonstrated that it is really hit or miss," Environmental Working Group senior scientist Olga Naidenko, PhD, tells WebMD.

But the International Bottled Water Association, which represents most bottlers, charged that the group's report contained "false claims and exaggerations" and noted that the group's sample was not representative of the hundreds of bottled waters on the market.

Joseph Doss, president of the International Bottled Water Association, tells WebMD that California has much stricter contamination restrictions than the FDA. He says the state's allowed level of trihalometrane is eight times lower than the level allowed by the federal government.

How can I tell if the water I purchase started out as tap water?
Roughly 45% of the water sold in single-serve bottles comes from a municipal water source.

By law, bottled water that comes from a municipal water supply has to disclose this on its label unless the bottler takes steps to further purify the water, which most do. In this case, the label will say "purified water" or "purified drinking water," but the original source is probably tap water.

Water labeled "spring water" comes from an underground water spring, but it may be piped to the bottling plant.

"Mineral water" comes from an underground source and must contain no less than 250 parts per million total dissolved solids, such as salts, sulfur compounds, and gasses. No minerals may be added to the water by the bottler.

"Artesian water" or "artesian well water" must come from a well that taps a confined aquifer.

How can I tell if there are contaminants in the bottled water I purchase?
You probably can't. Tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which requires yearly public reports identifying the contaminants found in local water sources. But bottled water is regulated by the FDA, which has no such requirement.

The Environmental Working Group and the Natural Resources Defense Council, which released its own report critical of bottled water purity in 1999, want the FDA to require bottlers to list contaminants on water bottle labels.

In its report, the National Resources Defense Council noted that the EPA requires more frequent testing of municipal water than the FDA requires for bottled water, and that bottled water rules allow some contamination by E. coli or fecal coliforms, which indicate possible fecal matter contamination.

The report noted that the FDA does not require bottled water to be tested for parasites such as cryptosporidium or giardia; the EPA does require this testing for tap water.

Doss says consumers have a right to know what is in their bottled water, and they can find out by calling an 800 number that appears on every bottle. "If a consumer calls that number and does not get the information they want, they can and should choose another bottled water brand."

Does calling the 800 number really get you the information you want?
That depends on what you want to know.

WebMD called the 800 numbers found on three best-selling water brands, purchased at a minimart in Nashville, Tenn. In each case, we were able to find out the source of the water and the purification process used by the bottler.

But in all three cases we were told that there were no contaminants in the water we were calling about because of the extra purification. While this may be true, water quality experts say it is unlikely that the purification process removes all contaminants. And the Environmental Working Group investigation showed that some of the bottled waters they tested had the same type and level of contaminants as the tap water source used by the bottler.

The brands we checked included Pepsi's Aquafina, Coca-Cola's Dasani, and Deer Park Spring Water, marketed by Nestle.

When we called the Pepsi number, a customer service agent helped us find the date stamp and production code on the bottle of Aquafina we had purchased.

With this information, she was able to tell us that our water came from a municipal source in Mankato, Minn. She further informed us that the bottler used a seven-step purification process that included reverse osmosis, carbon, and UV light filtration.

When we called the Coca-Cola number, a customer service agent was able to tell us that our Dasani came from a municipal source in Birmingham, Ala., and that the purification process included reverse osmosis filtration.

Our Deer Park call was answered by a customer service agent who told us where our spring water was bottled and how it was purified.

Sarah Janssen, PhD, who is a scientist with NRDC, says the 800 numbers may help you figure out where the water you purchase comes from but not what is in it.

"I can't imagine that anyone standing in a store trying to make a decision about which water to buy is really going to go to all that trouble," she says.

Which is safer, bottled or tap water?
Assuming that both the municipal tap water source and the bottler are in compliance with regulations, the experts contacted by WebMD say bottled water is no safer than tap water and tap is no safer than bottled.

The experts point to two cases where bottled water may be recommended -- in emergency situations when contaminants in the local water supply exceed permitted standards and in homes where corroded plumbing could cause lead or copper to contaminate drinking water.

In the first instance, water suppliers are required to notify the community and they may even provide bottled water until the problem has been solved. Homeowners worried about their pipes can have their drinking water tested. Halden says most people choose bottled water for convenience, not safety.

"We have invested in the infrastructure to provide pure, safe, drinking water to the population," he says. "In large cities, water quality is tested hourly, not just once a day."

While that may be true, a recent report by the Associated Press raised new concerns about the purity of tap water.

Its five-month investigation found evidence of a wide range of prescription and over-the-counter drugs -- including antidepressants, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and sex hormones -- in tested samples of municipal water taken from taps throughout the country.

Twenty-four of the 28 water samples taken from major metropolitan area water supplies contained evidence of drug contamination.

The concentrations of these pharmaceuticals were very small. But the report noted that the EPA has not set safety limits for drugs in water and does not require testing for them.

If I drink tap water, should I use a filter?
If you live in a home with older pipes, have odor or taste issues with your tap water, or just want an extra level of protection, a filter may be a good idea. But you have to get the right one for your specific problem, Janssen says.

"It is important to know what you are trying to filter out before you spend the money," she says. "A reverse osmosis filter will get rid of most contaminants, but charcoal may be enough for odor and taste problems."

