Water Filters Blog

A recent article in a Florida newspaper brought to our attention the discovery of severely contaminated water in Palm Beach. The Sun-Sentinel reported that an unknown source had resulted in significant levels in of fecal coliform, total coliform, and E. coli bacteria. These contaminants are found in sewage and bird droppings and no one has yet determined which, if either, of these is the cause of the problem.

Construction crews and scientists and administrators at the Palm Beach County department of environmental health are all working to determine how the contamination happened. In the meantime, the city has urged all citizens to use bottled water or boiled water for cooking purposes and for brushing teeth.

The city would be able to restore the water to necessary standards of cleanliness and health by using UV (ultra-violet) water filters. UV light has the power to reconfigure DNA in cells, which means that bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms lack the ability to reproduce. In other words, it renders the bacteria effectively dead, and the risk of anyone’s contracting disease from the water is removed. UV systems are extremely effective and can remove up to 99% of bacterial or viral contamination in water.  

The South Florida Water Management District has begun to chlorinate the water in their system very heavily to purify the contaminated water. This will affect the taste and smell of the tap water in Palm Beach, and could affect the health of tropical fish that people keep as pets. To avoid the undesired effects of heavily chlorinated water (unpleasant taste and smell, and health concerns for small animals), it is advised that people take advantage of very simple water filtration systems that remove chlorine. These are easy to install, affordable, and an excellent investment. Some systems are more advanced than others but they are all effective and worthwhile.

The Palm Beach story will, in this case, have a happy ending. But the story has a moral, which is that all of us would be smart to have water filtering systems pre-installed in our homes. In the event of an unfortunate event like this, we should be prepared.

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