Many people assume that they are drinking clean water, but this might not be the case. Weird tasting drinking water can contain pesticides and herbicides which have been used in agriculture or urban areas. These chemicals can cause cancer, birth defects, nerve damage, and other health problems. In this blog post, we will talk about what types of chemicals are usually found in your tap and drinking water, as well as ways how to filter them out at home by using tap water filter pitchers like a berkey water filter.

Pesticides and herbicides are chemicals that have been used to kill insects, weeds, and other animals. They can be found in or near streams, rivers, and groundwater supplies, which can easily contaminate drinking water. When you boil water to purify it, the boiling will not remove these chemicals from your drinking water.

The Health Effects of Pesticides in Drinking Water

Over the long run, pesticides are linked to cancer, neurodegenerative illnesses, tumors, blood disorders, neurotoxicity, nerve disorders, birth defects and death. Often, these chronic effects will develop after years of exposure. People can also develop some of the following acute effects.

• Blindness.
• Nausea.
• Diarrhea.
• Rashes.
• Blisters.
• Dizziness.

How Do Pesticides Get Into Drinking Water?

Today, the United States is the largest producer of corn in the world. It is also one of the top producers of wheat, potatoes, sugarcane, and rice. Despite producing so much food, the country only employs 1 percent of its population in agriculture. In order to keep production numbers up, the United States uses pesticides and advanced equipment.

Pesticides and herbicides can harm human health. This is especially true when these chemicals get into our drinking water. Many people have to use a Berkey water filter just to get clean drinking water at home.

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After pesticides and herbicides are applied to fields, they end up getting into the groundwater. In rural areas, 95 percent of the population relies on groundwater for drinking water. Because of this, pesticide contamination can end up leading to long-term health consequences.

Some of these pesticides were added to the soil decades ago. Back in the 1970s, scientists thought that soil would prevent pesticides from getting into the groundwater. Instead, chemicals seep through the soil into aquifers. Sometimes, it can take decades for pesticides and herbicides to get into the groundwater after they are applied. Because of this, we are still drinking water that was contaminated years ago.

What Is Pesticide Runoff?

Pesticide runoff happens when farmers and manufacturers use pesticides at one location, but the pesticides leach into surrounding waterways. Before long, pesticides can get into groundwater, rivers, lakes, streams, and wells. This problem can be prevented by integrated pest management, crop rotation, and other techniques, but some pesticide users do not want to spend their time and money on prevention.

Most Common Pesticides Found In Tap Water

Pesticides and herbicides are found more frequently in surface water than in groundwater. While many chemicals are used by farms, there are five agricultural herbicides, five non-agricultural herbicides, and three insecticides that are found the most. These include diazinon, chlorpyrifos, 2,4-D, alachlor, tebuthiuron, carbaryl, prometon, simazine, cyanazine, atrazine, deethylatrazine, diuron, and metolachlor.

• Diazinon: This is an insecticide. While it can cause immediate health effects, it was removed from the marketplace because of its long-term effects on children.
• Chlorpyrifos: Chlorpyrifos is also used as an insecticide. If someone is exposed, they may develop muscle tremors, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal muscle cramps.
• 2,4-D: Used as a non-agricultural herbicide, 2,4-D is frequently put on lawns and golf courses. Over time, it can severely damage your liver and kidneys.
• Alachlor: This is an agricultural herbicide. It disrupts the thyroid and can cause nasal tumors.
• Cyanazine: This is an agricultural herbicide. Other than causing birth defects and genetic mutations, this chemical is also carcinogenic.
• Tebuthiuron: Known as a non-agricultural herbicide, tebuthiuron is extremely prevalent today. Because of this, it is often found in milk and meat products.
• Carbaryl: Used as an insecticide, it can cause headaches, muscle cramps, memory loss, muscle tremors, and behavioral changes.
• Prometon: Prometon is a non-agricultural herbicide. It can be toxic when it is inhaled or ingested.
• Simazine: Typically used as a non-agricultural herbicide, simazine can damage the testes, kidneys, liver, and thyroid. It can also cause muscle tremors and gene mutations.
• Atrazine: Known as an agricultural herbicide, it can lead to breast, uterine or ovarian cancer. Additionally, it can cause lymphoma, birth defects, reproductive tumors, and leukemia.
• Deethylatrazine: Deethylatrazine is generally used as an agricultural herbicide. It can negatively impact reproductive health, obesity, and renal health.
• Metolachlor: This is another agricultural herbicide. Convulsions, skin irritation, sweating, diarrhea, and shortness of breath may develop after someone is exposed to it.
• Diuron: As a non-agricultural herbicide, this chemical is a known carcinogen. It can cause bladder cancer, mammary gland tumors, kidney cancer, and uterine cancer.