The Natural Resources Defense Council web site is a good source for information on filters.

The consumer watchdog group Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, also weighed in on commercial filters in a report published early last year.

To find out which filter is best for you, the report recommended consulting the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), published online each July by the EPA.

The report provides detailed information about where your tap water comes from along with detected levels of dozens of regulated contaminants and the corresponding state and federal limits for these contaminants.

To determine the quality of the water actually coming from your faucet, you will have to have it tested. The EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) can provide the names of state-certified testing labs in your area. Or you can do it yourself for under $20 with a commercially available kit sold at most hardware stores.

Is it safe to drink old bottled water?
The FDA considers bottled water to have an "indefinite safety shelf life" if it is unopened and properly sealed, but drinking water quality expert Rolf Halden, PhD, of Arizona State University is not so sure.

"Even water stored for emergency use should be replaced periodically," he tells WebMD. "You wouldn't want to keep it for 10 years."

Can chemicals leach from plastic bottles and pose a health risk?
Most experts who spoke to WebMD say there is little to worry about.

The major concerns have involved the chemicals bisphenol A and phthalates.

Bisphenol A is used in the production of multiuse polycarbonate water bottles, but not in single-use bottles used by commercial bottlers.

Likewise, phthalates are not typically found in plastic beverage bottles used commercially in the U.S. But Janssen says phthalates have been found in bottled water, suggesting that it may leach from the plastic cap or liner.

"These chemicals may be in your water, but you would never know because the water companies are not required to test for them," she says.

Is freezing bottled water or leaving it in a hot car dangerous?
Both of these concerns have circulated widely in emails and on the Internet. One email that has been around for several years warns that freezing bottled water leads to contamination with carcinogenic dioxins.

The email was erroneously attributed to Johns Hopkins University, and it was so widespread that Johns Hopkins' scientists felt compelled to publicly set the record straight in a news release.

Rolf Halden, PhD, PE, who is an adjunct associate professor with the Johns Hopkins Center for Water and Health, called the claim "urban legend."

He notes that there are no dioxins in plastics and that freezing actually slows or prevents the release of chemicals.

The industry group representing single-use beverage bottle manufacturers, known as NAPCOR also used the term "urban legend" to describe claims that it is unsafe to drink water that has been left in a hot car.

"The idea that (these) bottles 'leach' chemicals when heated in hot cars is not based on any science, and is unsubstantiated by any credible evidence," the group noted in a recent news release. "This allegation has been perpetuated by emails until it has become an urban legend, but it just isn't so."

Is there fluoride in bottled water?
If it is added by the bottler, the label must say so. But most bottled waters probably don't have as much fluoride as fluoridated tap water.

The CDC has stated that most bottled waters contain fluoride at levels that are less than optimal for oral health. It weighed in on the issue in a news release last February.

"If you mainly drink bottled water with no or low fluoride and you are not getting enough fluoride from other sources, you may get more cavities than you would if fluoridated tap water were your main water source," the statement noted.

The CDC also warns that preparing infant formula with fluoridated bottled water could cause dental fluorosis, a condition in which permanent white spots occur on the teeth.

SOURCES: Gary Hemphill, Beverage Marketing Corp. International Bottled Water Association web site: "Frequently Asked Questions." FDA: "Bottled Water Regulations and the FDA," September 2002. National Association for PET Container Resources Q&A. Rolf Halden, PhD, PE, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, Arizona State University; adjunct associate professor of environmental health and science, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Joseph Doss, president, International Bottled Water Association. Sarah Janssen, MD, PhD, MPH, scientist, Natural Resources Defense Council. IWG Bottled Water Investigation, Oct. 15, 2008. CDC Fact Sheet on Questions About Bottled Water and Fluoride. WebMD Medical News: "Many Tap Filters Work Well." Associated Press: "Drugs Found in Drinking Water," Sept. 12, 2008. National Resources Defense Council: "Summary Findings of 1999 Bottled Water Report."

©2008 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Ubat dalam Air Minuman??

Artikel di bawah adalah berkenaan ubat-ubatan di jumpai terlarut di dalam air paip kita..sesuatu yang perlu diberi perhatian...

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=87742

Drugs in Our Drinking Water?

Experts put potential risks in perspective after a report that drugs are in the water supply.

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

Tiny amounts of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, hormones, mood stabilizers, and other drugs — are in our drinking water supplies, according to a media report.

In an investigation by the Associated Press, drinking water supplies in 24 major metropolitan areas were found to include drugs.

According to the investigation, the drugs get into the drinking water supply through several routes: some people flush unneeded medication down toilets; other medicine gets into the water supply after people take medication, absorb some, and pass the rest out in urine or feces. Some pharmaceuticals remain even after wastewater treatments and cleansing by water treatment plants, the investigation showed.

Although levels are low — reportedly measured in parts per billion or trillion — and utility companies contend the water is safe, experts from private organizations and the government say they can't say for sure whether the levels of drugs in drinking water are low enough to discount harmful health effects.

WebMD asked experts to give their take on the potential risks of drugs in the water supply.

Is this a new phenomenon, the finding of pharmaceuticals in public water supplies?
No. Low levels of pharmaceuticals in the water supply have been a concern for a decade or longer, says Sarah Janssen, MD, PHD, MPH, a science fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental action group.

