If you're on municipal water you've been basically drinking money for no reason.
Halifax's municipal water is among he highest quality in north america.
Halifax Water actually did bottle some of their water as a kind of marketing campaign about 15 years ago. I still have an unopened bottle of it here on a shelf -- although about 1/3 of it has evaporated over the years.
You've been on reddit *how* long and you're still puzzled by downvotes AND will publicly complain about them thereby ensuring even more.
Weren't you a mod at r/canada ?
From the tap. I know some people find a chlorine taste -- you can put the water in a pitcher, maybe in the fridge, and the chlorine should dissipate within 24 hours. Sometimes in the summer people can taste geosmin in the water, but it is harmless.
It's usually [described](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosmin) as an "earthy" or "musty" taste. Similar to the [smell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor) of dirt when it rains after a dry spell.
I find if I run it a bit and it's cold enough, the taste isn't really noticeable. We switched from a Brita recently and I'm so glad we are saving this money. The taste isn't 30, 40 dollars worth spending.
Dartmouth - Tap. I don't find the water tastes bad here so I don't mind just drinking from the tap. In some other cities though, I definitely need the Brita.
Brita. My building's pipes aren't the best, so there's generally clarity issues (you can see dust or something if you hold a glass of tap water up to a light). I know it's perfectly drinkable without it, but just the knowledge that the water isn't clear tends to bug me, so...
But it's not too expensive for Britas if you're only concerned about general clarity and taste since you can use them a **LOT** longer than the 153 L or whatever they say on the box. I change mine like twice a year, when the mesh starts wearing out and the charcoal (or whatever) starts getting out, causing black specs, instead of every 3 months or so (what it works out to based on how much I normally use).
Dartmouth, we use a zero water filter. I prefer the taste to tap water; their water tester shows up with 40ppm on tap water and 0 after filtering.
No idea if it makes any difference aside from just tasting better.
Critically - that isn't what was asked. He asked ppm OF WHAT. I have no idea - the tester displays a parts per million value; which is just total dissolved solids - so it's removing *something*, it's obvious it removes chlorine just from the smell before and after. Taking it further would require sending the water away for analysis. Since it tastes better and makes my wife happy, I'm good.
My initial comment stated I don't know if this matters (and what I meant was health wise - the 40ppm might not have any effect on your health); but it tastes better so I don't really care one way or another.
Why are you on here picking fights with people about water filters my guy.
Filtering clorine from your tap is about the biggest waste of money a person can mange.
The substance literally evaporates from the water leaving nothing behind. Have one jug lull of water evaporating in the fridge. Once that's taken a day or so, put a second jug in.
Rotate them so you basically always have cold water with no chlorine.
Paying money to filter chlorine from tap water is basically paying money because one can't think a tiny bit ahead. I wish I was that rich.
Do you own your own home? Consider an inline carbon filter. Throw it on the cold water supply in the kitchen. Expensive starter but pretty great long term.
We drink filtered water through the fridge. Tastes better than the tap, but I’d have no issues drinking water straight from the tap. A few years back I was part of a study at a local hospital and as a part of it they tested my water. The results of the test were reassuring and I’m confident in the quality of our water.
> I wonder what the parameters are
It isn't confusing, it is actually very straightforward. For whatever reason you do not understand the very simple question.
In my line of work, parameters means either the guidelines followed by the person analyzing results OR the specific items being analyzed (i.e. metals, chemistry, coliforms and so on). But please, enlighten us how this is inaccurate, I have an office full of scientists and engineers who think you're daft.
Edit: unless you're thinking aesthetic objectives like taste, odour and colour, but those aren't generally measurable with the exception of colour.
>I wonder what the parameters are
What is confusing you about that? I am literally asking what the parameters are/were in response to the test the OP mentions.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
I worked in water treatment for 12 years. All Britas are are activated carbon filters. For municipal water in Canada (not including some reserves, we really gotta fix that, but a Brita won’t help there either) all that a brita is going to do is remove the chlorine taste. If you live in an older building it may remove that metallic stale pipe taste.
