The short answer is, “It’s good for your health.” Rainwater may be “pure” initially, but by the time it enters our ground water supply, it is not. Solids and contaminants accumulate during the process as shown in the picture below. (Click on any picture to display full-screen for readability)
So, before the ground water is safe to drink, a purification process is necessary. The purification process targets the reduction of these solids and other contaminants that are in the water. The EPA has established a minimum standard for the quality of our drinking water to be acceptable for consumption. They use a tool that measures the “Total Dissolved Solids” (TDS) in the water. The graph below shows that the TDS measurements below 500 are considered “acceptable” for consumption.
What’s wrong with consuming water with these high, but acceptable TDS readings? The problem is that bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants such as arsenic, fluoride, nitrates, and aluminum are often still present in the water and over time these contaminants are not good for our health. What is acceptable is not necessarily desirable.
Fortunately, we live in an area where the water supply is better than in many parts of the country. We have found that the TDS readings of the tap water in our region vary between 60 and 200. Water coolers provided by HBS typically reduce the TDS reading to a figure between 7 and 15. This is accomplished through a 9-step filtering process, including reverse osmosis. The result is a delicious, clean tasting water that everyone can feel good about consuming.
Is this solution better than drinking bottled water? The short answer is “yes” for several reasons. With store-bought plastic bottles, there is the non-eco-friendly use of plastic bottles as well as the potential leaching of chemicals from the plastic bottles if stored for any period in a hot area or simply left to sit for a prolonged period. The commercially serviced 42-pound water containers also have disadvantages. First, the area where the water container and dispenser meet tends to become quite dirty over time. Although this can be checked and cleaned periodically, we have found that this is usually not done. Second, these water bottles are a frequent source of worker compensation claims. Lifting and changing a 42-pound container is not a trivial operation.
HBS offers all customers the opportunity to try a water cooler free of charge. We know that once you test the water, you won’t want to go back to your previous alternative. Call HBS (800) 827-5424.