"Ever since the late 1990s, the science community has recognized that pharmaceuticals, especially oral contraceptives, are found in sewage water and are potentially contaminating drinking water," Janssen tells WebMD.

Concern among scientists increased when fish in the Potomac River and elsewhere were found to have both male and female characteristics when exposed to estrogen-like substances, she says. For instance, some fish had both testes and an ovary, she says.

Scientists starting looking at the effects of oral contraceptives first, she says. "Now analyses have expanded to look at other drugs," Janssen says.

Technology has made this research easier, says Suzanne Rudzinski, deputy director for science and technology in the Office of Water at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. "Analytical methods have gotten better and we are able to detect lower levels than ever before."


Is there a health effect of drugs in drinking water?
All sides of the debate agree this is not known for sure. "At this point we don't have evidence of a health effect," Rudzinski says, "although it's an area of concern and one we will continue to look at."

Janssen agrees: "We don't know. It's true that the levels [of the medications found in drinking water] are very low. But especially when it comes to pharmaceuticals that are synthetic hormones, there is concern, because hormones work at very low concentrations in the human body."

"We don't want people to be alarmed and think they can't drink their tap water or that they shouldn't be drinking water," Janssen says. "We think this report in particular is a call for our federal agencies — EPA in particular — to do further studies to see what the health effects are."

EPA's ongoing research is focusing on the effect of pharmaceuticals in the water supply on aquatic life and human health, Rudzinski says. But she could not supply details of how much money is being allocated to that research effort or when to expect answers.

Are certain people — say pregnant women, children, the elderly — more sensitive to the potential effects of drugs in the drinking water supply?
Again, it's not known, Janssen says. "We know that kids, including babies and toddlers, as well as fetuses, are more susceptible to environmental exposures because their bodies are still developing and their exposure on a pound-per-pound basis is higher. And they lack the detoxification system adults have. So it is not unreasonable to expect they would be at higher risk."

Can boiling tap water get rid of the medicines, or would drinking bottled water solve the problem?
Boiling will not solve the problem, Janssen says. And forget bottled water as a way to escape the low levels of drugs found in some public water supplies. "Twenty five percent of bottled water comes from the tap," she says, citing an NRDC report.

Labels on bottled water, regulated by the FDA, help consumers know what they are getting, says Stephen Kay, a spokesman for the International Bottled Water Association. If bottled water companies use water from municipal sources and do not treat it further to purify it, the FDA views the source as legitimate but requires the label to state that it is from a municipal or community water system. Bottled water companies that use municipal source water, but then treat and purify it by using reverse osmosis, distillation, or other processes can label it as such using terms such as "purified water" or "reverse osmosis" water.

Home filtering systems such as reverse osmosis may reduce the medication levels, says Timothy Bartrand, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Drexel University, Philadelphia, who participated in a National Science Foundation workshop to develop a drinking water research agenda.

"An activated charcoal system will remove some pharmaceutical drugs but not all," Janssen says. "A reverse osmosis system can also remove some."

What else can consumers do to find answers or improve the situation?
Contact your local public utilities and ask them what pollutants they test for in drinking water, Janssen says, as one way to raise awareness of the problem. Contacting your senator or congressman is another.

When disposing of expired or unneeded medications, don't flush them, Rudzinski says. Instead, mix unused or unwanted drugs with coffee grounds or kitty litter, something that will be unpalatable to pets. Put the mixture in a sealed container so it's not accessible to children or pets and put the mixture in the trash.

SOURCES: Suzanne Rudzinski, deputy director for science and technology, Office of Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C. Sarah Janssen, MD, PhD, MPH, science fellow, Natural Resources Defense Council, San Francisco office. Timothy Bartrand, PhD., postdoctoral researcher in environmental engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia. Associated Press Report, March 10, 2008. Stephen Kay, spokesman, International Bottled Water Association, Alexandria, Va.

© 2008 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

News Paper Articles - Water

View beberapa news papaer article regarding our water...

Elken Bio-Pure Ken Gold Seal Award by WQA - Water Quality Association

1 of 5 s-300 Gold Seal Award MTD by WQA is Elken Bio-Pure and others adalah daripada USA. Please refer below (from http://www.wqa.org/goldseal/11.html) statement to understand what is S-300 Gold Seal Award.

Water Quality Association
11/24/2009

CERTIFIED REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEMS

S-300

This section of the directory lists low pressure reverse osmosis drinking water systems which have been certified in accordance with "Voluntary Industry Standard For Point-Of-Use Low Pressure Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Systems," S-300, and is published periodically by the Water Quality Association (WQA), as a service to the industry and consumers. The WQA is a not-for-profit international association of manufacturers, distributors, and dealers of water treatment systems for household, commercial, and industrial applications. This on-line directory is continuously updated to identify those water treatment equipment products that have been tested and passed stringent industry standards to become certified by the Water Quality Association.

