A LETTER FROM A REAL WATER EXPERT

Having spent 45 years prior to my retirement in the water treatment industry as a manufacture, designer, and consultant, I wish to comment on recent statements regarding Minnetrista's water treatment issues. In the past, the public has always taken for granite that if water is clear, and it doesn't smell, then it must be safe to consume. This is NO LONGER true, hence the rapid growth of the multi billion dollar bottle drinking water industry.

The public has become very leery of the so called "Gov't acceptable levels" of known toxins in our drinking water. Especially when these acceptable levels are continuously being lowered, which in itself raises questions. The public compares Gov't acceptable levels to that of FDA's approval of pharmaceutical products, only to have many of them removed from the market a few years later.

Certainly, the Gov't must establish some level of criteria. However, I think the majority of the public would agree that NO level of toxic chemicals in our drinking water is acceptable. Especially, when the human body cannot rid itself of these toxins, and they continue to build up and accumulate in the body with increased water consumption.

In 1974 the Gov't increased the acceptable levels of Nitrates in drinking water from 3 PPM (parts per million), to 10 PPM, because mortgage companies would not mortgage properties with over 3 PPM of Nitrates. Hardly, a comforting solution! Nitrates are the primary cause of "blue baby syndrome".

There are approximately 80,000 known chemicals, the majority of them are toxic. When they are combined in our water supplies they continually form NEW unknown chemicals which then obviously cannot be tested for. Thus, reasons for the public concern. Up until the advent of Reverse Osmosis technology there was NO known practical means for the removal of nearly all hazardous chemicals from our water supplies. Unlike home residential RO units, Municipal RO systems will remove particulate and contaminants from water 1/10,000 the diameter of a human hair. This is because they operate with much higher feed water pressures, and superior membrane technology. RO technology is the primary means from which bottle drinking water is produced, and the method used to covert sea water to potable drinking water.

Because of the growing public concerns for safe drinking water, hundreds of cities throughout the world are replacing their older gravity filtration systems with RO systems. Gravity filtration is VERY limited as to its capabilities, and is considered to be outdated technology.

A recent article in the Laker newspaper suggested the city supply home RO units to everyone on city water. I would doubt that our city would choose to accept the liability of maintaining these units. There are NO WARNING SIGNALS on home RO units alerting the user of the IMPORTANT need for preventative maintenance. When neglected, contaminant buildup in the home RO units can lead to serious health concerns.