This week my sister and brother-in-law are visiting us from New Zealand where my wife and I grew up.

Before retiring Barbara and John had a 30,000 acres high-country farm near St Bathans in New Zealand.  Yesterday over dinner we had much to talk about but the discussion eventually got round to one we all believe in.  For years Barbara and John have commented on the high number of cancer deaths occurring in the region close to their former farm.  It has been Barbara’s long-held contention that farm chemicals in the water was causing this problem.  Indeed 3 years ago on a trip back to see them we drove back through the area.  As we passed homestead after homestead Barbara would comment on members of each family who had received the bad news of “Cancer”.  Which brings me to Erin Brochovich who likely needs no introduction.  Erin gained international fame seeking justice for citizens of Hinckley, CA  who had suffered from water contaminated by Pacific Gas and Electric.  This historic case ultimately turned into the 2000 movie “Erin Brochovich” starring Julie Roberts (http://www.brockovich.com/mystory.html ).

Erin’s latest project is to track “cancer clusters” around the USA. All of us in the Pure Water family in Lincoln applaud her for this “life-long” project she had embarked on.  If you have concerns that you may be in a “cancer cluster” where you or your loved ones are, you may want to provide Erin with information on your area.  She can be contacted at http://www.brockovich.com/environmental.html.

Incidentally, there is no cancer in Barbara and John’s family.

Al Meder

We’ve all read many times the reports of cyber-hackers getting into large data-bases and stealing personal information.  Less publicized, generally, are more mundane cyber attacks on key infrastructure computer systems which are now all tied into the Internet.

A couple of months back you might have caught the story of a hack-attack that destroyed a pump at a Springfield, Illinois public water utility – a pump that supplied water to thousands of customers.  Seems like it was not the first time that hackers had attacked water utilities but this was the first reported case where the hacker had caused physical damage to a water utility.

This story was broken when industry security expert, Joe Weiss, obtained a report dated November 10 from state intelligence sources.  While the Department of Homeland Security have downplayed the incident it is now known that the attack came from a hacker in Russia. According to Weiss this is a big deal as we do not know how many other utilities have been compromised.   Nevertheless, in recent months, senior US officials have been sounding the alarm on the potential of attacks on critical infrastructures we depend on so much.

According to Dave Marcus from McAfee, the virus protection company, “computers that control critical systems in the United States are vulnerable to attacks that come through the Internet, and few operators of these systems know how to detect or defeat these threats. So many are ill-prepared for cyber-attacks”.

What would you do if you turned on the tap and no water came out – maybe for days on end?  What would you do if the water quality had been seriously compromised?

Going back to my initial statement, I would prepare now.  I would protect my family with a water distiller.  A Pure Water Distiller is the best insurance that money can buy when it comes to providing very high quality water even if the source water quality is severely compromised.  Even in “normal” times you will benefit from having a distiller to provide fresh, pure, great tasting water.

If you live in an apartment, single, retired or have a cottage hidden in the woods a Pure Water Mini Classic would be ideal.  For families I would recommend a fully automatic system.  Go to www.MyPureWater.com for more information.

Why are our products better? It comes down to water quality, reliability, longevity, the quality of components, workmanship, product design and features.

WATER QUALITY: Most people are surprised to find out that not all water distillers produce the same, excellent quality distilled water as Pure Water Distillers. There are a number of factors that we have observed in competitive distillers that can negatively affect the quality of the distilled water including whether the heating element boils dry, the baffle design, splash protection in the boiling tank, how volatile organic gases are handled, the components used, the craftsmanship and the proper use of carbon filters. As an example, many competitive distillers allow the heating element to boil dry, which increases the temperature and can vaporize chemicals that pass over with the steam.

GREAT TASTE: Taste of pure water is a function of freshness, purity and storage tank components. Have you ever purchased distilled water in milk jug bottles and thought that it tasted nasty? That’s because it’s not fresh, and it’s not stored in high-quality materials, which affects the purity. Pure Water Distillers produce great tasting water. This is the way water is supposed to taste!

RELIABILITY & LONGEVITY:  Pure Water Distillers are DESIGNED in the USA by leading distillation experts who have had decades of real-world experience, are HANDCRAFTED in the USA by highly trained craftsmen, and are constructed using the highest quality components. Our service center, for example, receives many distillers that are over 40 years old, and that have produced over 40,000 gallons of fresh distilled water. After we clean them up they look brand new and they will last another 40 years! This durability, reliability and longevity are what you are buying when you purchase a Pure Water Distiller!

QUALITY CONTROL: Every single machine that we ship is personally operated, inspected and signed off by our leading technical expert!

A TREMENDOUS HISTORY & REPUTATION: For over 40 years, Pure Water Distillers have been recognized as the best water treatment systems in the world. Distillation is the best process, and we produce the best distillers; we are the best of the best. As a testimony of the trust we have earned, over 100 US Embassies use our products to protect their staff against harsh water conditions and potential terror threats against their water supply. Our customer include multinational corporations, universities, hospitals, governments, scientists, doctors, nutritionists and most importantly, hundreds of thousands of families!

