Ok so everyone has seen the commercials and tasted the water, but is there really a difference? Brita Filtration pitchers are designed to reduce free radicals in water such as chlorine and other minerals. In particular the reduction of lead. But is all this really needed and is the Brita pitcher the best option?
The science behind the water follows as such. When water is treated at your local water supply plant small amounts of chlorine are added to kill off bacteria, which could be harmful to humans. Chlorine itself is also harmful but small amounts do not prove to have any serious consequences. So the water travels from the plant free of bacteria and contaminants down through the pipes and into your home. The problem occurs with the pipes. How old are they? Are they copper with lead solder? Are they leaching trace amounts of metal into your water supply? If so then do not fear an array of Brita filtration systems are here to save the day. The Brita pitcher removes about 99% of any lead in your tap water. Simply pour tap water into the pitcher and allow it to flow through the filter (gravity grants us this little pleasure) and viola! Lead free water.
Fantastic right?
Mostly.
The problem comes in the filter, as the lead and mercury and copper are being stopped so is the chlorine, the chlorine that is vital to keeping bacteria at bay. You see bacteria have a thin shell of protective fluid around them, which chlorine breaks down in about 15 seconds then the oxygen from water leeches, into the bacteria oxidizing it and rendering it dead and harmless. However when your pitcher removes the chlorine from the water and you sit the pitcher full of water on the counter top it all of the sudden becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.
You see the pros vastly outweigh the cons. If by chance you do have minerals leeching into your water, which should not be there, and lead is in your water supply then a Brita pitcher will eradicate any risk associated with such contaminates. The bacteria on the other hand will be mostly harmless and as long as you don’t leave your pitcher stagnant for extended periods of time then you should have no risk of infection anyways. Lastly worried about consumption of chlorine? Well don’t be even if you have a filter installed chlorine is easily absorbed through the skin so when you take your daily shower you will be exposed to it regardless of whether or not you are drinking out of a filtered pitcher. In the long run you can purchase a Brita pitcher and keep lead free water on hand year round for about $20 annually, which is not bad considering the possible side effects to lead contamination. However the need for such water may not always be there depending on the age of your home and the surrounding pipe system. Regardless it is better to be safe then contaminated and as most customers contend, “the water just tastes better” so it is my recommendation that you stop on in and pick up a Brita filtration pitcher that is right for you.
Personally I love the small version, which retails for $11.99 and carries about 48 ounces of water. But for large families Brita offers gallon sized pitchers and even faucet filters, which purify all water passing through the faucet of your kitchen sink. Brita water pitchers can be found at most major retails and at their online store (www.brita.com)