Certification means that a production line reverse osmosis system was tested at the Water Quality Association laboratory, or any of the other testing laboratories recognized by the Water Quality Association, and was found to have met the standards for reduction of specific contaminants. In addition, the materials and components used in these reverse osmosis systems must meet the rigorous safety and structural


Elken Biopure Sdn. Bhd.
No. 20, Jalan 1/137C, Batu 5,
Jalan Kelang Lama, Kuala Lumpur 58000
Phone: 603 7985 8888

Product Type: Countertop with Storage Tank or Reservoir

Brand Name Model Number Daily Production Rate (Gallons/day) Reduction Claims
Bio Pure KEN 1 36.8 Trivalent Chromium
Cadmium
Fluoride
TDS
Nitrate/Nitrite

Bio Pure KEN 3 36.8 Trivalent Chromium
Cadmium
Fluoride
TDS
Nitrate/Nitrite

Bio Pure KEN 2 36.8 Trivalent Chromium
Cadmium
Fluoride
TDS
Nitrate/Nitrite

Air Mineral or Air RO ? Discussion

There is an interesting discussion regarding this issue. Some people thought that Air Mineral is good...some say Air RO...for me...after buat beberapa researchs...I found that..I tend to use Air RO for myself and family..I think you should do the same....you can view this discussion in...

http://mforum3.cari.com.my/viewthread.php?tid=436367&extra=page%3D3%26amp%3Borderby%3Ddateline&page=1

Below is some of my explanation to 1 of the article paste in that discussion forum..

Post Last Edit by koken_7 at 11-11-2009 00:52

Thanks for the information Bro, but I ada different understanding. My answer is 'Reply By'

Apakah air RO?
Air RO (Reverse Osmosis) adalah air yang paling kosong (air mati) - tiada sebarang mineral atau zat. :
Reply By: Air tidak perlukan zat. Fungsi air adalah:
a: Detoksifikasi
b: Melincirkan sendi2
c: Menyokong sistem penghadaman
d: mengawal suhu badan
e: Menghantar nutrien dan oksigen ke sel2 badan

Apakah air mineral?
Air mineral yang dimaksudkan di sini adalah air yang telah ditapis segala kekotorannya tapi ada mineral, elektrolit mineral,
zat-zat dan oksigen - yang lebih dikenali sebagai air mineral hidup atau air hidup semulajadi. Kebersihannya setara dengan air RO, cuma yang membezakannya ialah air RO tiada sebarang zat atau mineral.
Reply By :1) The objective is good enough. BUT, minerals and logam berat mempunyai saiz ion yang sama besar, bagaimana hendak filter hendak bezakan antara good minerals and ion logam berat.
2)mineral terbahagi kepada 2:
a: Organik -- Daripada tumbuhan2, buah-buahan, susu dr lembu etc: can be utilized by cell sbb ikatan antara ion2 mampu di break down into usable minerals for tissues repair and function.
b: Tidak organik -- besi, arsenik, --- tidak boleh digunakan kerana ikatan kovalen tidak mampu diuraikan oleh human body. This kind of minerals is treated by human boday as toxins rather than nutrients.

Mineral dlm air adalah tidak organik. Cth, besi dlm epal (organik) and besi paku (tidak organik)..mana lebih berkhasiat? kalsium susu lembu (organik) and kalsium air (tidak organik)? adakah dengan kekurangan kalsium dlm badan doktor akan suruh pesakit minum susu or bykkan minum air? 1 gelas susu mempunyai kalsium about 300 gelas air...hmmm...better minum susu (organik minerals).

Maksud firman Allah Taala:
“Padahal antara BATU-BATU itu ada yang terpancar dan mengalir air sungai daripadanya, dan ada pula antaranya (BATU-BATU itu) yang pecah-pecah terbelah lalu keluar mata air daripadanya.?”
(Al Baqarah: 74)

“Dan ketika Nabi Musa memohon supaya diberikan air untuk kaumnya, maka Kami berfirman: Pukullah BATU itu dengan tongkatmu, lalu terpancutlah daripada BATU itu 12 mata air…”
(Al Baqarah: 60)

Peranan batu-batu di sini menunjukkan yang air tersebut mengandungi mineral, galian-galian lain dan zat. Jika ada air yang lebih baik, tentu Allah menurunkan-Nya daripada langit.
Reply By: Air mata air/Air Tejun Lata Kinjang Perak diuji dengan Total Dissolve Solid (TDS) Meter : 0 ppm - Meaning no Total Dissolve Solid at all. Jika air mata air mempunyai minerals, meaning that, TDS meter will show some reading.

TIDAK MENGANDUNGI SEBARANG ZAT
Air R.O adalah air paling kosong. Dikenali juga sebagai air mati. Memang bersih dan bebas daripada kuman tetapi tidak membawa manafaat kepada keperluan kesihatan kita. Kita hendak keluarga kita minum air yang berzat, bukannya air kosong.
Reply By: Kita tidak perlu khasiat daripada air, kita perlu khasiat dari makanan cthnya, nasi, sayuran, buah-buahan...Mineral (or wrong perception as nutrients) dalam air tidak berguna kepada badan kerana bukan organik..hanya penyebab kepada batu karang...

