The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) has responded to the recent blog articles that we have published on the subject of PFAS “forever” chemicals and other dangerous contaminants in the mains water.

When water comes out of the tap, it isn’t always as transparent as you’d expect it to be. There are a number of things that can make it go decidedly “off-colour.”

Birmingham University researchers have discovered that widely used PFAS “forever chemicals” can be absorbed substantially through human skin and get into the bloodstream after just 36 hours of exposure.

In a study of 17 types of PFAS that commonly exist in non-stick pans, cosmetics, waterproof clothing and even our water supply – 15 of them were found to permeate the skin and enter the blood supply.

Top health officials have come down hard on water companies who say they should be doing more to tackle the issue of sewage in the water supply.

Although our tap water doesn’t contain lavatory waste sewage, the Environment Agency says plans are in place to have “toilet-to-tap” drinking water in place by 2030. Thames Water may be even quicker off the mark, with recycled toilet water possible by next year.

The parlous state of Britain’s water ways has been exposed following an investigation by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Across the country, they’ve uncovered a number of horror stories about toxic, life threatening substances in rivers and lakes, including traces of e.coli bacteria, viruses, toxic chemicals and even radioactive substances.

Fruit and vegetables are an integral part of our daily diet. But when you buy them from the supermarket, grocers or elsewhere they are highly unlikely to be in a healthy, ready-to-eat state.

Unwashed fruit and veg could contain numerous bacteria and pathogens, which could be extremely bad for you.

Filtered water has many health benefits over its bottle equivalent, which is known to contain harmful PFAS contaminants. The quality of bottled water can also vary considerably but is very rarely pure – despite what manufacturers may claim.

Despite mounting evidence of serious health issues arising from exposure to PFAS-related chemicals in water, the UK Government still doesn’t test the purity of the nation’s water supply. But, as consumers, we can take decisive action to ensure the water we drink is safe.
Research shows that reverse osmosis (RO) filtration is the best way to remove the overwhelming number of contaminants from our drinking water.

Harmful PFAS chemicals are everywhere – in the air, in food and food packaging, in cosmetics and clothing and – worst of all – the mains water supply. Here we’ve itemised six key areas where you are likely to be most exposed to PFAS, which is known to cause numerous, harmful health issues.
Above all, water filtration should be your top priority.

This article provides an overview of the widescale and potentially dangerous contaminants present in the mains water supply and the risks that this exposure can have on our health. From chlorine to PFAS forever chemicals, UK water is an unwitting source of harmful substances – despite the country’s reputation for having one of the world’s safest public water supplies.

What scientific evidence exists to support these claims about hard water?
Well, from a dermatological standpoint, if you regularly wash your hair in hard water, which contains lots of calcium and magnesium mineral deposits, these deposits will build up on the scalp and in the hair strands. This can prevent moisture from being absorbed.

In order to get the best from your culinary activities, the water quality has a really key role to play in determining the outcome. Not just the water you use in cooking and heating the ingredients – but also the water you have access to for washing and preparing the food. This applies equally to hot or cold dishes.