Get the lead out

Concern about the safety of the global water supply for human consumption has grown steadily throughout the last several years. Lakes, rivers, and groundwater have been found to contain unacceptably high amounts of Atrazine and Simazine, pesticides so toxic that the Environmental Protection Agency-mandated maximum level is equivalent to less than one drop in a swimming pool. Lead commonly was used in plumbing pipes and fixtures in homes and other buildings until recently, leaving nearly everyone at risk of exposure, even today. Chronic exposure to lead can cause irreversible neurological, developmental and systemic damage, especially in young children.

That's the bad news. The good news is that the Watersafe do-it-yourself tests from Silver Lake Research, Monrovia, Calif., include kits for lead, pesticides, chlorine and hardness, plus pH, and nitrates/nitrites. Previously, the only reliable way to ascertain if contaminants were in the drinking water supply was to hire a lab to conduct expensive, complicated, and time-consuming tests. Watersafe, however, offers results with laboratory accuracy in a mere 10 minutes.

The scientific model for the research that led to the discovery of the antibodies and testing methods that make these water kits possible is the now-standard home pregnancy test. The necessary test strips and vials are enclosed to ensure that the water you drink is safe. It's recommended that those with access to municipal water supplies test once a year while well-water users should check every Six months.

Watersafe ($16.99) can be purchased at grocery, drug, and health food stores, or log on to www.watersafetestkits.oom.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Society for the Advancement of Education
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group