TIDAK ADA ELEKTROLIT MINERAL (AMAT BERBAHAYA!!!)
Apabila sesuatu air tidak ada elektrolit mineral, ia amat cepat menyerap radikal bebas daripada makanan yang masuk ke dalam badan kita. Radikal bebas memang kita ketahui merupakan penyebab utama pelbagai penyakit berbahaya di dunia ini. Radikal bebas ini pula akan digunakan di mana sahaja air itu sampai. Jika air itu digunakan di otak, maka radikal bebas akan ke otak. Kalau air itu beroperasi di jantung, paru-paru, buah pinggang, usus-usus dan lain-lain, maka ke situ jugalah radikal bebas tadi akan beroperasi sama. Alangkah bahayanya!
Reply By : 1: Radikal bebas maybe sama dengan Air Aura (kata sesetengah org), meaning partikel between H2O itself tidak bercantum dan senang diserap oleh sel2 (I think it is good).
2: Actually when people talk abut penyerapan nutriens from boday actually by blood, Acidic blood. Kenapa darah kita berasid (punca kepada byk penyakit) sbb sumber pemakanan kita yg asidic..cthnya..daging, burger, french fries....
alkaline food yg akan seimbangkan our blood PH are:
a: sayuran
b: buahan
c: Alga
d: Susu
d: telur putih
Adakah kita byk makan asidic food tp kurang makanan alkaline food? Then our blood is asidic dan ini punca kepada byk penyakit..
MELEMAHKAN SISTEM PERTAHANAN/ IMUN BADAN
Oleh kerana air R.O tidak ada sebarang zat, maka apabila ia masuk saja ke dalam tubuh, ia juga akan menyerap/ mencuri zat-zat yang ada dalam tubuh kita. Hukumnya sama seperti gula biasa yang kita gunakan. Oleh kerana ia tiada sebarang zat/ nutrien, maka ia akan mencuri zat daripada badan kita sebaik sahaja ia masuk ke dalam badan. Ini amat berbahaya terutamanya kepada orang yang telah sedia sakit. Sudahlah sakit, akan kehilangan zat pula. Air RO amat bahaya jika diberikan kepada mereka yang sakit. Hentikan hari ini juga.
Reply By: Jawapan adalah seperti diatas...water bknlah sumber nutrien...Ia jugak bkn satu medium yang boleh menyerap (kena bukak buku fizik/kimia balik klu nk paham apa itu medium) something. Air yang bersih (RO or air mata sungai) amat sesuai utk org sakit.
info: org melayu kalau sakit akan pegi minum air dr anak bukit, hulu2 sungai...all of that is air bersih, 0 ppm TDS = RO also 0 ppm TDS. Hmm..this is the logic if you think properly...

TIDAK ADA MINERAL
Mineral sangat penting untuk tubuh badan kita. Sebab itu Allah menjadikan semua air tawar di dunia ini mengandungi mineral dan hidup pada zaman yang lampau. Oleh kerana dunia semakin tercemar, maka takungan air mineral hidup ini hanya tinggal 5 tempat sahaja di seluruh dunia . Cuba fikirkan? mengapa kerajaan tidak membenarkan air RO yang dibotolkan dilabel sebagai air mineral - mesti ditulis sebagai air minuman sahaja? Mengapa? Ini kerana air mineral sangat tinggi nilainya dan mesti sah sumbernya, barulah boleh dilabel sebagai air mineral.
Reply By: Again, air mata air/hulu sungai tidak mempunyai mineral. Mengapa kerajaan x beri? Oh, itu kena tanya Pak Menteri...

BUKAN AIR YANG SELARAS DENGAN FITRAH KEJADIAN TUBUH BADAN MANUSIA
Tuhan lebih tahu air jenis apakah yang paling sesuai dengan fitrah kejadian tubuh badan manusia. Sebab itu suatu ketika dahulu semua air tawar di dunia ini adalah air mineral hidup, bukannya air kosong tanpa mineral. Itulah air yang digunakan oleh manusia terawal termasuklah Nabi Adam as, bukannya air R.O. Kalau air yang bersih tetapi kosong/mati (iaitu air R.O) itu yang paling baik untuk manusia, sudah pasti Allah menjadikan semua air tawar di dunia ini suatu ketika dahulu tiada mineral dan kosong/ mati seperti air RO.
Reply By: Again, the answer is, air sungai (hulu) or mata air 0 ppm TDS = RO (0 ppm TDS), so maknanya, org zaman dahulu minium air tanpa mineral.

MANUSIA YANG BERUSIA LEBIH 100 TAHUN DAN HIDUP SIHAT TIDAK MINUM AIR R.O
Hanya ada 5 tempat saja lagi di seluruh dunia yang masih ada takungan air mineral hidup. Penduduk di sini kebanyakannya berusia lebih 100 tahun, tiada sebarang penyakit, tiada karat gigi, boleh melahirkan anak pada usia yang lewat dan memiliki pelbagai kelebihan lagi yang tidak ada pada kita yang minum air biasa.
Reply By: Again, no mineral hidup. Yang ada, 1)Mineral Organik 2) Mineral Tidak Organik
info: I think the healthiest and paling ramai hidup lama di Okinawa Jepun, they're living atas pulau, no sumber air bersih accept air laut..so, Jepun government build up RO plant to convert air laut menjadi air bersih for the people...hm..

Bagaimana cara untuk memilih mesin penapis air mineral yang baik?

