'Filtered' water

[Kev]

I thought I'd throw this on here. Not sure if it is pertinent, or of any value in and of itself. It may be nothing more than food for thought.

Recently, I noticed a build up in the water reservoir of my coffee maker (yes, I can AND do drink coffee, with no adverse effects). Now, I regularly would run a mixture of water/vinegar thru my coffee maker to keep it clean, but I was shocked at the buildup in the water reservoir from my tap water. I did a thorough cleanout of it, and it was a real challenge, so I invested in one of those water filter pitchers .. I won't name names, don't want any lawsuits, but I thought it was a britE idea. It was. After more than a month using the filtered water, the inside of my coffee maker is still as pristine as it was right after the big cleanout. Problem is... my coffee tastes like pure crap. I don't know which of the impurities the filter eliminated that gives coffee its great taste, but without it... it just sucks. I gave it a month. Today, I made coffee with unfiltered tap water, and voila... what a great cup of coffee.

Anyway, I don't know what negative health impacts the impurities in our drinking water may have on us. And, after a month of my little experiment, I don't want to know. If my unfiltered water coffee is hurting me, so be it.

 

[superzeeman]

Ah coffee is my biggest pleasure. What is happening is that minerals do depart a taste and it can be either good or bad. You have become acustom to the taste of your particular municipalites water and that is why the other tasted bad. I use tap water too. I am a fanatic about my coffee, I roast my own so I can control the taste and I think the minerals in the water are a fine addition.

 

[Jennifer]

Hey Kev. If you want you can give this thread a read through. http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=42650

 

[rygon]

yeh I live in a hard water area and cannot stand it when I go into a soft water area. It tastes disgusting .

 

[Ya noy]

Some minerals in water taste god, some bad. Try drinking well water with a high surfer content. It's basically safe to drink, but tastes and smells like rotten eggs. (Fond memories of living in the UP of Michigan--a water filter was pretty much a necessity. Oh, and forget about wearing white.)

It all depends on the mineral content of the area you live in.

 

[KWalker]

We had some of that in Windsor, ON. Ya noy. You sure know when you walk into somebody's house who has it.

We also had some areas where the iron (?) was so high in the water it tasted like metal.

 

[Beach]

I added one of those chlorine water filters for the shower early last week. Was chuckling this morning about how the shower really does seem to sparkle now.

 

[Kev]

On our hobby farm (less than 2 acres, so Dad called it a hobby) our well was about 150' deep. Very hard water, and no conditioning. Water heater, electric kettles, etc., lasted only a short time. Heater cores would calcify, overheat and burn out. That we learned to live with. What was a bit freaky was that the hardness of the water turned the tub enamel to almost a rubber consistency. Seriously, baked on enamel which puckered and wrinkled like it was rubber. Yet the water tasted great. A neighboring farm put in a new holding pond. (you can guess what it held). 1/2 dozen neighbors with shallow wells lost their water. Contamination. Our deep well went untainted. It brought home the importance of clean drinking water. But I often wondered about how it could do that to enamel, yet still be harmless to drink.

Of course, anyone who ever drank Kool-Aid as a child, and saw how it stained tables, counters, etc., when spilled, probably wondered about what it did to their insides.

 

[Jmrogers4]

Grew up drinking from artesian well water, tap water now is not as good but it is definitely hard water I believe most of our tap water comes from an underground auquafir and I haven't ever figured out how to get out the hard water spots that were already here when we moved in the house

 

[Kev]

As an aside, tonights local news talked about water users in some parts of the city who were complaining about a horrid smell from their drinking water. Officials admit there is a problem... apparently some organic growth. Hopes that cold weather would correct it have fallen thru. They now say that 'fixing' it would take years and cost millions. So those affected are told that this organic growth won't hurt them, and the water is safe to drink. Thing of it is.. according to reports, the safe, potable water smells like swamp water. Anyone ever tried drinking a glass of water while holding their nose? Upside is.. if I ever visit anyone with this water issue, and need to use their bathroom, I can do so... and upon exit, say.. "Oh, that's not me, just your H2O"

 

[Jmrogers4]

:ack:

 

[Beach]

:rof:

I used to work in an old school house, located 30 minutes out of town in the middle of farm country. Bottled drinking water was brought in for us to drink, but for the bathrooms smelly well water that stained the toilets brownish red was used. Would joke about the damage I could do in the bathrooms, with no one being the wiser.

