
Australia is famously called ‘the lucky country’, but how lucky are we when it comes to mains water? We all want to live our best lives, and to do that we need the best ingredients.
We know humans can only survive for up to 3 days without drinking water, so without it, there is no life! So how does mains water contribute to how our bodies operate on the inside and out? And how can whole house water filtration help to live our best lives?
What is the problem with Mains Water?
Australian mains water supplies comes from under-ground, reservoirs, rivers and more recently, desalinated sea water. As we know, none of these water sources are safe to drink without first disinfecting to neutralise bacteria, parasites, pesticides, and a range of other toxins. This process is therefore critical before one drop of water reaches our home.
But the key question is, what is this daily exposure to chlorine doing to our health, hair and skin?
What is this daily exposure to chlorine doing to our health, hair and skin?
Undersink kitchen water filters have been a part of Australian homes for decades, but why do we only consider filtered water for drinking? When in reality we use water for countless essential daily living routines like showering, hand washing, teeth cleaning, dish washing, kettle boiling, clothes washing, car washing, and keeping our plants alive! Why should all aspects of our interaction with water not be at the best quality for the whole house?
How can whole house filtration improve my health?
When it comes to drinking water, why don’t we like drinking water that comes directly from our home tap? The answer is obvious, the bad taste and odour that comes from chlorine is simply off putting, and no one likes to drink bad tasting water. Water is the most vital substance for a healthy mind and body¹,and to properly keep hydrated men need a whopping 10 cups of water everyday, while women need 8 cups².
With this in mind, 80% of the Australian population still don’t drink enough water and suffer the effects of dehydration³. While we already know the majority of dehydration signals like feeling thirsty and perhaps a dry mouth/lips, there are other signs that commonly go unnoticed like dizziness, and lightheadedness.
Water provides way more essential body functions than we might think, besides just quenching our thirst. Water actually regulates our body temperature, lubricates joints, moistens tissues in the eyes, nose and mouth, protects body organs and dissolves minerals and nutrients to make them accessible to the body⁴.If we start experiencing a slight headache we know it’s probably a good idea to drink water, but why? Water makes up 73% of the human brain. Proper hydration for the brain improves our cognitive speed, alertness, memory and mood. The signs of dehydration for the brain alone can lead to the dreaded headache, cognitive fatigue, inability to focus, reduced memory performance, and loss of concentration⁵.
Installing a water filtration system in your home will reduce chlorine, meaning the bad taste and smell is a thing of the past. Water is now more enjoyable to drink, and available at every home outlet for more opportunities to keep hydrated. When you drink enough water, you will likely experience comfortable digestion (less heartburn), supple skin, increased energy, and easier focus.
How can whole house filtration help my skin?
We all have the strong smell of chlorine from the local swimming pool burned into our memories, and experiencing dry hair and skin afterwards. As skin is the largest organ of the body, hydration is crucial to keeping skin soft, supple, and without irritation, but how often do we think about the daily effects of chlorine in our shower and skincare routines?
For people suffering from Atopic Dermatitis (commonly known as eczema) swimming in chlorine is a risk for irritation. Chlorine actually robs the skin of its natural oils and fatty acids that are needed to thrive. Ozderm Australia endorsed an international study looking at the relationship between free residual chlorine, the skin’s water-holding capacity, and its effects in people affected by eczema. The results showed the water-holding capacity was more sensitive to exposure than in people without. These results also suggested that exposure may play a role in the development or exacerbation of the skin condition⁶.
Nearly 15% of the Australian population suffer from eczema, and while mains water has a lower concentration of chlorine than a pool, showering daily in chlorinated water could be making the condition worse. The Eczema Association of Australasia also estimates each person is spending an average of $425 AUD⁷for products & creams per year to treat the condition. This high dollar amount, along with the increasing amount being spent on a daily skin care routine to achieve supple skin, can all be washed down the drain when bathing and washing your face in chlorinated mains water.
What a waste of time and money right?
The varying levels of ‘hard water’ around the country with calcium and magnesium can also be a contributor to skin irritation. With the high levels of hard water in Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane, its effects are most noticeable in sensitive and dry skin, as it may aid in damaging or disrupting the skin barrier, and increasing the chances of an eczema flare⁸.
