non-toxic drinking water help?

[nukuspot]

I would like suggestions about the best way to have safe, clean, non toxic drinking water for our family.

We are on a private well. We used to drink from the tap. When I was pregnant I got our water tested by a private lab. It was clean of nitrates, e-coli, lead, mercury, arsenic. However it has a very high amount of copper in it. This is because we have copper piping which I guess is leaching into our water as it is slightly acidic water. I felt scared as a pregnant/breastfeeding mother to have all that copper in me so I invested in (at the time what I thought was the best option) in a new refrigerator with a built in water purifier (PUR filtration). The water tastes perfect now, no more metallic copper taste, but I recently got really concerned about BPA in the water lines.

When I look in the back of the refrigerator, the water lines that bring the water from the sink to the refrigerator are all plastic. I am so scared that this plastic is now leaching harmful products including BPA into our water. As far as I can find out there is no test for BPA in drinking water, though I have a list of private companies to call to ask.

What do you all do for safe drinking water for your family? Do you use refrigerator filtration systems? Do you use other systems? I am just starting to research other options and found so far that perhaps reverse osmosis under sink might be the best option. But DH is now worried about cost and I am overwhelmed with the possible options out there and just want to make sure that if we do need a new system we get the best one, so to make the purchase worthwhile.

Thank you in advance for your replies and advice!

[LDSmomma]

I'm looking for safe drinking water options for our family, too. I'm concerned about fluoride right now, though.

Here's what I know about BPA, though: BPA is the chemical they put in plastic to make it HARD and CLEAR. (think of all the baby bottles they took off the shelves) If the piping is at all flexible, it does not contain BPA.

[paisley05]

Before you invest in a new system, I'd sugggest talking to a local water filtration company. A good company should have someone that can discuss your laboratory analtyical results from your water well sample and help you pick the appropriate treatment system for your water. I'd check with the local health department or state environmental department for more information too.

Did you sample the water from your tap or from the pipe that leads into your house from your well? It might help determine whether the elevated levels of copper are sourced from the groundwater or from your pipes... if the copper is in the groundwater, then an RO system would probably remove the copper as needed. If the copper is leaching from your pipes due to acidic water, then you would want a treatment system that would adjust the pH of your water to prevent the leaching.

As far as the BPA goes, as the PP said, BPA isn't present in all plastic piping, so you may not have an issue with the tubing that you have behind your fridge.

Good luck!

[nukuspot]

That is incredibly interesting information! Thank you. I will surely look into what you have said. Can I ask--How can a filter system raise the PH of my water? I would love to have more neutral/alkaline water anyway, for health reasons. My water's PH now is 6.6.

[paisley05]

A filter itself won't raise or lower the pH of the water, but you could add a substance to the water before the filter (if you need it) to change the pH. Neutral pH is 7, so your pH isn't all that off... your pH would generally be acceptable in the environmental world...

[nukuspot]

Wow---there is so much I don't know about water. It is astounding. What sort of "substance" are we talking about? How can it be added? I am happy that you know so much. Are you a water expert? If so, your input is invaluable to myself and others on this board.