Adelaide is the South Australian capital and was named one of the 'top 10 must-visit cities' for 2014, according to Lonely Planet. The city stretches approximately 20km from the coast to the foothills, and the city center is a blend of historic buildings, wide streets, and parklands.
Adelaide’s population of over 1.23 million enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate characterized by hot summers with cool winters. Mainly rain is experienced during the winter months and other times of the year; rainfall has been highly unreliable, causing the population to be on water alert during the dry periods.
Adelaide's Drinking Water
Half of Adelaide’s drinking water is pumped from the River Murray. Additionally, in 2013, a sea desalination plant was also built to supply water to Adelaide.
Who Controls Your Drinking Water?
SA Water manages Adelaide’s drinking water gained from water reservoirs, namely:
- Mount Bold Happy and Happy Valley
- Myponga
- Millbrook
- Little and South Para
They have been in operation for nearly 150 years and have continually supplied Adelaide with enough drinking water, and have been involved in large construction projects such as treatment plants.
SA Water maintains a conventional water treatment process, namely chlorination.
What Lurks in Adelaide's Tap Water
Since Adelaide tap water comes from various catchments, different water treatments are applied to keep it safe and clean when it comes out of your tap.
Despite treatment attempts, SA Water reports in 2012 revealed South Australia’s water contained specific hazards.
Reports indicate chemicals added to water pose health hazards to household consumers.
For example:
Chlorine is one of the chemicals added during the disinfection process to kill water-borne organisms. Chlorine is designed to kill microbes, so it's no wonder it does the same to the small microbes in the gut we call the microbiome.
Chlorine, in addition to drying out hair and skin, can be quite problematic for some individuals leading to greater problems over the decades.
WARNING! In large quantities, it can cause health issues such as organ failure, and even some cancers have been linked to chlorine.
For more: Chlorination, Are You Sure Your Drinking Water is Safe?
Fluoride is also added to water as a health requirement to help prevent tooth decay.
WARNING… Too much fluoride in water can cause fluorosis, leading to brittle bones and teeth, especially in children.
For more: Should You Be Worried About Fluoride In Your Drinking Water?
Copper is usually present in water but in small amounts. It’s good for your health in small doses.
WARNING… Excess copper can make its way into your water via plumbing. Larges amounts consumed can cause nausea, headaches, gastric discomfort, and at worse, liver damage.
For more: Health Risk of Copper In Drinking Water.
Arsenic is naturally found in soil and is harmless in tiny amounts.
WARNING... dangerous levels of arsenic can seep through the soil into our water supplies, especially around industrial areas like mining. Increased levels of Arsenic in the body may cause poisoning and death.
For more: Arsenic in Water: Its Effects and How to Get Rid of It.
Is there something you can do?
As much as we rely on the government and authorities in providing us with safe and healthy drinking water, they cannot guarantee such quality at all times. We as consumers should take the initiative to pursue safer drinking water in our homes.
As a first step, why not purchase your very own water filtration system that you and your family can use. Countless water filter products are sure to fit you and your family’s needs. A great start can be a simple Benchtop System, or even an Under Sink system if your living arrangements are more permanent.
We stock the best water filters for Adelaide!
Take a look at My Water Filter and our innovative filtering technologies that are sure to keep your drinking water safer and healthier. The company’s 30 years of experience has proven its point.
Stop worrying and live a stress-free lifestyle; take My Water Filter as part of living a healthy way of life.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We’d be delighted to help.