Water filter myths
Other than what is Federally mandated, I'm not sure how extensive the testing and reporting by municipal water treatment authorities really is. In our case, the reporting typically falls short of reporting analyses for most common viruses, pathogens, many heavy metals and even some bacteria, many of which have caused locally severe health implications over the years and none of which can be effectively removed by any of the filters mentioned previously. Some longer residence time carbon elements are great at removing some bacteria, color, odor and some objectionable taste but that's about it. They are all pretty much equally effective at two things: 1. removing objectional taste, and 2. give the consumer a false sense of security about what they are drinking. The concern regarding reliance on the ubiquitous bottled water substitute is that they, for the most part, are essentially expensive and unregulated municipal water marketed as something else. Federal water quality standards applicable to municipal systems are not applicable to bottled water making them far less regulated in terms of minimum quality. As RichH and others may have said, stagnant water is about the only thing we can avoid. The only safe liquids are Johnnie Walker Blue Label or Crowne Royal.