Pastikan airnya mengalir dari bawah ke atas kerana air yang mengalir sebaliknya tidak akan menyentuh semua bahan yang ada dalam setiap balang/kebuk penapis itu.
Pastikan bentuknya cantik- sesuai diletakkan di mana-mana. Kalau boleh biar dalam satu binaan- tidak berasing-asing. Ada mesin yang satu kebuk/balangnya terletak di luar. Ini menjadikan mesin itu tidak cantik dipandang.
Cara penggunaannya mudah. Pemasangannya mudah. Tak pakai kuasa elektrik atau bateri.
Jangka hayat balang/kebuknya tahan lama.
Reply By: Minum air yang bersih...Air=H20, why we need bendaing dlm air sedangkan kita minum air H2O bknnya pb, mg, nitrat, kalium, arsenik etc.

For our information:
Pepejal terlarut (TDS) or 'MINERALS' yg biasa dijumpai dalam air adalah:
1: kalsium
2: Fluorida
3: magnesium
4: Fosforus
5: Sulfat
6: Natrium
7: Arsenik
8: Nitrat
9: Nitrit
10: Barium
11: kadmium
12: Kromium
13: tembaga
14: Pumbum
15: Selenium
16: Radium

If kita nak minum air bermineral, please prepare to absorb this kind of heavy metal into our body (sbb saiz mineral adalah sama dgn saiz ion logam berat, if the filter tend untuk lepaskan mineral, maknanya ia juga akan lepaskan logam berat)...so..mari fikir...air bersih or air bermineral....

info: my concern is not minerals, it will not effect our body much except batu karang maybe...but more towards logam berat, karat, racun rumpai...our piping system is very bad which contribute to this bendasing dalam air kita...peace...

Fakta Tentang Air - National Geographic

Laporan National Geographic Tentang Pencemaran Air

Saiz Bahan Tercemar/Contaminant Size

Perbezaan Teknik Rawatan Air Dan Keberkesanannya/Comparison Water Treatment Methods and Its Effectiveness

About Water - Water Treatment Methods

Drinking water quality has a direct impact on our well-being since 70% of our body consists of H2O. Water plays a vital role in virtually all bodily functions; especially in:
-Detoxifying the body
-Lubricating joints of the skeletal system
-Supporting the digestive system
-Regulating body temperature
-Delivering nutrients and oxygen to cells
Are we unknowingly drinking contaminated water? Contaminated water doesn’t always look. In fact, many contaminants lurk within seemingly crystal-clear water.


Health Effects Of Contaminants In Drinking Water
Contaminants are often broken into different categories, or types, as seen below:
a: Biological contaminants include "living organisms" such as bacteria, virus, cysts, etc. These are responsible for millions of deaths each year.
b: Organic contaminants include pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, pharmaceuticals, etc. and are found in water all over the world. They can cause, among other things, endocrine system disruption, cancer and death.
c: Inorganic contaminants include dissolved solids such as nitrates, nitrites, asbestos, calcium, magnesium, etc. plus dissolved metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, copper, etc.
d: Chlorine/Disinfection By-Products, also known as DBPs, include such things as Trihalomethanes and Bromides. Dozens of these compounds have been recently identified and are considered carcinogenic.
e: Aesthetic contaminants are those considered to be non-health threatening, in and of themselves, and include things like taste, odour, colour, etc.

Water Treatment Methods

Reverse Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a common treatment technology that produces high quality water. Pressure forces water against a semi-permeable membrane to purify water at a molecular level. RO typically incorporates a sediment filter and an activated carbon filter, which removes chlorine and reduces volatile organic compound(VOCs).
RO is effective against virtually all health and aesthetic contaminants. According to a recent investigative report by Associated Press, RO is one technology that removes virtually all pharmaceutical contaminants, which are among the most dangerous and stubborn contaminants today. Its high water purity is the reason why it is used throughout the food and beverage industries. R.O. membranes can differ in quality. The use of pumps in an R.O. system can increase the water pressure, thus helping the system to achieve the maximum efficiency. The virtual porosity of a good RO membrane/system is as small as 0.0001 microns.
Reverse osmosis removes:
a: Biological contaminants such as Bacteria, Parasites and Viruses
Organic contaminants such as Herbicides, Pesticides and Pharmaceuticals/Medication
b: Inorganic contaminants such as Dirt, Sediment, Asbestos, Nitrates and Nitrites
c: Total Dissolved Solids such as Calcium, Fluoride, Magnesium and Sodium
d: Heavy Metals such as Arsenic, Copper, Lead and Cadmium
e: Radioactive Ions like Radium and Strontium
f: Disinfection By-Products such as Trihalomethanes

Boiling
Bringing water to a boil for at least 10 minutes is an effective method to kill most types of disease-causing organisms that often cause diarrhoea, fatigue, cramps and nausea when ingested. Although that does not remove them from your drinking water, it does kill them and ensure that they will not cause illnesses.
However, boiling water does not purify it as it does not provide any safeguard against other contaminants that enter our water supply, for instance heavy metals, pesticides or even lead from your piping system. Boiling water also has no effect on turbidity (cloudy water), foul tastes and odours. Water that has been boiled often tastes flat.
Boiling water kills:
a: Most Biological contaminants such as Bacteria, Viruses and Parasites


