RainSoft of Florida - Prescription Drugs in the Water Supply and What You Can Do

RainSoft of Florida - Improperly Disposing of Medicines Can Cause Contamination of Water Sources

In homes that use septic tanks, prescription and over-the-counter drugs flushed down the toilet can leach into the ground and seep into ground water.

In cities and towns where residences are connected to wastewater treatment plants, prescription and over-the-counter drugs poured down the sink or flushed down the toilet can pass through the treatment system and enter rivers and lakes. They may flow downstream to serve as sources for community drinking water supplies. Water treatment plants are generally not equipped to routinely remove medicines.

How Proper Disposal of Medicines Protects You and the Earth:

• Prevents poisoning of children and pets
• Deters misuse by teenagers and adults
• Avoids health problems from accidentally taking the wrong medicine, too much of the same medicine, or a medicine that is too old to work well
• Keeps medicines from entering streams and rivers when poured down the drain or flushed down the toilet

See the EPA Guidelines on How to Dispose of Medicine Properly

No filter will remove every contaminant, in part because the list of risky chemicals keeps growing.  But here are the most common types of filters and the major contaminants they are designed to trap:

1. Carbon filters include countertop pitchers, faucet-mounted models, undersink models (which usually require a permanent connection to an existing pipe), and whole-house or point-of-entry systems (usually installed in the basement or outside). Carbon, a porous material, absorbs impurities as the water passes through.  What they remove: Lead, PCBs, chlorine byproducts (chloramines and trihalomethanes), certain parasites, radon, pesticides and herbicides, the gasoline additive MTBE, the dry-cleaning solvent trichloroethylene, some volatile organic compounds, some levels of bacteria (such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia) and a small number of pharmaceuticals.
2. Reverse-osmosis systems push water through a semipermeable membrane, which acts as an extremely fine filter. They're often used in conjunction with carbon filters. However, these systems waste 4 to 9 gallons (15 to 34 liters) of water for every gallon (3.8 liters) filtered.  What they remove: Chemicals carbon filters may miss, including perchlorate, sulfates, fluoride, industrial chemicals, heavy metals (including lead), chlorine byproducts, chlorides (which make water taste salty), and pharmaceuticals.
3. Ultraviolet light units disinfect water, killing bacteria. Countertop units can be found for under U.S. $100, but most whole-house units cost $700 and upward. What they remove: Bacteria. Experts recommend using them with carbon filters to remove other contaminants.
4. Distillers, probably the least practical home method, boil and condense water. While countertop units are available, distillers use lots of electricity, generate excess heat, and require regular cleaning. Explore filters or other alternatives to remove your contaminants, or, in a pinch, buy distilled water. What they remove: Heavy metals (including lead), particles, total dissolved solids, microbes, fluoride, lead, and mercury.

Water Filter Buying Guide from National Geographic

RainSoft Drinking Water Systems

Bottled water quality without the bottle. You'll enjoy deliciously fresh drinking water all the time with one of our reverse osmosis systems. And with RainSoft drinking water purification systems, there are no heavy bottles to lug or deliveries to schedule. Just turn on the faucet and enjoy. You'll also be doing the environment a favor!

Coffee, tea, ice, soups, juices...you name it! Anything made with water from RainSoft home water filtration systems will taste noticeably better. So will your prepared foods. After all, water is the number one ingredient in your kitchen. You'll taste the difference every time you use water from your RainSoft drinking water system.

Home Water Treatment

With two premium drinking water systems, RainSoft water treatment delivers a higher quality and better tasting drinking water experience. Not only will the water from a RainSoft drinking water system in your glass taste distinctly better, but so will all of the food and beverages you make with it.

Ultrefiner reverse osmosis water systems are RainSoft's premier drinking water system. Using advanced RO technology, the Ultrefiner provides highly polished drinking water that filters out smaller particles that can be missed by less refined drinking water systems.

For out-of-the-way convenience, Hydrefiner drinking water systems deliver a continuous supply of clean, fresh water from right under your sink. Utilizing a compressed carbon-block filter, the Hydrefiner eliminates bad tastes and odors from home drinking water.

Locate a RainSoft Dealer near you.

Read what customers in your area are saying about RainSoft at RainSoft Reviews.

RainSoft - Keeping Indoor Air Clean and Breathable During Storms and Outages

Rainsoft of Florida

An authorized RainSoft Dealer

1394 NE 48th St, Pompano Beach, FL 33064

RainSoft air purification systems treat the entire home, not just one room. Our systems mount directly into the ductwork of your home, providing cleaner, fresher air throughout the entire house. With advanced UV light and ozone lamp technology, the AirMaster Ultra system eliminates airborne contaminants in your home.

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What to do and not to do to keep indoor air healthy during big storms

October 29, 2012

By Taunya English | newsworks

Don't use the oven or an outside grill to heat the house.

Never set up a generator inside, not even in a garage or partially enclosed space, said Emily Knearl, spokeswoman with the Delaware Division of Public Health.

"If you feel weak, sick or dizzy using a generator, get to fresh air right away," Knearl said. "Carbon monoxide [sometimes created by] generators can kill within minutes."

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia emergency medicine physician Fred Henretig is the senior toxicologist for the Poison Control Center in Philadelphia.

Center officials often notice a spike in calls when power outages become widespread and more people begin running portable generators.

“People sometimes forget those are internal combustion engines, just like an automobile engine is. They are producing carbon monoxide as a by product,” Henretig said. “That’s why we want to get the word out now.”

The number for poison control is the same across the United States, 800-222-1222.

“Mild symptoms often begin with headache and nausea, feeling a little listy, sometimes a fainting spell,” Henretig said.

“If someone has collapsed call 911,” Henretig said. “I think, if it’s a more subtle situation and someone is just feeling ill and they are not sure what’s going on, then calling the poison control center is certainly reasonable.

In Delaware, the Storm Recovery Call Center--866-408-1899--opens at noon Tuesday. Health division staffers can answer a long list of basic questions.

"How do you find out if your food is safe after a power outage or flood? How do you disinfect your water?" Knearl said. "How do you prevent mold? What's the safest way to clean a flooded basement? Even how to re-open a restaurant or food establishment after flooding."

If water seeps inside, it may take as long as 48 hours to rid a home of excess moisture to prevent mold. Close windows and doors if you are using a dehumidifier, open them wide if you don't have one.

"It's important to not only to dry out your property, but it's important to disinfect it," Knearl said. "They need to use bleach, mildew removers and disinfectant. You may need to remove parts of walls, and ceiling and floors to completely dry out the house."