The multiple negative effects from chlorine exposure on our skin can be reduced by installing a whole house filtration system. With less daily irritation, skin has the chance to become more balanced and comfortable, while the hefty dollar amount spent on eczema products can significantly reduce. An additional water softener system for hard areas can also benefit the skin with the correct balance of mineral removal to minimise irritation, while still preserving the benefits of drinking these minerals for the body.
How can whole house filtration improve my hair?
Do you make frequent visits to the hair salon for colour treatments only to return 6 weeks later with fast fading and changing colour? It’s not your imagination! Chlorine in copper pipes can cause oxidation and when combined with Iron & other minerals can strip colour from bleached and coloured hair⁹,meaning the daily exposure to these elements can be a reason behind your quick fading and changing colour, not to mention split ends!
Celebrity hair colourist Tracey Cunningham shared with Vogue Magazine that she sees these same effects in her clients (think Gwyneth Paltrow and Mariah Carey!) and recommends filtration. “My blonde clients will come in after six to eight weeks with dull hair. That’s because of mineral buildup. It’s the bane of my existence’’. She talked about the benefits of using a filter saying “Not only does it help with your colour, but the texture of your hair feels better, too, because it’s not as brittle’’¹⁰With the high mineral count in hard water this can also form a moisture barrier in hair and block helpful nutrients from absorbing, resulting in slower growth, breakage, and even thinning¹¹.
Reducing the damaging effects of chlorine in your shower routine can be a simple fix with the help of whole house filtration. Reducing chlorine & minerals from your shower will result in less frequent salon visits, saving money and offsetting the price of the water filter. An additional water softener for hard water areas can result in healthier looking and feeling hair.
How can whole house filtration help my home?
While the calcium and magnesium found in hard water can actually be good for our internal body, it’s not the case within our homes. Hard water can affect the efficiency of our home appliances including the washing machine and dishwasher. These minerals stick to the inner lining of pipes, causing blockages, and affects the performance and lifespan¹².
How does whole house filtration benefit the environment?
Whether it be bottled water or heavy boxes of water, which are a pain to carry to the car, we’ll do just about anything to avoid the chlorine taste from mains water! These store bought water products are more enjoyable to drink than straight mains water, and we therefore believe are a higher quality. However, we also know the increasing rate of plastic waste from bottled water is not something we can ignore.
With around 373 million plastic water bottles ending up as waste each year, it’s concerning to know that plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) takes around 450 years to fully decompose¹³Meaning every single plastic bottle you have ever touched in your lifetime, still exists to this very day, and will for generations to come!
Even with these facts in mind, a Queensland Urban Utilities survey found that 35% of people preferred bottled water over mains water, while 29% thought it was better for them. Within the 35%, 47% said it was for the taste. Blind testing was also conducted in Adelaide revealing many people cannot actually tell the difference between bottled water and mains water without the packaging¹⁴.
Even though 90% of the cost of a water bottle can be traced back to the bottle, lid, and label¹⁵,many are drawn in by the marketing imagery of natural spring lakes and pristine mountains on the labels. From this, there seems to be a common, yet unspoken, idea that bottled water comes from a natural spring or a mountain in Switzerland, and is directly filled from the source¹⁶.Sydney Water has shared that bottled water is from various sources and falls under the ‘Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code’. However, this code doesn’t actually require manufacturers to state on the bottle what type of water it is, or where it has come from, besides the country of origin¹⁷.
With the average cost of a 500ml 24 bottled water pack for a family currently between $7 to $15, this quickly stacks up to an incredible $360 per month! When so many are spending this amount for good tasting water, why not enjoy filtered water at every outlet of the home? Good tasting water can be achieved straight from your mains water supply with the help of filtration. No more lugging heavy water to the car and negatively contributing to the environment!
How can whole house filtration help my garden?
