Parks in Flagstaff use Reclaimed Water

The term reclaimed water means that water has been used by humans, recycled and now can be used for non-drinking needs. It is delivered to parks, school fields, golf courses and homes. It cuts down on the use of drinking water to irrigate lawns or park areas when the same water can be reused over again.

Tucson has been using reclaimed water for over 27 years saying it is not filtered for drinking or bathing. It is strictly for non-drinking water uses. Tucson’s governmental website  says that children and pets should be okay around the reclaimed water, but if they get sick they should be seen by a doctor.

One could become sick from this water because of remaining sewage that wasn’t filtered out. If ingested, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and  diarrhea could occur. They claim getting sick from the water isn’t common.

Something that confuses me is how they encourage the use of reclaimed water on crop plants. They also encourage its use in vineyards and fields. I don’t understand how companies can encourage the use of reclaimed water on food items humans will consume. If we are not supposed to ingest the water, what makes it okay to eat food that has been grown with reclaimed water.

Another issue I see is that when companies use reclaimed water, chemicals could potentially poison the ground water and get into our drinking water. What people fail to realize is that a lot of our water is all connected. Certain chemicals are not taken out of reclaimed water such as hormones, flame retardants, pesticides, medication and others.

A large controversy took place on the beautiful  San Fransisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Ariz. A project was planned in 2001 to purchase reclaimed waste water from the city of Flagstaff and use it to make snow in Snowbowl. This presents concerns because possible dangers to the ecosystem have not been tested thoroughly. We have already established the regulations in Flagstaff are faulty when it comes to screening chemicals.

Triclosan is one of the chemicals found in the reclaimed water that worries me. It is found in many household items, such as soaps. There have been studies proving it to be a hazardous chemical. Since 95 percent of items made with triclosan gets washed down the drain, of course it’s going to end up in our water systems.  In reclaimed water triclosan mimics estrogen like chemicals. If you haven’t caught on yet, many of the chemicals in water mimic estrogen hormones.

Despite environmentalist’s protest and concerns about the interaction between the water and surrounding ecosystems, the project moved forward and snow is being created with reclaimed water.

Correct regulations as well as implementation of regulations could lead to healthier reclaimed water. If cities adapt to the newest and latest technology reclaimed water could be an idea that benefits many people. An article in National Geographic talks about the possibility of reclaimed water being safe enough to drink with the proper technology. It’s fascinating to see the other side and see that there might be hope for reclaimed water.

Reclaimed water is a difficult and controversial subject because there are ongoing studies proving it to be good and bad. If you have further information, please share.

To avoid tap water people reach for bottled water. Media shows bottled water as a luxury for wealthy people who don’t have to drink “dirty” tap water. In places including Ariz. bottled water can in some cases be worse that tap water.

When water is put in plastic it creates a set of problems because the water interacts with the chemicals in the plastic bottles. One of the main chemical is called bisphenol A. It mimics estrogen like pharmaceutical chemicals.

Bottled Water sold everywhere.

I have heard people say that the chemicals don’t interact if one never drinks the water warm. This is false. Water is carted all throughout the united states in trucks where the water can heat up and react with the plastic chemicals. If you think the water is cold when the bottles are filled you are wrong. There are no regulations stating that bottles need to be cooled before water is put in them.

As if the chemicals being released from plastic bottles isn’t scary enough, how about the water being put in bottled water?

Because bottled water is privatized, there are even less regulations on testing for harmful chemicals than tap water. 75 percent of bottled water comes from springs and wells while the other 25 percent comes from municipal water systems. Bottled water brands such as Great Bear, Glacier Spring and Dasani are essentially purified, treated tap water that you pay over a dollar for a bottle.

Hormones found in tap water can also be found in bottled water because there are no laws forcing regulation and testing for certain chemicals. Companies started bottling water in Flagstaff, Ariz. and people reacted because of the high levels of estrogen found in the water. Scientists have tested water sources and reported high levels of these hormones where the water is coming from.

So what?

These hormones have negative effects on humans and animals. Studies have shown the negative effects in fish living in areas with similar estrogen levels. The gender of the fish studied in Flagstaff is changing. Male fish have eggs growing in their scrotum while female fish are close to 100 percent female.

The fact that companies want to take this water full of chemicals that have these types of effects, fail to remove them, then bottle the water and sell it as a healthy alternative is unconscionable.

If you are interested in the politics and other health issues surrounding bottled water on a world wide scale I suggest you watch the documentary called Tapped. I enjoyed it because it is organized well for the public to better understand how all the problems are connected.

Life cannot exist without clean drinking water. The increasing populations is disrupting the natural purification of water. Humans now adopt the role to clean our drinking water. This is concerning because human error can occur or lack of knowledge to remove harmful chemicals. One issue people are concerned about is the tap water that comes out of their faucets at home.

In order for water to be considered safe, it needs to have low levels of harmful chemicals. Despite tap water being tested multiple times a day, harmful chemicals still get through.

• Estrogen chemicals

• Pharmaceutical chemicals

• Non-iconic surfactants

Scientists claim technology is scarce to track these types of chemicals in tap water which is one of the reasons it isn’t more reported and tracked. I think that the technology is there, but the laws aren’t in place.

One particular chemical called non-ionic surfactants used to improve the power of detergents is not screened for tap water in Arizona.

It’s also important to understand “safe” water might not be safe for everyone. Certain people are more susceptible to water illnesses because of health issues that can lower immune systems.

I find it interesting that none of the Annual Drinking Water Quality Reports for Arizona are posted online. This makes it challenging for the everyday consumer to get actual facts about their drinking water. I’ll be reaching their offices soon.

This leaves us with a question: What is safe to drink?

People use at-home filters or drink bottled water, but how safe are those choices?

If you’re very interested in this topic of contamination of water I suggest you read a book called Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. This book covers many environmental issues including different angles of water pollution. The most important thing about this book is the time it was written. Carson predicted a lot of things would happen when she wrote the book in 1962. Many of her predictions have come true and many of her environmental concerns still exist today.