When I first moved to San Francisco, I wanted to go fishing in the bay. An old friend in government had taught me in my youth that if I ever wanted to know or complain about something locally, first try calling the office of your congressman. I had found this to be of great help in the past, especially regarding information about environmental conditions. I have found most congressmen's offices have staff that are used to get answers for the people in their area. They can not be perceived as unhelpful come election time, and providing dedicated staff to attempt to help all callers is just good politics.
The staff person at the congressman's office was immediately kind and promised a prompt reply. Within 3 hours, I was pleased to get his response, "What ever you do, do not eat the fish you catch. The bay and waters up river for many miles are too toxic." He told me he personally appreciated my call because he did not know how bad the bay and Sacramento River were contaminated. He said he was going to warn his family and friends and was even going to check to see if swimming or bathing in water from the bay was dangerous. I have since heard on PBS and other science TV shows that bathing/showering in many cities and areas of the country without a shower filter or household filter for bathwater is absorbed through the skin. Aint that scary?
I then moved to Juneau, Alaska in 2006 and instantly loved it for many reasons. The constant fresh air, the attitudes and work ethic of the locals, especially the locals who had grown up to full maturity there, and THE FRESH WATER.
I lived in the Mendenhall valley and the water, as many know, is rated consistently "the cleanest in america." It tastes great right out of the tap.
I am somewhat of a health fanatic as a result a recurring stomach desease/ulcers, and I do not drink anything but water, and a lot of it daily. So, the great water of Juneau Alaska was a fantastic gift to me.
Here is the thing I found, which may not matter to some, but mattered a great deal to me. I have used a water filter for the last 30 years, and continued to do so by force of habit after my move to Alaska.
At first, I used a small water filter attached to the kitchen facet. It quit functioning about a month later, giving out only a trickle of the usual good water pressure. I was confused after this happened again once I replaced the cleaner to the facet. The one clue we had was the water cleaner filter felt 4-5 times heavier than when installed.
My sister, who is a nutritional specialist, suggested that it may be the water source may hold the secret. A major portion of the water source is glacial melt water, and all who live here and pay attention to the soil knows the ground in the Mendenhall valley, as well as most of southeast alaska is glacial silt and the rocks left after the last ice age and the resulting receding of the glaciers making most of the valleys people live in. I believe the water filter was made heavier by the silt that was being cleaned out of it.
My wife soon came home from the local Walmart with a new "Zero Water" filter system. This worked a lot better at lasting longer before a replacement filter was needed, was not expensive, and had the added feature of having a battery charged testing stick that showed it was cleaning something out of the water down to zero. Plus, the water even tasted better. I would not do without it, and the "Zero Water" system is not that expensive.
Most people I have shared this with say the water tastes good to them and they don't try out my advice to try my filter or any other. Some treat me like I am speaking blasphemy against the sacred beauty of all things alaska.
But, the ones who have tried my advice have all (100%) thanked me.
I want my water and food to be as clean as possible, and anything I can find that I can afford to make this possible is a gift of grace to me.
This year, I had to move back to Tennessee after having cancer surgery to be near relatives who could help in my recuperation. The water here was as pure as alaska's in the 1950's of my youth. I saw many people, including relatives, on fishing trips drink straight from the Hiwassee River, just miles from where it runs into the Tennessee River. Back then, the water from the rivers in TN needed no treatment before drinking. This is not true today. The chemical runoff from farming after rainfall, the industries and other runoffs from the towns up river make the water undrinkable without treatment.
When I left in 2006, the water from the tap was bearable, but in late 2015 upon our return, I could not tolerate the water in my mouth or in my stomach. A quick trip to the local Walmart to buy my cheap but trusted water filter system made the local tap water not only tasty and tolerable for my stomach, but my wife now drinks nothing else. The testing device on the "Zero Water" filter system shows tap water rated at #56, but once run through the filter to be #4.
When talking to my friends around the country, I keep hearing how they are paying so much for bottled water. I suggest researching water filters, where ever you live, even if you have the most tasty and highly rated water according to local or federal authorities.
I hope this helps where ever you live.
Last edited by divinenews; Today at 02:51 AM.. Reason: To correct some typing errors
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A thing I learned about water in California, Alaska, Tennesse and in general.
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