Something everyone has in common is drinking water. We all need it to survive. Some of us drink more water than others. However, as cool, and punk as you may be, you still need water. This is common information, however, something perhaps less common is the understanding of how varied water sources can be, and the contaminants within them. Such as microplastics.
Not all water was made the same, and amidst late-stage capitalism’s pollutants along with misleading marketing schemes, it’s an important time to get more educated about your water. The options for drinking water are, most often, tap water, bottled and filtered. First, let’s break down the problems with tap and bottled, and then we’ll talk about high quality filtration options and why they matter.
Tap water in most cities in America is safe to drink. With that being said, “safe,” doesn’t necessarily mean optimal. Especially if you consider how little we understand about the effect of microplastics on the human body in the long term. Tap water is treated with a wide variety of chemicals, but low amounts are still deemed safe in municipal water.
For example, according to the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) regarding St. Paul’s water treatment protocols, “the new arsenic standard of 10 parts per billion (ppb) replaces the old standard of 50 ppb” (EPA). Allotted levels have decreased over time. This is based on a cost/benefits analysis and evolving health codes.
A tiny amount of lead, copper, radionuclides, etc. are, similarly, allotted in drinking water, based on the same analyses. While these trace amounts of hazardous chemicals seem alarming, they are heavily regulated and municipal water is almost always a safer bet than bottled water. Municipal water can be run through an at-home filtration system that can remove excess chlorine, hard metals, microplastics, etc. The dilemma with bottled water is that it’s a lot less regulated than tap water.
There are several studies that have been done testing a wide range of bottled water found on store shelves, noting the extremely high level of microplastics. According to NPR, “Researchers from Columbia University and Rutgers University found roughly 240,000 detectable plastic fragments in a typical liter of bottled water.” These measurements are 10-100 times greater than previously recorded concentrations.
It’s important to remember that bottled water is loosely regulated and is highly marketed to seem idyllic. Municipal water is intensely regulated and is almost always a safer bet in the United States. In the case you ever travel to one of the few cities in the United States that does not have safe drinking water, then bottled water is the way to go.
If you’re looking to optimize your tap water, then a high-quality filtration system is important. Most filtration devices have pore sizes that are 0.01 micrometers or larger. While reverse osmosis filtration systems have pores that are only about 0.001 micrometers in diameter (Helmenstine, 2022). Reverse osmosis systems can completely remove microplastics in your drinking water (Gao et al., 2022).
However, these systems do come with drawbacks, the most efficient systems on the market operate at a 1×1 filtration to wasted water. So, for every gallon you filter, a gallon is wasted. Reverse osmosis filters are also costly, and filters need to be replaced multiple times a year.
Another thing to keep in mind when using an added filtration system is that it’s important to remineralize your water after filtering it. Minerals allow our body to process the water and store the water in our bodies. Have you ever felt like your water is just going right through you?
Drinking water doesn’t directly lead to hydration, hydration happens when water is properly mineralized and consumed in small amounts, consistently throughout the day. Foods such as cucumbers and watermelon are a great source of hydration as well!
There is no perfect solution to consuming healthy water, however, continuing to stay informed is important. Remaining consistently hydrated is imperative to a healthy lifestyle, and you deserve a water system that will support your health. If you can’t invest in a high quality at home filtration system right now, no need to worry. Just try and stay away from bottled water, and get the best filtration system you can afford, then remineralize your water after. You can find essential mineral products for sale online, or you can make your own by mixing bulk supplements. Stay hydrated!

References:
Doubek, J. (2024, January 10). Researchers find a massive number of plastic particles in Bottled Water. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2024/01/10/1223730333/bottled-water-plastic-microplastic-nanoplastic-study
Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Drinking Water Requirements for States and Public Water Systems. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/chemical-contaminant-rules
Helmenstine, A. (2022, February 21). What is reverse osmosis?. Science Notes and Projects. https://sciencenotes.org/what-is-reverse-osmosis/
Gao, W., Zhang, Y., Mo, A., Jiang, J., Liang, Y., Cao, X., & He, D. (2022, October 25). Removal of microplastics in water: Technology progress and green strategies. Green Analytical Chemistry. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772577422000404