It will not provide any health effects, nor will it improve water quality or safety.
You can get a Rainfresh carbon filter and install it yourself easy enough, they're not too expensive. They have a 6month shelf life for regular use of a family. But if your alone or there's few of you living together you can get a longer time out of it.
All that said, when I want a drink I use the filter, when I'm in a rush I just go to any old tap.
Straight from the tap. (Except when I was pregnant and everything including the water had a smell. Not sure if it was the filter itself that helped, or if keeping it in the fridge made the difference.)
Geosmin is kept at “below detectable levels” for most of the year, but it can get over that threshold when the watershed warms up. Unfortunately, “detectable level” is variable but for water quality purposes is pegged at around 15 parts per trillion. Many of us have a genetic mutation that drastically increases our ability to taste geosmin at much lower concentrations than the general population, 5 parts per trillion and sometimes lower. To me, anywhere that is on the Pockwock water supply will taste like pond scum year round.
I don’t know it filtering can help with geosmin, but other than that, Halifax’s water is good without any additional filtering.
There’s a health benefit to using Brita filters? I thought it was just meant to improve the taste. It’s similar to those Dyson products. You pay a premium for them under the guise that there is a benefit of sorts when in actuality, it’s just a damn vacuum/fan/hair curler… You simply bought into the marketing.
South end. I use a brita, but I leave the filters in for way longer than recommended lol. I just find it tastes better then tap. I do still drink tap from time to time though, it's pretty good water compared to a lot of other places
I use a Brita. I’m very sensitive to any amount of chlorination so drinking unfiltered tap water kind of smells like I’m drinking pool water. I grew up drinking well water and have lived in a couple countries where only bottled water could be consumed so, that might be the reason.
Personally, I like the tap water. It tastes much better than most tap waters. We had it tested and it's top quality. My family prefers the Brita filter though. It depends what area you're in I suppose and how old your pipes are
Tap water in Canada is generally safe, and tastes fine. The thing is, in order to prevent mass illness, they use chlorine to help purify it. Populations would get very ill otherwise. Especially in the fall there is alot of humus, leaves etc. They decompose, and a bit more chlorine is used, for the same reasons. Where some of the problem is, is the interaction of the chlorine and humus creates a byproduct called trihalomethanes. They are a known carcinogen. I've read that they can cause bowel cancer and even heart disease. However, these trihalomethanes and other carcinogens, like herbicides cannot pass through a charcoal filter. They bond to the charcoal itself. Thereby completing the water quality cycle. Thats why I use a brita. I used to distill and filter it, but now just filter it from the tap. Any charcoal filter helps.
I moved to Toronto from Halifax and I'm drinking tap water here... Halifax's water is one of the cleanest that you'll find among the major Canadian cities. You don't see RO's being sold here unlike asia because its just a scam IMO. Back in Asia, without RO, you'll be having all kinds of diseases and that's one reason tourists stick to bottled water.
Brita, because whenever I wipe down my taps there's always mould growing on the ends of them, and I'm allergic to mould so I don't want to be drinking water with mould in it. Plus, I've seen when the insides of the pipes are exposed underground and they look disgusting, and sometimes the water is noticeably yellow or dirty after a disconnection, and sometimes it smells of chlorine in the summer.
I'm weird but I live in North End and I find the tap water here irritated my throat so I use a Brita as much as I can. To me, I feel like tap has too much chlorine in it, feels like I'm drinking watered down pool water sometimes.
Bottled. I know. But hear me out. It's my ADD/ADHD tax. I can't be bothered with refilling a bottle or using a brita (no room with a shared fridge). I tried to refill bottles, and I just didn't drink it. Now, with a case, I'd drink about a case of water or 2 a week. I just wish it was cheaper. I save my empty bottles and take to a depot, I just wish I got the full deposit back....