 

[David]

Interesting thing is, that, "hard water" is calcium and magnesium, two minerals we are in dire need of and rarely get enough of in the western diet. I actually believe that magnesium deficiency plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease for many. Water softeners and filters like reverse osmosis systems remove those highly beneficial minerals from the water.

I just purchased an expensive filter to put them back into my water. I'm having to get used to the taste of mineralized water now

 

[Jmrogers4]

I can't stand the taste of softened water, guess growing up with the "hard water" spoiled me. I lived in Seattle for about 10 years and never could drink the water unless I flavored it with something

 

[D Bergy]

Water is very reactive. It you drink water with no minerals it will pull minerals from your body. You do not find mineral free water in nature because it will grab any mineral it comes into contact with.

Water without minerals is also non conductive and our bodies need conductivity and part of the reason we need minerals.

Most of these filtration systems reduce minerals but not eliminate them. Reverse osmosis may remove nearly all the minerals, but I am not sure of that.

Luckily, we have very good well water. It tastes good and only leaves a little lime in the sink over time.

Dan

 

[Beach]

Interesting thing is, that, "hard water" is calcium and magnesium, two minerals we are in dire need of and rarely get enough of in the western diet. I actually believe that magnesium deficiency plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease for many. Water softeners and filters like reverse osmosis systems remove those highly beneficial minerals from the water.

I just purchased an expensive filter to put them back into my water. I'm having to get used to the taste of mineralized water now

With the success I'm having of late drinking spring water, I'm kicking myself for forgetting about the quality of water drunk. You wouldn't think of our water as being a source for nutrients but in the past that was the case for our ancestors.

It wouldn't surprise me if calcium and magnesium played a roll in many gut conditions. You probably have seen it, but on a popular IBS-D forum, most there claim they can control and sometimes even cure their D by taking calcium carbonate tablets.

I tried Linda's calcium tablet idea but it only gave me a slight belly ache, sadly. We're all different.

I know of several too who have found relief from chronic constipation by taking magnesium citrate or oxide.

 

[D Bergy]

I should have said demineralized water is very reactive. Regular water is not.

Dan

 

[Kev]

Where I grew up (hmmm, that connotes a maturity for which corresponding evidence is clearly lacking) the closest town drew their water from a lake. It sort of became a claim to fame (in one sense) as it was 'rated' the best drinking water in Canada. Now, who bestowed that honour and how it was determined, judged, etc., escapes me, BUT, the 'secret' purportedly was the amazing population of eels living in that landlocked little lake. The runoff and sluices were teeming with them, and they periodically had to 'fish' them out of the pumping station cisterns, else they'd plug the pumps. Many were said to have grown to 6 - 10 feet in length. What the eels had to do with the cleanliness, clarity, taste, etc., of the water, I do not know, but I have to admit, it was great tasting water. Sometimes we are better off not knowing.

So, this beautiful little lake with the pristine water... its still there. If you are ever in the area, it isn't hard to spot... they built a 4 lane highway right thru one end of it. Go figure. I'm waiting for the report that a semi carrying stove oil or something jack knifed and sank. We really don't value what we have till it is gone.

 

[Farmwife]

(Fond memories of living in the UP of Michigan--a water filter was pretty much a necessity. Oh, and forget about wearing white.)

It all depends on the mineral content of the area you live in.

:biggrin:Ya noy, I thought you talked like a Upper. That's what we southerners
(2 hrs from the bridge) call ya all!:ack:

:thumright:


Same thing wih my coffee pot. I drink it not Grace.:ybiggrin:
Our water gets tested by the state because of the farm. I know it's clean or....
the State of Michigan doesn't care if there poising people.
Either way my water taste good but the build up is horrible.