Water ionizers produced in Japan and Korea are being marketed aggressively in the United States. These very expensive machines use the process of electrolysis to make an alkaline stream of water that supposedly possesses almost miraculous properties. This water (often referred to as miracle water, microwater, cluster water, or structured water) is touted as being able to reverse aging, prevent or heal cancer, solve problems with digestion, mal-absorption, chronic constipation and diarreha, and even reduce blood pressure and heal heart disease.

Activated carbon is a form of charcoal. Charcoal is obtained by burning wood, nutshells, coconut husks, animal bones, and/or other carbonaceous (carbon-containing) materials.

On private well water systems one of the most common causes of corrosion is acidic water. The pH scale is used to determine how acidic or alkaline a water chemistry is. Acidic water has a pH of less than 7.0. A pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is a common pH range found in wells with acidic water.

Signs of acid water are corrosion of pipes and fixtures, pinhole leaks in plumbing, and blue staining (from copper pipes) or rust staining (from iron pipes). Acidic water can also cause pinhole leaks and pipe failure over time. By raising the pH to the range of 7.0 to 7.5 the water can be made alkaline which will then reduce or eliminate pipe corrosion.

Most homes have hard water problems without necessarily knowing about it. You can know if you have hard water when it becomes difficult to get soap to form a lather or you have to squirt lots of dishwashing liquid into the water to clean your dishes.

Hard water works fine for rinsing down driveways or watering gardens and lawns. It's indoors where hard water cause hassles and real problems. Mineral deposits form on dishes and glassware. Laundry becomes stiff and dingy and clothes wear out faster. Cleaning anything requires extra energy and the use of harsh chemicals that are not only expensive, but hard on the environment once they go down the drain. Energy costs can go up significantly due to scale build-up in pipes and hot water heaters. Scale build-up also shortens the life of appliances and fixtures.

There are a variety of microorganisms that can contaminate drinking water supplies. They can be broken down into four main categories including:

Bacteria
Cyst forming Protozoa
Viruses
Worms
To find out more about the most common pathogenic organisms including pictures, infectious doses, and more detailed information.

Recently, the Associated Press reported that residues from a vast array of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (known as PPCPs) have been found in drinking water supplies across the country. These substances include dozens of different drugs and by-products including antibiotics, pain killers, anti-inflammatories, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers, heart medications, bronchodilators, sex hormones, sun-screen agents, and fragrances.