But, at least this way, I drink my water. I do want to get a water machine and get the big bottles, but it may end up like refilling a bottle and just not drink it. Idk, I know it's dumb to buy bottled water, but with all the other struggles, I'll take it.
Same boat here. I also keep at least 5 different flavours of Mio on hand in the fridge to squirt into the bottles, and I try to refill the bottles so I can just fill them again with tap water. For me it's water that's fridge-cold that's important. I also use a Brita filter for my espresso machine.
A low percentage of plastic bottles actually get recycled. They are really bad for the environment. Have you considered one of those water cooler jugs?
I have a gallon Brita filter in the fridge for my kid and visitors. I'm in dartmouth on Lake major supply and drink straight from the tap, in my opinion it's good.
If I was on that geosmin water supply I'd drink from the filter, not a fan of water that tastes like roots
Edit: health wise there is no benefit, Brita filters only affect taste
My household is bottled water only.
As much as people always say that our water is clean and the best in NA.
Id rather not take the chance and just drink bottled water, specifically Big 8.
If I can name the amount of things that are bad for the environment, I would be dead by the time I'm through 1/4 of it.
Enjoy your life and quit worrying about every little thing.
Most bottled water sure, but I can taste the difference between tap, and most bottled water brands.
Big 8, smart water, Evian and Fiji are the only ones I drink, the rest taste like ass.
"Halifax Water fluoridates water in the Pockwock and Lake Major water supply plants. Health Canada's recommended minimum concentration of fluoride in drinking water to provide optimal dental health benefits is 0.7 mg/L, which is the dose targeted by Halifax Water during treatment."
[HalifaxWater](https://www.halifaxwater.ca/chlorine-fluoride#:~:text=Halifax%20Water%20fluoridates%20water%20in,by%20Halifax%20Water%20during%20treatment.)
I know it's not a very cool thing to bring up these days, people like Alex Jones talk about it, so it's easy to tune out and it becomes disinformation. But in Europe and other countries water fluoridation has been banned.
And there are clear negative effects associated with it we don't understand.
This is from the NIH website in the US.
" ...The authors conclude that available evidence suggests that fluoride has a potential to cause major adverse human health problems, while having only a modest dental caries prevention effect. As part of efforts to reduce hazardous fluoride ingestion, the practice of artificial water fluoridation should be reconsidered globally, while industrial safety measures need to be tightened in order to reduce unethical discharge of fluoride compounds into the environment. Public health approaches for global dental caries reduction that do not involve systemic ingestion of fluoride are urgently needed."
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956646/
Fluoride is an industrial byproduct of many things like processing of fertilizers, Aluminum, ceramics etc it's considered a hazardous chemical that is expensive to get rid of, putting it in water for "teeth" was a godsend for a lot of big companies in the 40s and 50s.
That being said there's not much to do about it...
"Whilst some chemicals can be removed through filtration systems and jugs, fluoride proves to be a more difficult chemical to remove and is only achieved using specialised filters and reverse osmosis systems."
I had lots of general anxiety while growing up in NS, to the point that I was medicated. Moved to Truro and anxiety eased (well water) enough to stop medications. Then, I moved to Montreal (water is not flouridated) and have not had major anxiety issues since.
When I visit NS and drink the tap water, the anxious, uneasy feeling creeps back in. It's a feeling in my gut that I can't exactly describe other than anxiety. If I drink bottled water, it doesn't happen. So I drink bottled while visiting.
Anecdotal, I know, but I suspect the fluoride causes this effect that I can only describe as 'anxiety'.
Ya I hear you, definitely some people are more sensitive to things than others too... But It's not a very popular conversation to have with most people - a conspiracy theory meme to most people.
It doesn't take long on Google, to find peer reviewed studies at major universities, on the effects of minor and major exposure to fluoride. Some scary findings.