In summary, there are no other water treatment products in the world that are in the same league as Pure Water Distillers! (Click here to learn more)

Distillation does the same thing. We take your contaminated tap water, add heat to it and get evaporation. Then we separate this pure steam and cool it back down into high-purity distilled water. This process produces consistently pure water for the life of the machine.

Why Is Steam-Distilled Water The Only Type Of Water You Should Consume?

Steam-distillation is recognized as the gold-standard for purity for consumable water. Steam-distillation produces high-purity water on a consistent basis, and is the only process that can provide absolute peace of mind. Here’s why…

• Steam-distillation exactly duplicates nature’s hydrologic cycle. This endless cycle of evaporation, condensation and precipitation is what creates fresh water on the Earth, and is fundamental to our survival.
• Steam-distillation is the only water treatment process that actually boils the water, which is the single most effective way to kill waterborne bacteria, viruses and parasites.
• Steam-distillation not only boils the water, but it then separates the pure steam and cools it down into a separate container. Steam is extremely pure because it leaves the contaminants behind in the boiling tank, which are then flushed down the drain.
• Steam-distillation produces consistent results over time. What matters is results, and you absolutely cannot beat the quality, consistency, and broad spectrum removal of a Pure Water Steam-Distillation System.
• Steam-distilled water is used and recommended by top doctors and nutritionists around the world.

Today I found out that one of our Pure Water distillers is in daily use by the Dairy Association Co. in Vermont.  This company has an amazing product and an amazing history.  Since 1899 they have been producing Bag Balm.  I’d never heard of Bag Balm but I asked a friend who works on a farm and he knew of Bag Balm immediately.  Bag Balm is a proprietary balm with soothing qualities that has been used on animals for decades.  Best known for soothing cow udders; it is also used on wounds in dogs and other pets and is popular on horses too.  It is packed in a distinctive green can with the red clovers on the lid.  You may have seen it without recognizing what it was.

Dairy Association Co, Inc has been very fussy about the quality of ingredients they use. That’s why they use a Pure Water distiller – they insist on the purest water at all times and our distillers provide consistency.

Bag Balm was featured by Charles Karault as he visited the four corners of America in search for genuine Americana.  Admiral Byrd took Bag Balm on his expedition to the North Pole and in the aftermath of 9/11, Bag Balm was used to soothe the paws of dozens of search dogs combing the wreckage.  It has even found its way to Iraq and Afghanistan.

We’re proud to be part of Bag Balm’s success.

Based in New York, DEAN & DELUCA is the leading provider of artisan-produced foods.

What could possibly make one of our premium, handcrafted, best-in-the-world water distillers any better? How about a Christmas Special with excellent gift certificates from one of the best on-line gourmet food stores ever!

We looked long and hard to find a company that puts as much tender loving care into their products as we do, and we found it in DEAN & DELUCA! The food on their site is beyond good, it’s artisan and it’s awesome! So why? Why are we offering this excellent food as a bonus to purchasing a Pure Water Distiller? This year we wanted to focus on fantastic flavors.

You know that a Pure Water Distiller protects your family from toxins, but did you know that it produces EXCELLENT TASTING WATER? Fresh, distilled water from a Pure Water Distiller tastes the way that water is supposed to taste. Get rid of the myth that water has no flavor! Yes it does, and how water is supposed to taste is hardwired into bodies at a core level. You KNOW when you are drinking good, healthy water! And this flavor goes beyond just drinking water. Make your favorite cup of tea or coffee with pure water! Cook soups and pasta with pure water and you will never want to go back to anything else.

So check out our holiday specials today! (Click here).

1)     UNDERSTAND THE “WHY”

Why = Motivation. Do you understand why it’s so important to take action to protect yourself from toxins in water? If you think that tap water is fine and that talk of protecting yourself from toxins is overblown, then you simply haven’t done enough research. If however, you’ve done your research you will find the motivation to protect your family from the toxins in your water. This blog is a very good resource for learning about water contamination.

2) UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTAMINANTS.

Occasionally I hear the comment, “I don’t want to clean my water because by exposing myself to the germs in my water I’ll build up an immunity.” Whether this approach is stubborn or brave, it’s certainly misguided. Water contamination is not one-dimensional. There are in fact five major types of water contamination; particulates, toxic metals, radioactive metals, biological contaminants and organic compounds. Each type of contaminant can be dangerous in different ways. Biological contaminants, such as hepatitis, E. coli, cryptosporidium, cholera, typhoid, etc. can be very dangerous and can make you sick immediately. Toxic metals such as lead and arsenic build up in your body and can cause harm over a long period of time. The same is true of radioactive contaminants. Organic compounds (petroleum based), such as dioxin and PCBs, are among the most poisonous elements in the world. Oh, and by the way, no matter how much lead or dioxin or uranium you consume, you won’t build up an immunity.

3) SEE BEYOND THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT.