What Are the Current Guidelines for Using Pesticides and Herbicides Near a Water Source?

Glyphosate, fluridone, and 2,4-D are currently approved for use near water. Other pesticides and herbicides should not be used near water sources. Each chemical has directions on its label to show you how it can be used safely. If you ever have any questions about how far away you should be before applying chemicals, the Environmental Protection Agency’s handbook covers this topic in great detail.

What Are Some Popular Pesticide Neutralizers?

In the past, people have sometimes used lime, caustic soda and chlorine bleach to clean up after a pesticide spill. Many pesticides decompose rapidly after they are treated with lye or lime. When it comes to food, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend using specialized ingredients.

Instead, the FDA encourages families to remove pesticides by washing fruits and vegetables with flowing water and a strainer. In one study, food scientists at the University of Massachusetts also discovered that soaking apples in baking soda and water for 15 minutes could remove 20 percent of one pesticide from them. If you want to remove pesticides and herbicides from your water, reverse osmosis can filter out the majority of chemicals.

Even if humanity stopped using pesticides and herbicides completely, it would take decades for these chemicals to leave groundwater and surface water. Fortunately, you do not have to put your family’s health at risk. There are measures you can take to have safe drinking water in your home.

How To Test Your Drinking Water

If you want to find out what types of chemicals are in your drinking water, the best thing to do is get a water testing kit from a home improvement store. Usually, these tests will indicate what chemicals are in your drinking water, as well as their concentrations. If you want to know exactly which types of pesticides and herbicides are found in your drinking water, you should contact the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or your local health department.

What You Can Do To Avoid Drinking Water Chemicals

If you want to avoid drinking pesticides and herbicides found in your water supply, the best thing to do is filter all of your home’s drinking water so that it isn’t contaminated. Filtering will allow you to remove these chemicals before they get into the pipes where they can’t be reached.

There are a few ways that pesticides are removed from drinking water.

• Reverse Osmosis
• Carbon Filters
• Water Distilling

How To Use A Reverse Osmosis Filter To Remove Pesticides

Reverse osmosis filters use membranes that remove most types of chemicals, bacteria, and other contaminants from your home’s tap water. A reverse osmosis system usually has three filtration stages, including an activated carbon stage to remove chlorine and any other chemicals. The second stage is a reverse osmosis membrane that removes bacteria, viruses, and minerals like magnesium and calcium. The final filter in the system uses activated carbon to remove any trace contaminants like herbicides and pesticides.

Reverse Osmosis systems are not very easy to use because they require additional parts, including membranes that must be replaced every 3-5 years. They also waste a lot of water because all the water that goes into the reverse osmosis system needs to come out again after being filtered.

There are also brands of bottled water that use RO that you can buy at any grocery store.

Use Carbon Filters To Remove Pesticides From Drinking Water

Other pesticides and herbicides filtration processes involve carbon filters that are placed on the end of the faucet. Carbon filters need to be changed every six months and can’t remove all types of harmful chemicals.

How To Use a Water Distiller to Remove Pesticides From Drinking Water

Water Distillers use electricity to boil water and collect the steam, which drips into a clean container. They can remove most contaminants, including pesticides and herbicides. However, they can be costly to buy and maintain compared with other types of filters.

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In conclusion, you should know what chemicals are in your drinking water so that you can take steps to remove them. Get a home water filter from Berkey water filter if you want to ensure that your drinking water is free of pesticides and herbicides.