Chlorine In Water Can Increase Food Allergies

Posted on December 5, 2012 by admin

Chlorine added to water can make you more prone to allergies, according to research conducted at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Chlorine contains dichlorophenols to cleanse the water from germs, but if ingested this can weaken the food tolerance of some people. The chemical also gets into the water from fruits and vegetables that have been treated against pesticides.

The study was carried out on more than 2,000 people with food allergies. It was discovered that people with high level of dichlorophenols in their urine had an 80% greater chance of having a food allergy, including allergies to peanuts and milk.

food allergies chlorine

Chlorine in water can create food allergies

Elina Jerschow, assistant professor of allergy and immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, said: “Our research shows that high levels of dichlorophenol-containing pesticides can possibly weaken food tolerance in some people, causing food allergy. This chemical is commonly found in pesticides used by farmers and consumer insect and weed control products, as well as tap water.”

Not only did the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology journal conclude there are associations between high levels of dichlorophenol exposure and food allergies, but the group with the highest level of chemicals had a higher chance of having environmental allergies like hay fever.

Experts agree that food allergies are also on the increase in Britain, and that this increase is not solely the result of people visiting doctors more regularly.

Dr Jerschow said that previous studies have shown that both food allergies and environmental pollution are increasing, but that more research was needed to confirm a link between these factors.

A spokesman for Thames Water told the Telegraph: “We chlorinate water once it has been fully processed, so there is no organic matter in it.”

If you are worried about the quality of your water and the effect it is having on your health, contact Aquatec today. We have been making purification systems for years that soften and purify your home water to 98% purity.

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3 Misconceptions About Home Water Softeners

Posted on November 28, 2012 by admin

Choosing a home water softening system is difficult as there are so many different products on the market. With that in mind we thought it was a good idea to dispel a few of the misconceptions.

      • Many people think that all water softeners will filter impurities out of your water. In fact many just replace the magnesium and calcium that is vital to our health with salt. Aquatec on the other hand uses an advanced electrolytic media nano scale formulation to remove 98% of harmful organic and inorganic compounds including chlorine, lead, mercury, iron and hydrogen sulphide. Aquatec water softening systems put back in the naturally occurring electrolytes (for your health and well being) that other systems remove.
      • Under-sink reverse osmosis units remove calcium and magnesium too and can actually make your water more acidic. By only treating the water that comes out of the sink they do not address the problem at its source and your family will still be using hard, impure water to bathe and cook in. Reverse osmosis units fail to fail to purify water across the whole household, and they are also wasteful – with enough water to fill a swimming pool going by the wayside every year.
      • Bottled water is no substitute for water that has been properly purified and softened. Because most bottled water goes through reverse osmosis it has had the healthy components that your body actually needs stripped out of it – magnesium and calcium.

For these reasons you should only consider a home water softening system that treats all of the water coming into your home before your family, drink it, cook with it or bathe in it.

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Deadly Floods Cause Havoc

Posted on November 23, 2012 by admin

Gales and heavy rains have caused widespread flooding across the South West and one man who was trapped in his vehicle has died.

The man died before he could get to hospital after his 4×4 became stuck beneath a bridge near to Chew Stoke, eight miles south of Bristol. Rescue crews were alerted but had trouble getting to him and he was pronounced dead before arriving in hospital.

The inclement weather caused havoc on the roads with the emergency service receiving more than 140 flood related calls. Motorists were warned to avoid travelling unless they absolutely had to.

Floods in Bristol

Rescue teams were on high alert

A spokesman for the fire service said: “At least 24 people were rescued from floodwater; some from vehicles caught in up to four feet of water, and some from properties. In some cases, crews were deployed and pumps used to either remove water from a property or garden, or to try to divert the path of water to reduce the risk of flooding.”

The fire service performed a number of rescues across the region. Some of the daring rescues were:

  • Two people were rescued from a car in Crow Lane, Henbury.
  • A man trapped in a BMW in four feet of flood water on the A368 at Bishop Sutton had to be pulled out.
  • A 45-year-old woman was rescued from a Skoda at Backwell Common, Backwell.

Many roads and train services across the region were disrupted. The Environment Agency had 24 warnings and 50 alerts in place across the South West. For more information on the locations read here.

There is no indication yet that the flooding has had any adverse affect on reservoirs or local water suppliers.

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Water Mismanagement Causes Flood & Drought Risk

Posted on November 8, 2012 by admin

Mismanagement of water is leaving UK homes open to both drought and flooding, according to a number of leading charities.

Water companies are taking too much water from rivers leaving supplies low, but we are still vulnerable to flooding due to a lack of defences in flood plains.

2012 was an all or nothing year for water in the UK, a bad drought was followed by one of the wettest summers on record. However if we have another dry winter then drought could rear its ugly head again. Meanwhile the risk of being flooded is still very present for many low lying areas of the country that are near to rivers.

Water Mismanagement flood risk

Water mismanagement creates a flood risk

16 charities, including the RSPB and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, are so concerned about the threat of floods and droughts they commissioned a report into the state of the water system.

