Reader’s Digest features an article on clean water on its cover for August. “We have the safest drinking water in the world–except for the pesticides that sometimes sneak in. And the rocket fuel. And the antibiotics…”

In this study, human placenta cells from five new mothers were cultured in a laboratory, and BPA was added in a variety of doses found in the blood of pregnant women and fetuses. The doses ranged from .002 to 200 micrograms per milliliter. The placenta cells were exposed to the BPA at these levels for 24 hours and then examined for damage.

Significant damage was found. Three types of damage were measured; all were significantly higher than the control. But one type of damage measured much higher at the lower dose of BPA, a particularly troubling finding.

But complete disclosure is rare. An EWG study released at the hearing checked 188 bottled water brands and found that less than 2 percent disclose all three basic facts about their water, on the label or in a Web site. Those facts are the water’s source, how it was purified, and what contaminants remain.

The study found these contaminants in the blood of all five participants: flame retardants, Teflon chemicals, synthetic fragrances, the plastics ingredient bisphenol A (BPA) and the rocket fuel component perchlorate.

Participants tested postive for 35 to 60 percent of the 75 chemicals on the list. Each also showed a high level of at least one controversial unregulated chemical.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) identifies perchlorate as a thyroid toxin that particularly affects infants and fetuses.

The EPA last year decided not to regulate perchlorate as a drinking water pollutant, according to the medicalnewstoday.com article.

I am thrilled to be able to filter it now, do a good job, get high flow, and no maintenance (except once a year, changing the filter). I’m especially happy because we have two kids with Asperger’s, and it seems that people on the autism spectrum have trouble getting toxins out of their bodies.

Study authors expressed concern for infants, pregnant women, and those with compromised immune systems. They also called for comprehensive improvements in the nation’s water supply systems.

They rinsed plastic and glass bottles, added water and snails, and waited. After a period of time, the snails housed in the plastic bottles generated significantly more baby snails than the ones in the glass bottles. This suggests that the plastic packaging is a source of active estrogen hormones.

Manufacturers say they are moving to take BPA out of baby bottles. But the rest of us are at risk as well. The product not only leaches from soda and water bottles, but it lines metal cans and “microwaveable” packaging. BPA was originally developed as an estrogen replacement, according to Kissinger’s article, and is now found in the tissues of nearly every American tested.

So I ordered the under-sink model 750SB, at $340 after discount. Most householders won’t have too much trouble installing this, but we had a problem: the sink lip is covered with granite countertop. So it was necessary to drill through the granite. I am guessing that most granite countertops aren’t installed this way, but ours is.