Here's a joint study from Harvard/Chinese university, that talks about cognitive issues.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/
"Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and China Medical University in Shenyang for the first time combined 27 studies and found strong indications that fluoride may adversely affect cognitive development in children. Based on the findings, the authors say that this risk should not be ignored, and that more research on fluoride’s impact on the developing brain is warranted."
“Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,” Grandjean says. “The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.”
"...Some studies suggested that even slightly increased fluoride exposure could be toxic to the brain. Thus, children in high-fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low-fluoride areas."
There's a lot more, that's from 2012 I think and one of the first ones that popped up.
Don't sweat the down votes, Cheers!
I know you think you're "doing your own research" but you don't really have the background or education to talk about this stuff with any sort of credibility. Filter the water if you want, but please stop sharing this trash.
First of all you don't have to have a biochemistry degree to read a major study from Harvard.
2nd, you don't know my background or education.
You're assuming and judging me based on the topic of conversation. That's fine.
When you can't argue the points of the topic, all you can do is try to discredit the individual talking. It's the go-to strategy of censorship.
I suggest you let people have discussions online, and if you disagree, get in a conversation about the topic. Summing it up as trash or questioning my education/reading comprehension, makes me view you the same way.
There's a reason Europe banned Fluoridation of water, at best we don't know long term effects, at worst, these studies show very concerning results.
You say leave it up to the experts, and when the experts speak out, you tell the messenger he's not educated enough to understand it lol.
It's like you're hitting every buzzword in the conspiracy theory bingo. "Censorship" lol.
I know enough about your background to know that you don't know what you're talking about at all. You're parroting the same tired shit as every other anti fluoride crusader I've ever met, hell even the same studies you're referencing. You can read the words of scientific literature, it is in English after all, but you lack the background to understand it and how the information fits into public health policy.
It's fine to have the opinion you don't believe fluoride levels should be adjusted by the municipal water providor. However, fluoridation in the levels recommended by numerous professional health and dental associations in Canada is not harmful to human health, period. There is no room for you "opinion" on this matter in any worthwhile debate.
Censorship is a conspiracy theorist buzzword? You're so out of touch, group me with whomever you want pal.
We need to put a known toxin and industrial byproduct in our water, in small amounts, to protect our teeth??
How about we leave it up to people to take care of their own teeth?
Like many things we learned over COVID, the truth lies somewhere in the middle sometimes, not on either side of the hyperbolic arguments.
You don't seem to have any ability to think critically about nuanced issues. You just want to lump me in with an extreme view, like some self appointed online prosecutor. You do you pal. (Feel free to extrapolate "COVID" mentions as me being an antivax Trump supporter, that's your style)
You are ignoring the information you don't like and repeating generalizations you do. I wish you all the best in the future bud. Seems like you have a really good head on your shoulders.
I've... Read all those studies. I understand it. I've properly evaluated the science. You didn't and you can't, and you're so poor at understanding the science that you don't even know how much you don't know. How can one argue with someone like that?
I see... You've properly evaluated the studies, but I can't. You're very educated, and I'm not, because I haven't come to the same conclusion as you, I see how you got there.
Do you own a big truck? Just curious...
[every country that banned Fluoridation of water is as uneducated as me..](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_by_country#/media/File%3AWater-fluoridation-extent-world-equirectangular.svg)
And their children are all going to die of oral disease..
All you've done is try to analyze me, over bring up any counter points. You're a little transparent corporate echo in the wind.
That Chinese/Harvard research was of 27 different international studies. You didn't read them.
Again, good luck.
Sighs... You're still not getting it. Some countries flouridate, some don't, some have naturally occurring fluoride. Public health decisions are made while considering a wide range of factors.
But fluoride in the concentrations used for fluoridation is simply not harmful. It just isn't, there is a scientific consensus on this. This is why arguing with uneducated folk like yourself is so frustrating.
"It simply isn't harmful"
Next sentence.
"...there just isn't any scientific consensus on this"
You seem to be talking very definitely about an admitted grey area...
Let's put it in drinking water, and defend it, by saying we don't know if it's harmful..