Do you think that the government keeps your water safe? Of the more than 85,000 contaminants that the EPA recognizes in our environment, our government only regulates about 100 contaminants. So when the government says that your water is “safe”, they are using the legal definition of the word “safe”, not the English language definition. So yes, your “safe” drinking water can still contain dangerous toxins (Learn more here.)

4)      UNDERSTAND THE VULNERABILITIES.
Different people in your family have different vulnerabilities to toxins. Infants, children and unborn babies are MUCH more vulnerable to contaminants than you and your spouse are. Not only is your immune system more mature, but more importantly your brain has already gone through the complete development process. Your child’s brain is so complex that it keeps growing and developing until around age 10. Certain chemicals can interfere and interrupt this vital development process and cause learning or emotional disabilities.

5) ACCEPT THAT YOU SIMPLY DON’T KNOW.

Guess what, you don’t know what is in your water. Neither does anyone else. The government doesn’t know nor does the salesperson selling you a water treatment product. Your mother doesn’t know nor does your father. Even if you pay $1,000 for a really detailed water test, you only get a SNAPSHOT IN TIME of CERTAIN CONTAMINANTS. No one can know the full extent of what is in your water at any given time. So what does this mean? It means that you should get a broad-spectrum treatment method that takes care of contaminants that you don’t know are there.

This is a clear example of how quickly biological contaminants can impact human health.

In another example, a friend of mine and his wife from Indianapolis had vacationed in the Dominican Republic, and, on the return flight to the US, the plane had to make an emergency landing in Atlanta due to her very serious health condition which occurred during the flight.  Again, the suspect was biological contaminants in the water or ice she consumed at the airport before departure.

My point is this.  Biological contaminants in water can cause severe illness and it can strike very quickly with potentially deadly results.

However, another group of contaminants found in water can cause chronic illness which occurs over a long period of exposure. An example would be the inorganic trace element group.

In an article released this week in the Environmental Health News, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) collaborated to study trace elements in private wells across the USA.  In the study more than 5,000 wells sourcing water from 40 aquifers were tested for 23 metals, and metal-like substances as well as radon. The results were not pretty.  The study found that there is widespread occurrence of trace element contamination of wells throughout the nation.

The study found manganese, lithium, uranium, arsenic, boron or other trace elements occurred in 13% of the well tested.  There was widespread geographical occurrence although certain trace elements occurred in local clusters as well.  In North Platte, Nebraska it was uranium.  In some North Eastern states is was arsenic. In the Texas Panhandle it was lithium.

Private wells are not regulated (can’t you see a new opportunity for more Government regulations here?) and it is up to the consumer to have their water tested.  Most states have laboratories that can do the testing for a nominal charge and there are independent private laboratories. For example Mid West Laboratories in Omaha, NE www.midwestlabs.com, or National Testing Laboratories, in Cleveland, Ohio http://www.ntllabs.com

So what if you find contaminants in your water?  I have been in this business for almost 30 years and I’m still amazed at how effective a water distiller is.  A distiller uses a natural and totally reliable “thermal phase-change” process to purify water. It’s a totally different process that filtration and much more effective.  A well-known brand of water distiller will remove all of the contaminants listed above and hundreds of contaminants not listed above.

And what if you don’t want to have your water tested?  You should go straight to the bottom line and get a distiller anyway.  By the way I use a Pure Water distiller (www.MyPureWater.com)

Tomorrow I’ll get more technical and show you how effective a Pure Water distiller is at removing trace elements (and a whole lot more!!).

In reality, it’s a small total compared to the massive amount of water flowing along the flooded river daily.  But Omaha was likely not alone.  Other small towns, and farms were flooded and as a result biologically-charge pollutants were part of the run off into the Missouri.

The official statement on these releases from government entities are almost predictable.  They go something like this “We had to release raw sewage into the Missouri River today so stay off the river for a while until it is sufficiently diluted”   Lately I’ve noticed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been levying huge fines against companies who have violated EPA rules.  I haven’t compared the case histories of these in depth to see if there is some apples to apples comparison but I daresay that if the private sector released 9 gallons of animal sewage into the Missouri River, or even 1 million gallons for that matter, there would be a public outcry and likely an investigation.  I’m sure there would be fines levied and perhaps the Chief Executive would be charged with negligence.  Is this a double standard or am I missing the point somewhere here?

Having got that off my mind, I’ll go back to the impact of the Missouri River flooding on people and the environment.  Roads and highways have to be replaced, bridges have to be reinforced or replaced, and the damage to homes and farm buildings is imply awful.  But there is another side to it.  During the flooding and its aftermath there has been raw human sewage,  feedlot run off, farm chemicals including pesticides and fertilizers, dead animals and much more.  What a wonderful environment for bacteria and viruses.  Make no mistake, the environment toll has been heavy.  Is the human health toll far behind?  That’s why I’m such a lover of distillers.  The distiller is a water purification system that boils the water as it purifies it.   I don’t worry about my family, or our friends with a distiller.  It’s everyone else I’m concerned about.  Take matters into your own hands and at least do the research into our premium distillers.  You’ll be glad you did.  Go to: www.MyPureWater.com