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Fri 20 Jul, 2007 08:38 pm
I visit my parents often and always (ALWAYS) get a screwed gut. After years, in two separate houses and a new, serious water filtration system, I still get sick. I'll spare you the details.
I know the system filters volatile chemicals, I don't know what else. It's the minimum standard at least. They have it tested and it holds up. Their house is located on a spit of sandy land called Cape Cod. It's surrounded by salt water and most people are using private wells for water. Cooking the water doesn't help my gut. I use bottled water for most things, even for cooking pasta which is a huge waste.
I want to find out what is likely to be causing the "gut reaction". If I can nail down a likely culprit, maybe they can add another level to the filtration system. Thanks for any help!
If only we had an expert on water filtration systems here...
I used to have similar reactions to tap water any time I stayed near the ocean, but it seemed to clear up after a day or so. I just figured my system had to adjust to whatever was in the water.
I am the only one who gets this reaction - some other people may, but haven't been here enough to rule out coincidental wonky gut. And my wonky gut gets worse the longer I'm here and goes away over a couple of days when I return home.
Water caused gastrointestinal problems usually are caused bacteria. Get a Coliform bacteria test done on their water. If that is negative then maybe it's just your stomach is more sensitive than other folks.
Also find out what type of treatment they have, an iron filter etc. and let us know what it is for.
I really doubt the problem is bacterial. I would not be surprised to learn my gut is more sensitive than others'. I will find out about the filters. I'll post back sometime tomorrow evening.
If it were crypto or cysts, it wouldn't go away in a few days.
You could just drink beer while in Cape Cod :wink:
Re: Drinking Cape Cod Tap Water Makes for a Wonky Gut
littlek wrote:I visit my parents often and always (ALWAYS) get a screwed gut. After years, in two separate houses and a new, serious water filtration system, I still get sick. I'll spare you the details.
I know the system filters volatile chemicals, I don't know what else. It's the minimum standard at least. They have it tested and it holds up. Their house is located on a spit of sandy land called Cape Cod. It's surrounded by salt water and most people are using private wells for water. Cooking the water doesn't help my gut. I use bottled water for most things, even for cooking pasta which is a huge waste.
I want to find out what is likely to be causing the "gut reaction". If I can nail down a likely culprit, maybe they can add another level to the filtration system. Thanks for any help!
What's the fecal count out there on the Cape? Have any microbiologists ever analyzed the microbes in the water?
littlek wrote:I am the only one who gets this reaction - some other people may, but haven't been here enough to rule out coincidental wonky gut. And my wonky gut gets worse the longer I'm here and goes away over a couple of days when I return home.
Hmmmmmmmmm...Could it be psychosomatic?
Miller, nah, we ruled that out. I mostly enjoy my time here.
The filter is an Aqua-Pure NBF series residential backwash filter attached near the water heater. It is a charcoal filter. That's all the info I could get tonight without digging into my parents' files. The basic filter it uses is this one:
http://www.aquapurefilters.com/store/product/200028.200020/ap110.html?gclid=COvu1IOouo0CFSApgAod7DsJHw
Most water systems dont do **** for ionic pollutants. Stuff that one never figures is a problem includes SULFATE ion. This is a naturally occuring anion that can be really high in coastal regions.
Its symptoms (in some cases as low as 250ppm , which is a USPHS health standard) can be upset stomach and the trots.
Checking for sulfate us easy and there are mitigation systems which, though they work, do create some precipitate.
Sulfate sesnsitivity is spotty, some people have it bad, and others arent affected at low doses.
My company has done water treatment for overseas municipal systems and we always do a detailed analyses of the raw water. One of the most common anions in coastal areas (besides high sodium and chloride, is Sulfate.All the others of a cation nature are easily handled by GAC or ion exchange), Sulfate needs a chemical or polymer feed. to be effective
My suggestion is that you keep drinking bottled water and have the water tested for sulfate.
Dittos on sulfates, they cause a cathartic effect in some people. They can also cause a bitter taste.
That filter is for sediment and it shouldn't have anything to do with your problem.
I've always wondered why there were all thse questions about water filters and why you want them (besides perhaps for getting a nicer water re preparing tea) ...
Tap water isn't allowed to have more than 250ppm here in Europe. [Our local water has quite a bit of it, compared to German standars, though: 65ppm.)
Walter Hinteler wrote:I've always wondered why there were all thse questions about water filters and why you want them (besides perhaps for getting a nicer water re preparing tea) ...
Tap water isn't allowed to have more than 250ppm here in Europe. [Our local water has quite a bit of it, compared to German standars, though: 65ppm.)
The reasons people wish to improve the quality of their water are many.
"Good enough" for the masses is often not "good enough" for the individual.
Hmmmmm..... I live on the coast and I do believe we have high sulfate. We have a filter and water softener and if we run out of salt for the water softener, we can actually smell the sulfure in the water.
H2O_MAN wrote:"Good enough" for the masses is not "good enough" for the individual.
At least, the European tap water is good enough that Coke sold it bottled
It might sound stupid, but what has a coastal region to do with sulfat in drinking water (I've just checked the data of water from 14 different water suppliers in our coastal regions and on the islands: 48ppm is the highest.)
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