A glass of water will never look the same after you've realized you are drinking the "universal solvent." Scientists at the United States Geological Survey say nothing on Earth can dissolve more substances. Ocean salt came from eons of rain washing soil minerals out to sea. On a smaller scale, your drinking water carries traces of the bedrock under our reservoirs and wells, and even your own pipes, to the taps in your home.
Calcium and Magnesium
Fresh water sources dissolve minerals from the rocks and soil through which they flow, often in quantities that can alter taste and drinkability, and even damage your home's plumbing. Calcium is the most common water mineral, usually accompanied by magnesium. These minerals calcify and clog your water pipes. Calcium and magnesium make water "hard" at a concentration of 270 mg/L, or 16 g/gallon, according to hydrologists at the North Dakota Department of Health. At 500 mg/L, they advise not drinking it. Most water softeners simply replace these minerals with sodium in equivalent amounts. Talk to your doctor about water softeners if you are on a sodium-restricted diet.
A water purifier removes minerals without adding sodium, or salt.
Mineral Waters
Mineral waters carry a variety of minerals in quantities some people think of as therapeutic for many health issues. Mineralwaters.org lists over 3,300 brands as of 2010.
Naturally occurring toxic minerals include arsenic, lead, chromium and strontium. Others, such as nitrate and sulfate compounds and fluorine, are both natural and human additions, including farm run-off or water treatment facilities. Other trace elements, such as germanium, manganese, rubidium and iodine have health benefits in minute quantities, but become hazardous in higher quantities. Mineralwaters.org lists 24 possible waterborne minerals. German scientists have found uranium in some mineral waters, making the waters mildly radioactive.
Toxic Minerals
According to ExtoxNet, a consortium of research scientists at five major U.S. universities, the most toxic drinking water minerals come from human sources, especially lead. Together with copper, this is common if you live or work in an older building that draws its water through copper pipes soldered with lead joints. Children are highly susceptible to lead toxicity, which leads to kidney, liver and gastrointestinal damage and blood disorders. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, says waterborne lead above 0.005 mg/L exceeds maximum allowable concentrations. Copper causes similar problems and should not exceed 1.3 mg/L.
Chromium can invade your water from mining and industrial operations, and can also cause kidney and liver disorders above a concentration of 0.05 mg/L.
The EPA also identifies toxic, natural ground water minerals. Arsenic can cause many cancers and produce many neurological and organ failures. The drinking water maximum allowable level is pegged at 10 parts per billion.
All municipal water systems must comply with mineral standards. Your local public utility experts can tell you which toxic water minerals are common in your area.
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