Their findings were damning, namely that the government is not doing enough to make water management sustainable in the UK. Where they are failing is in the setting of targets for water companies and in the greater uptake of a widespread water meter system.

Rob Cunningham, Head of Water Policy for the RSPB, said the risk of flooding and drought has increased in 2013 because the Government has been too slow to act.

He said:  “If we fail to plan for drought we will end up with a situation like 1976 with people queuing for standpipes. At the same time we are not going to be ready for a flood like 2007 if we don’t make sure new buildings are prepared for flooding, drainage systems are made sustainable and old buildings are retrofitted.”

The Department for the Environment countered:“We know we are facing increasing pressures on our water supply. That is why we have published a draft Water Bill that will build resilience into our water infrastructure by creating the conditions to encourage innovation and reduce demand.”

You can do your bit to make sure that you get the most out of water in your home and maximise energy efficiency. Aquatec promotes the use of sustainable processes in the manufacture and installation of our water purification systems; contact us today for more information.

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Serious Water Pollution Incidents Doubled in 2011

Posted on November 7, 2012 by admin

Serious water pollution incidents have doubled in 2011 according to new figures by the Environment Agency.

Although there were slightly fewer incidences of serious industrial pollution, in the water industry the number of pollution incidents nearly doubled from 65 in 2010 to 120 in 2011.

environment agency monitors water pollution

The Environment Agency monitors water pollution

Most occurred within the sewer and water network, but the Environment Agency said this was mainly due to the fact that more incidents were being reported by the water companies themselves.

An agency spokesman said: “Substantial investment by water companies has helped improve water quality in recent decades. We are working with the water industry and Ofwat to ensure that this overall trend continues, particularly given the pressures of population growth and climate change.”

Waste was the main cause of water pollution as our growing population struggles to control industrial waste and sewage. Yet companies are aware of this problem and more UK businesses than ever before have been awarded an ‘A’ grade for their environmental performance. As a reward, well-run enterprises had their regulatory costs cut by £15 million in 2011. Overall those complying with environmental regulations paid up to 70% less for their relevant permits and permissions than businesses that were run badly.

The Environment Agency chairman, Lord Chris Smith, said: “Achieving both economic growth and the protection of the natural environment is not always easy but it can be achieved with hard work and dedication.

“It will not happen without effective regulation of the impact business has on the environment and a commitment from businesses themselves to act as responsible neighbours and good corporate citizens.

“Reassuringly, the latest performance record shows businesses are increasingly recognising there is a value and opportunity in this broader sense of responsibility.”

If you are worried about the quality of your water, contact Aquatec today. We have nearly 20 year’s experience of providing home water purification systems to filter your drinking, cooking and home supply water. Once filtered our water is so pure than even a new born baby can drink it.

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How Hard Water Quickly Becomes A Major Problem

Posted on October 30, 2012 by admin

Figures show that hard water and the resultant lime scale have a massive incremental increase in the amount of energy used by homes.

In fact for every millimetre of lime scale you can expect approximately a 10% increase in the amount of energy used, up from 10.6% energy increase for one millimetre of limescale to a 29.4% energy increase in limescale for 3 millimetres of limescale.

Hard water problem Bristol

If you have a hard water problem in Bristol contact Aquatec today.

That basically means that only 4 millimetres of limescale will be responsible for a 30% loss of your heating efficiency.

Limescale is caused by latent deposits of lime and chalk (which are made up of the chemical elements magnesium and calcium). Because lime scale quickly builds up at the rate of 1.5 millimetres per year, this is a problem that rapidly escalates, rather than going away at any point. It is important to get the problem under control before it takes control of you.

Such shocking facts make it unsurprising that the UK government has singled out water treatment as a major way of saving the lifespan of home water purification systems. A new act released in April 2007 said that all boilers fitted in households must have water treatment beforehand.

The solution to the problem? A home water softening system is guaranteed to remove all of the existing limescale in your home. That includes your piping as well as home appliances like your washing machine, dishwasher and kettle. Contact Aquatec Bristol today and see how we can offer you with a solution to your hard water problems and free your home from limescale.

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UK Homeowners Choosing Water Purification Systems

Posted on October 19, 2012 by admin

There are a number of different ways to control the quality of your water, including softening the water to prevent limescale and removing contaminants and minerals.

There are four main methods of purifying water – Reverse Osmosis, Microfiltration, using an Activated Carbon Filter and Distillation.

  • Microfiltration can be used to remove some bacteria and large pathogens, but not all of them.
  • Activated carbon filtration reduces unwanted taste, odour and low concentrations of organic chemicals.
  • Reverse osmosis is best known for its use in water desalinization projects, and can also reduce chemicals associated with unwanted colour and taste.
  • Distillation effectively removes inorganic contaminants from water. Since distilled water has no minerals, some people claim that distilled water has a sweet or ‘flat’ taste.

However at Aquatec we use a unique process to filter the incoming mains water supply at a micron level to remove all of the larger particles of dirt and heavy metals.

