How to Remove Pesticide from Water
Pesticides, herbicides and insecticides applied to lawns and gardens can potentially end up in our drinking water supply
How Chemicals Get Into Our Water:
- Rainwater washes freshly-applied chemicals from lawns
- Melted snow carries deep into ground—and underground water supplies
- Rags with pesticides in them are washed in washing machines
- Leftover pesticides are poured down floor drains or sinks
- Insecticides used to treat pets are washed down the tub
To limit the impurities in our drinking water, water utility companies are required to regularly monitor more than 100 contaminants. Most public water suppliers do a good job of filtering out impurities, but many contaminants found in our water today are not regulated or standards enforced.
Are Pesticides and Chemicals In Our Bodies?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention measures pesticides and other chemicals in the bodies of Americans. In the most recent study, they tested for 212 chemicals, including 44 pesticides — and found most of them.
Scientists tell us that even in tiny doses, many pesticides can derail the delicate systems that control our development, health and reproduction, and the evidence continues to mount. We know more than enough to act.
How to Remove Pesticides and Chemicals from Water?
How can we go about removing these chemicals from our drinking water? One of the best ways to remove 97-99% of all pesticides, insecticides and herbicides from drinking water is with a reverse osmosis that incorporates activated carbon filters.
Carbon block water filters are extremely effective in filtering out a variety of contaminants including pesticides, THMs like chloroform, organic chemicals, and many VOCs that are components of gasoline, solvents and industrial cleaners.
Reverse Osmosis is a water treatment process that removes contaminants from water by using pressure to force water molecules through a semipermeable membrane. During the process, contaminants are filtered out and flushed away, leaving pristine, delicious drinking water. Reverse osmosis can remove up to 99 percent of many different contaminants.
How are Pesticides Detected in Water?
Cause for concern stems from the wide array of chemicals being washed into U.S. waterways/storm drains—many of which are NOT on the list of regulated contaminants. In fact, a recent study found 1600 contaminants in the water and only 100 of those are being monitored. Thus, potentially 1500 chemicals are undetected and untreated, including many pesticides.
Whether these contaminants pose a health risk depends on how toxic the pesticides are, how much is in the water, and how much exposure occurs on a daily basis (EPA.gov). Learn more about the drinking water quality in your area by obtaining a copy of your local Consumer Confidence Report.
Pesticide Pollution in Our Water
The pesticide and insecticide pollution in our ground water varies widely and the health hazards are not entirely clear. In the short-term, studies reveal that exposure can result in eye irritation, gastrointestinal issues, vomiting, dizziness, headaches and seizures. Long-term exposure has been tied to cancer, learning disabilities, diabetes, autism, as well as fetus deformities. The following diagram is from the USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) website where they discuss pesticides in our groundwater.
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