Activated Carbon
Activated carbon can come in granular or solid block form. Also known as GAC, this form of carbon has been processed to make it extremely porous with a very large surface area for ‘collecting’ organic molecules on its surface. Due to its high degree of micro-porosity, just one gram of quality activated carbon can have a surface area of approximately 2 tennis courts.
This is an inexpensive and well-established technology for the reduction of a wide range of aesthetic contaminants, and is quite effective in the reduction of some health contaminants, for example volatile organic compounds like benzene and other petroleum-based contaminants. However, it does not bind well to alcohol, strong acids, metals and most inorganic materials like iron and lead.
Activated carbon removes:
a: Most Organic contaminants such as Herbicides and Pesticides
b: Some Inorganic contaminants such as Dirt and Sediment
c: Disinfection By-Products such as Trihalomethanes
It does not remove:
a: Most Biological contaminants such as Viruses and Bacteria
b: Inorganic contaminants such as Asbestos, Nitrates and Nitrites
c: Some Organic contaminants such as Pharmaceutical Drugs/Medication

Ultraviolet Light
UV light can disrupt the DNA of micro-organisms like bacteria and viruses, thus inactivating them. Therefore they cannot reproduce.
One downside of UV is that if dust or film coats the UV bulb or if micro-organisms ‘hide’ behind other larger contaminants, the straight-moving UV light is blocked, rendering it ineffective. UV is also ineffective against non-biological contaminants like lead, arsenic, chemical residues and pharmaceutical drugs. That’s why it should always be pared with other types of filtration, such as a sediment filter and a carbon filter. UV systems require careful maintenance.
Ultraviolet light is effective against:
a: Biological contaminants such as Bacteria, Parasites and Viruses
Unless used in combination with other water treatment methods,
UV light system is not effective against:
a: Organic contaminants such as Herbicides, Pesticides and Pharmaceutical Drugs/Medication
b: Inorganic contaminants such as Dirt, Sediment, Asbestos, Nitrates and Nitrites
c: Total Dissolved Solids such as Calcium, Fluoride, Magnesium and Sodium
d: Heavy Metals such as Arsenic, Copper, Lead and Cadmium
e: Radioactive Ions like Radium and Strontium

Ozone
An ozone generator converts some of the oxygen found in air to O3, or ozone. Ozone-saturated bubbles mix with water and one weak oxygen atom in each O3 molecule attaches to organic molecules in water and oxidizes them in a way similar to chlorination.
Ozone is effective for treating pathogens like coliform bacteria and legionella, but it is not effective against hard-shelled cysts like Cryptosporidium or Giardia lamblia without using high contact times and concentrations. As ozone is primarily effective against biological contaminants, it should always be paired with a carbon-based, sand-based or other media based filtration system to remove other types of contaminants.
Ozone destroys:
a: Most Biological contaminants such as Bacteria, Parasites and Viruses
Unless used in combination with other water treatment methods,
an ozone system is not effective against:
a: Some Biological contaminants such as Hard-shelled Cysts
Certain Organic contaminants such as Herbicides, Pesticides and Pharmaceutical Drugs/Medication
b: Inorganic contaminants such as Dirt, Sediment, Asbestos, Nitrates and Nitrites
c: Total Dissolved Solids such as Calcium, Fluoride, Magnesium and Sodium
d: Heavy Metals such as Arsenic, Copper, Lead and Cadmium
e: Radioactive Ions like Radium and Strontium
f: Disinfection By-Products such as Trihalomethanes

Distillation
Distillation produces high quality treated water by heating the water until it turns to steam. The steam travels through a condensation coil, where it is cooled and condensed back into liquid form. The condensed water in the second section is usually substantially free of contaminants.
Distillation provides a high degree of effectiveness against a broad range of health contaminants but it is ineffective against Volatile Organic Contaminants (VOC) such as benzene and radon, which give off harmful vapors that can move through the system with the steam. The high energy requirements, relatively long production time and the need to use strong chemicals to clean the heating coils may also be discouraging factors.
Distillation removes:
a: Biological contaminants such as Bacteria, Parasites and Viruses
Inorganic contaminants such as Dirt, Sediment, Asbestos, Nitrates and Nitrites
b: Total Dissolved Solids such as Calcium, Fluoride, Magnesium and Sodium
c: Heavy Metals such as Arsenic, Copper, Lead and Cadmium
Radioactive Ions like Radium and Strontium
It does not remove:
a: Organic contaminants such as Herbicides, Pesticides and Pharmaceutical Drugs/Medication
b: Disinfection By-Products such as Trihalomethanes

Filtration
Filtration operates to physically remove contaminants, thus their effectiveness depends greatly on the micron size of the filters.
Method:
Particle Filtration (from 1 micron to 100 micron) Cartridge-type filtration is used to remove sediment through the usage of a filter material:
-Pleated impregnated cellulose (20 micron) - removes dirt, rust, scale and fine silt
-Pleated synthetic fabric (from 1.0 to 100 micron) - removes clay, fine silt and scale particles
-String-wound fiber (from 0.5 to 100 micron)- can remove coarse undissolved particulates to fine particulates depending on its micron size
-Bonded filter - can remove different particulates depending on fine, medium or coarse micron rating
b) Method:
Microfiltration (from 0.2 to 5 micron) Microfiltration uses a filter media to physically prevent biological contamination like protozoan cysts and bacteria (but does not remove viruses) from passing through. Ceramic and solid block carbon are commonly used to provide microfiltration.
Ceramic filters can often be cleaned and reused a few times before they lose effectiveness while carbon block media usually has to be disposed of after each use. However, carbon block provides additional treatment for certain health-related and aesthetic contaminants (see activated carbon section).
Please see ‘Contaminant Size Diagram’ to view what contaminants these filters can remove (depending on their micron size).

