Raw water is a commodity not treated like bottled or tap water and comes directly from rivers, streams, and lakes of fresh water. According to its advocates, it contains all the minerals and micronutrients removed in the treatment process of domestic water supplies. In so doing, it is claimed that raw water has no contamination and extra chemicals are added from the treatment of public water supplies.
Raw Water: A Lucrative Industry
Within a very short time period, the supply of raw water has transformed into a lucrative industry. 2.5 gallons of untreated spring water is available for around $37 and comes along with fancy packaging. The affluent strata of big urban cities are the major consumers of this new booming industry, which is selling this essential commodity at such inflated rates.
Fulfilling the Idea of Independent Living?
The trend of consuming raw water is also gaining traction because it demonstrates the illusion of independent living without relying on the ‘system.’ The trend is very similar to the idea of going ‘off the grid’ where households generate all the energy they need on their own.
Alleged Benefits of Raw Water
There are some supposed benefits of raw water, which are extensively marketed. Since raw water doesn’t pass through the municipal pipelines, it’s free of any lead contaminants. Raw water is also being sold with a USP that contains only those nutrients that nature supplies in the form consumed by our forefathers. Chlorine and fluoride are used to treat the water supply, while raw water is entirely free.
Benefits and Harming Effects of Raw Water
A strong refutation of the benefits of raw water has come from different quarters, terming it as a product of pseudoscience with no significant research to make a solid conclusion. For instance, water supply lines are now properly sealed, and no lead content seeps into the supply. Insignificant amounts of fluoride in the water don’t have any detrimental effects on the human body, and fluoride-treated water helps in the prevention of tooth decay.
Experts are also highlighting some other harmful aspects of the consumption of raw water. Let’s look into some of them.
No Natural Source of Fresh Water is Free of Contaminants
According to the Director of waterborne disease prevention of the CDC, even the purest spring in the country can’t be free of contaminants. Moreover, not all natural ingredients are always beneficial for human consumption.
Therefore, no natural water source can be directly supplied to the households without rigorous testing and quality assurance. There is a reason why the Environmental Protection Agency imposes a stringent quality guideline for domestic water supply.
Moreover, there is a chance that groundwater might be exposed to the poisonous elements of radon and arsenic, which are present naturally in soil and rock formations in many geographical places. Raw water can look crystal clear to the naked eye, but one can’t be sure if it’s free of viruses and bacteria before lab tests.
What’s the Need?
According to a report from the CDC, the domestic water supply in the US is the safest in the world. Three basic steps of water treatment are employed for public water supplies across the United States:
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- Sedimentation: A procedure through which heavy particles of dirt and soil are filtered
- Filtration: Removal of every harmful microparticle
- Disinfection: Killing of waterborne bacteria through chlorine and other chemical treatments
Apart from these treatment steps, local municipalities employ their measures of making domestic water healthy to drink. So, what’s the point of spending large sums of money on a potentially harmful commodity when you can get the safest type from your tap?
One man who lived a healthy 100 years in New York City had this to say about the municipality’s water “There is nothing cleaner than New York City water”. Well, when you hear words spoken by a true centenarian, maybe, just maybe, we should take heed of his comment!