When it comes to our plants and gardens, the full effects chlorine can have on our greenery has differing views. There are reports of chlorine being found to be bad for our plants as it is a strong oxidising agent, and when reacting with water, a type of hydrochloric acid can form. This can then lead to damaged plant leaves, plant roots, and even stunt growth¹⁸.Meaning your time, effort, and money into planting and nurturing can go to waste simply when it comes time to water your plants!
Whole House Filtration by Puretec
Whole house filtration is more affordable than you may think! With all these factors considered, what price are you willing to put on your health, skin, hair, home, and the environment?
Puretec’s whole house filtration systems for mains water supply is the solution to living our best lives and enjoying optimal health inside and out. Without the bad taste and odour from chlorine, our desire to drink water increases and benefits our hydration levels. Our WH2 Series range is designed for mains water supplies to provide great tasting, healthy water at every outlet of the home. The low maintenance systems also reduces chemicals and sediment for high water quality.
Alternatively, to experience chlorine free water solely in the bathroom the SF240 shower filter uses carbon and KDF media to reduce sediment, chlorine, and heavy metals streaming from the shower head. Installing this system can positively impact skin and hair, giving both a much deserved break and the opportunity to be well balanced and free from irritants.
To enjoy pure drinking water only at the kitchen sink, Puretec’s best selling undersink PureMix Z7 water filtration system filters out sediment, rust and dirt with 3 levels of filtration all the way down to 1 micron. Bad taste and odour from chlorine is reduced leaving great tasting, clean and safe water.
Install a water filter at your home and start feeling the benefits!
References:
- 1.Victorian Department of Health. “Victorian Department of Health.” Hydration, 19 February 2016. Accessed 7th October 2023.
- 2.USGS. “USGS.” The Water in You: Water and the Human Body, 22 May 2022. Accessed 7th October 2023.
- 3.CPR First Aid. “CPR First Aid.” Signs and symptoms of dehydration, 2022. Accessed 19th October 2023.
- 4.Mayo Clinic Health System. “Mayo Clinic Health System.” Water: Essential for your body, 29th September 2022. Accessed 7th October 2023.
- 5.IFlow Psychology. “IFlow Psychology.” Why Hydrate? The secret health benefits of water, 22 march 2020. Accessed 19 october 2023.
- 6.Ozderm. “Ozderm.” Time for a swim?, Emanuela Elia, 4 January 2026. Accessed 23 October 2023.
- 7.BHC Medical Centre. “BHC Medical Centre.” How common is eczema in Australia, 31 December 2015. Accessed 7 october 2023.
- 8.Health Central. “Health Central.” Does Hard Water Make Eczema Worse?, 12 September 2023. Accessed 7 October 2023.
- 9.PopSugar. “PopSugar.” Do Shower Filters Really Transform Hair and Skin? I Tried It For a Month and Won't Look Back, Izzie Deibe, 3 February 2023. Accessed 31 October 2023.
- 10.Vogue Magazine. “Vogue Magazine.” The Secret to Making Your Hair Color Last All Summer, 19 April 2017. Accessed 3 November 2023.
- 11.News.com.au. “Body & Soul.” Hard Water: How your shower could be ruining your hair, 25 July 2023. Accessed 7 October 2023.
- 12.Appliances Online. “Appliances Online.” How does hard water impact washing machines?, 2023. Accessed 24 October 2023.
- 13.The waste management & recycling blog. “The waste management & recycling blog.” How long it takes everyday items to decompose, 22 june 2022. Accessed 7 october 2023
- 14.ABC News Australia, and Jamie McKinnell. “ABC News Australia.” Bottled water and why Aussies still drink it, 27 August 2018. Accessed 7 october 2023.
- 15.Clean Up Australia. “Clean Up Australia.” Bottled Water, 2023. Accessed 17 October 2023.
- 16.Choice, and Kate Browne. “Choice.” Is bottled water safer than tap?, 21 march 2018. Accessed 7 october 2023
- 17.Sydney Water. “Sydney Water.” Tap water vs bottled water - water fact sheet, 2017. Accessed 7 october 2023.
- 18.Groundwater Governance. “Groundwater Governance.” The negative effects of chlorine on plants, 26 January 2023. Accessed 20 October 2023.