Alkaline-Ion
Also known as water ionizers, microwater machines or restructured water machines, these are mainly electrolysis machines. During electrolysis, water is separated into alkaline acid fractions by exploiting the electric charge of the calcium and magnesium ions present in nearly all sources of drinking water.
Some parties have claimed that drinking alkaline water will help to maintain body fluid at the optimal pH, thus providing many health benefits. However, this has not been scientifically proven. In fact, it has been said that the pH of drinking water has little to no effect on body fluid pH as it will be neutralized by the highly acidic pH of our gastric fluid in the stomach. Water that is sufficiently alkaline so as to significantly affect gastric pH is unlikely to be considered potable and may even interfere with digestion.
An Alkaline-Ion system does not remove any contaminants. Removal of contaminants depends solely on the quality of its pre-filter(s).
It does not remove:
a: Biological contaminants such as Bacteria, Parasites and Viruses
Organic contaminants such as Herbicides, Pesticides and Pharmaceutical Drugs/Medication
b: Inorganic contaminants such as Dirt, Sediment, Asbestos, Nitrates and Nitrites
c: Total Dissolved Solids such as Calcium, Fluoride, Magnesium and Sodium
d: Heavy Metals such as Arsenic, Copper, Lead and Cadmium
e: Radioactive Ions like Radium and Strontium
f: Disinfection By-Products such as Trihalomethanes

Kepentingan Air Terhadap Kesihatan Manusia

70% daripada badan manusia terdiri daripada air (H2O).



Kandungan H2O dalam:

i: Otak 80%

ii: Jantung 75%

iii: Paru-paru 86%

iv: Hati 86%

v: Buah pinggang 83%

vi: Otot 75%

vii: Darah 90%



Air memainkan peranan penting dalam banyak fungsi badan terutamanya:

a: Detoksifikasi

b: Melincirkan sendi-sendi

c: Menyokong sistem penghadaman

d: Mengawal suhu badan

e: Menghantar nutrien dan oksigen ke sel-sel badan



Kualiti air minuman mempunyai impak secara langsung kepada kesihatan kita.

4 Jenis Bahan Pencemar Biasa Dalam Air

a: Bahan Pencemar Biologikal (Bakteria, Virus, Parasit dll)
- Menurut Bank Dunia, 88% daripada semua penyakit di dunia berpunca daripada air minuman yang tidak selamat, sanitasi yang tidak mencukupi serta kerbersihan yang tidak cekap.
- Setiap tahun, masalah yang berkaitan dengan air bertanggungjawab atas 4 bilion kes cirit birit yang menyebabkan kematian terhadap lebih daripada 6 juta orang kanak-kanak.
- Air yang tidak bersih mengakibatkan 1.5 juta kes hepatitis A (dan 133 juta kes cacing usus)
*Laporan CNN, Disember 2007

b: Bahan Pencemar Organik (Racun perosak, Racun Rumpai, Bahan Kimia Perindustrian dll)
- Menurut 'Earth Day Network', 14 juta penduduk A.S kini secara malarnya minum air yang dicemari oleh racun rumpai karsinogenik.
*Laporan CNN Disember 2007
- Peningkatan jumlah kematian akibat kanser mungkin sebahagiannya berpunca daripada racun perosak, baja dan sisa perindustrian yang semakin banyak terlepas ke dalam bekalan air kita
*Reader's Digest

c: Produk Sampingan Disinfeksi (Trihalometana THMs, Kloroform dll)
- Satu kajian terhadap hampir 400,000 bayi membuktikan bahawa kimia yang terbentuk semasa pengklorinan berkait rapat dengan kejadian kecacatan semasa lahir.
*The Daily Mail Online, 03/06/2008
- Risiko Kanser di kalangan orang yang minum air berklorin adalah 93% lebih tinggi daripada golongan yang minum air tanpa klorin.
*U.S Council of Environment Quality

d: Bahan Pencemar Bukan Organik (Plumbum, Nitrat, Arsenik, Asbestos, Debu, Mendapan dll)
- Arsenik adalah beracun kepada semua sel hidup dan akan menyebabkan kanser paru-paru, hati, buah pinggang dan pundi kencing yang membawa maut dikalangan manusia
*Persatuan Mikrobiologi Umum
- Paras nitrat yang tinggi menyebabkan "Sindrom Bayi Biru" yang mengurangkan keupayaan darah membawa oksigen.
*US EPA
- Plumbum berbahaya kepada perkembangan otak janin, kanak-kanak dan wanita hamil, manakala menimbulkan masalah buah pinggang & tekanan darah tinggi bagi golongan dewasa.
*US EPA