Our advanced electrolytic media nano scale formulation uses redox (reduction/oxidation) to remove 98% of all harmful organic and inorganic compounds including chlorine, lead, mercury, iron and hydrogen sulphide.

But this is just one of eight stages which make sure that your water is completely pure by the time that it gets into your glass.

Once it has gone through an intensive water purification process. At stage 8 this includes the drinking water post filter media which removes any unwanted tastes and odours to produce purified water.

Finally Aquatec water purification systems have health benefits because they put back in the naturally occurring electrolytes that other systems remove. To guarantee the purity of your home water supply contact Aquatec Bristol today and book your free water quality test.

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Smallest UK Water Company Forced to Shut Down

Posted on September 28, 2012 by admin

One of the oldest water companies in the UK may be forced to finally turn off its taps because maintenance costs were spiralling out of control.

The Fenny Compton Water Company Ltd was originally created by a local landowner in 1886 to protect the villagers of Fenny Compton from deadly diseases such as cholera.

Water was sourced from a pure spring in the Avon Dassett hills, Warwickshire, and piped through to only 36 homes and three businesses.

The company was the smallest of its kind in England but also one of the longest running. However the prospect of £200,000 worth of repairs has meant that directors of the company are now putting its future to a vote.

Company secretary Jill Rankin told the BBC: “It is really sad and nobody wants it to shut. But replacing the pipes is going to cost £200,000 and we have only got £7,000 in the bank.”
She added: “We’re asking the village whether it wants to keep the company going or shut it down and move to Severn Trent.

Warwickshire water company

Warwickshire residents may see the fenny Compton water company shut down.

“As time has gone on we are having to fix increasing numbers of leaks and the cost of fixing them has gone up substantially.”

It used to be that the Fenny Compton Water Company Ltd could get local men to repair any leaks or problems with the infrastructure. But now tight regulations mean that experienced contractors have to be called in and this costs a great deal more money.

Depending on what residents decide, there is a transfer fee for changing to Severn Trent Water of £1,500. The remaining company funds would then be distributed to pensioners and single parent families in the village.

Resident David Walker, who has helped repair burst pipes with a hammer and chisel over the years, said: “I personally wouldn’t like to see the Fenny Compton Water Company Ltd shut down because we’ve been looking after it for all these years. However the time has come when we have to replace the pipes or give up. It’s an awful shame.”

If you want more information about home water purification systems from Aquatec, contact us today, We are also now listed in the Quber Web Directory and the BigTenu Website Resource.

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Hard Water Regions of the UK

Posted on September 10, 2012 by admin

British Water has released a diagram showing the hard water areas of England and Wales.

Hard Water Areas of England and Wales

Hard Water Areas of England and Wales

The blue areas on the map are the areas where the water is hardest, while yellow areas show slightly hard to moderately hard water. Grey areas are soft to moderately soft.

As is amply clear from the map, Bristol is in an area of hard water with over 200 milligrams per litre of calcium carbonate.

In England the only statutory obligation on the Water Authorities is to supply potable water fit for drinking. They have no obligation to be concerned about hard water.

That is why many residents turn to Aquatec Bristol for a water softening and purification solution.

Here are some of the basic benefits of purifying and softening your water:

  • Reducing Energy Bills
  • Protecting Home Appliances
  • Removing Impurities
  • Removing Limescale

To book your free water evaluation, please fill out our contact form and we will be in touch to arrange a suitable time for you.

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Water Company Charged For Dumping Sewage in the Sea

Posted on September 7, 2012 by admin

Criminal charges are being pressed against a UK water company which was caught dumping sewage into the sea.

Southern Water pumped the untreated raw sewage into the coastline off East Worthing over a period of a day and a half.

The offence was the result of a mistake at its water treatment works in Western Road. Bathers are now being advised by Worthing Council to steer clear of the sea between Ferring and Southwick while the Environment Agency works to sort out the problem.

Meanwhile Southern Water is the subject of a criminal investigation.

One unlucky swimmer got immersed in sewage before any red flags had been put up on Worthing Beach.

Image

The cleanup is underway at Worthing Beach

Sue Mulholland told the Brighton and Hove Argus: “I was horrified, spat as much water out as I could and scrambled out of the water as fast as the seaweed and sloping stones would let me.

“Needless to say I headed back for a very thorough shower. I returned to the promenade less than an hour later and searched for a sign.

“Eventually, I found an A4-sized piece of paper attached to a small signpost. There were no hazard signs or exclamation marks or the usually red triangle or circle.”

Southern Water blamed a build up of nappies and sanitary towels for the pump failure and apologised.

A spokesman added: “We can confirm we stopped releasing wastewater flows through the emergency, short sea outfall on Monday. Staff have been working 24/7 at the treatment works since the problems began on Saturday night. Diverting wastewater into the sea, via the emergency outfall, was necessary to prevent localised flooding in Worthing. Repair work is continuing on site today and there will be a full investigation into the incident.”

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) also complained that it was disappointing to see such incidents which caused significant health risks to swimmers and surfers.
 

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