Tank Water Use in Australia
Out of the 7.5 million1 or so households in Australia today more than 2.3 million2 (or 17%) use rainwater tanks – and the use of tank water is rapidly increasing.3
Australians have always known there are great benefits to capturing rainwater and collecting water from creeks especially in rural or remote areas, but we also know there are risks.
Tank Water | Benefits and Risks
From time to time we hear of outbreaks of Blastocyctis, Giardia & Cryptosporidium, as well as many other water borne parasites, bacteria, fungi and algae. What we often don’t hear about is the ongoing health problems of people in our community carrying parasites from drinking tank water, silently struggling, often without knowing the cause. There are also considerable risks from toxins produced by blue-green algae and agricultural chemicals.
For those collecting rainwater from rooftops, perhaps the biggest concerns are bacteria such as E.Coli and Campylobacter which can find it’s way into tanks from animal, bird or bat droppings.
Never Experience That Chlorine Taste Again
Hydrogen peroxide has long been known as the superior water treatment option, due to the fact that it effectively destroys pathogens without leaving any chemical residue, breaking down to harmless oxygen and water. However, due to issues around keeping it stable enough to transport and store without degrading it has also been financially out of reach… until now. For decades the standard recommended tank water treatment has instead been chlorine, despite the fact that people generally would prefer not to have it in their drinking water.
There is conflicting evidence on the safety of chlorine consumption on the human body however it is often seen as an acceptable compromise when compared to water borne pathogens. For example, the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines4 state that there are no adverse health effects from Chlorine, while there is also research such as the studies mentioned in the following Scientific American5 article suggesting otherwise.
“The link between chlorine and bladder and rectal cancers has long been known, but only recently have researchers found a link between common chlorine disinfectant and breast cancer, which affects one out of every eight American women. A recent study conducted in Hartford, Connecticut found that women with breast cancer have 50-60 percent higher levels of organochlorines (chlorine by-products) in their breast tissue than cancer-free women.” – Scientific American
Finally, An Affordable Alternative to Chlorine that is Completely Harmless to Humans.
The Natural Enviro Co. has been providing HydroSil (previously sold as HydraSil) to happy customers for almost two decades, however over the past two years we have developed an updated formula making HydroSil more effective than ever before. For the first time, Australians now have access to all of the benefits of hydrogen peroxide at a price that is as economical as chlorine – without any of the drawbacks.
To find out more about HydroSil ULTRA 7.5% Silver-Stabilised Hydrogen Peroxide click here.
References:
1. Australian Institue of Family Studies | Households in Australia
https://aifs.gov.au/facts-and-figures/households-australia
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics | Environmental Issues: Water use and Conservation, Mar 2013
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/products/629A13C5A1CFAC3CCA2577DF00155272?OpenDocument
3. Australian Bureau of Statistics | Environmental Issues: Water use and Conservation, Mar 2010
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/4602.0.55.003Main%20Features2Mar%202010?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=4602.0.55.003&issue=Mar%202010&num=&view=
4. National Health & Medical Research Centre | Austraian Drinking Water Guidelines
https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/eh52
5. Scientific American | Are Chlorine’s Beneficial Effects in Drinking Water Offset by Its Links to Cancer?https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talks-tapped-out/