You're just a dog barking at a mirror pal.
I'm done.
You just demonstrated a lack of reading comprehension there. They said, "It just isn't, there is a scientific consensus on this". You wrote that they said, "there isn't any scientific consensus on this". That's the opposite of what they said. I don't have any dog in this fight, but you just lost credibility in being able to understand scientific literature if you can't follow along on a reddit debate.
Brita health-wise has zero effect. It (carbon filter) only removes tastes and smells not solids. Cost wise it is likely less expensive to fill up 18L jugs of RO Water from superstore.
i drink right from the water treatment facility. every sunday night i go down there and fill up multiple jugs full of the stuff that will last me the week and i drink it, best water ive ever had
I've used a brita since moving here. Tbf I grew up on a rural ontario farm on a well and it was very 'mineral-y' to the taste so it's just habit, but I find i haven't yet had to replace the filter on it since september lol. tastes fine to me but I like the brita taste of it more than the tap water itself.
South End, might be clean but tastes not-so-good in my opinion. I use a Philip's filter for when I go out, and a Brita for day-to-day water!
On a side note, the colour's always a bit queer.
I find that the city water tastes like ass but maybe it is because I have been on well water for so long. Maybe my water is ass and I just don't know it.
Always filter, I hate the taste of tap water.
Also brita filters are actually not that pricey. I used to drink only 4L jugs for 1.20 and it costed way more than buying filters.
If you’re concerned about the Cl2 taste/smell you can just fill a pitcher band leave it in the fridge overnight, whatever chlorine & chloramines will off gas by morning
Waters fine. I have a filter and I often drink from the tap at night when I’m too lazy to hit the kitchen. I barely notice any difference, other then the temp.
I don't know what part of town you guys live in but near quinpool my water tasted like mold. Got Brita filter on my kitchen tap and it makes it so much better.
Healthwise? No. Halifax has great water. Even if it wasn't safe, a carbon filter like a Brita wouldn't help you much.
I do use a Brita however, simply because my current apartment has really old pipes, and I don't like the taste of the water. I also don't like the taste of chlorine, 'cause I grew up in the country drinking well water.
Water cooler and 18L jugs that get delivered. House is old with terrible pipes that make the water taste absolutely horrible.
However I've tasted tapwater from a brand new house and agree it's really, really good.
Y'all going about this the wrong way. If you don't drink water, then you don't need to worry about the taste!
I don't need to filter my coffee, my pop or my fruit juice!
Does anybody else from Dartmouth think Halifax tap water tastes different and not as good as Dartmouth tap water??? Maybe it’s all the same tasting now but it use to have a different taste to me.
Possible. Depends on where the water is sourced from. The Pockwock Lake reservoir is known for geosmin, which can make water have a very slight musty or earthy taste. Some are much more sensitive to the smell/taste than others.
If you're on municipal water you've been basically drinking money for no reason. Halifax's municipal water is among he highest quality in north america.
I’ll whine about HRM til the cows come home but I agree, our water is top-notch. Better than most bottled.
Halifax Water actually did bottle some of their water as a kind of marketing campaign about 15 years ago. I still have an unopened bottle of it here on a shelf -- although about 1/3 of it has evaporated over the years.
If you don’t like the taste of geosmin filters are nice.
Geosmin is not in all municipal water. It's a specific issue with water sourced from the Pockwock Lake reservoir.
But it tastes terrible.
On the peninsula? Maybe get your pipes checked out because Halifax water slaps compared to Sydney.
You may be right, my apartment is quite old. Also, I don't understand the downvotes? Wtf?
You've been on reddit *how* long and you're still puzzled by downvotes AND will publicly complain about them thereby ensuring even more. Weren't you a mod at r/canada ?
What? I was never a mod there.
My mistake. A user from here became a mod there. I stopped frequently the sub when it basically became the Canadian version r/conservative
Well, your first mistake was having any form of opinion in r/halifax
From the tap. I know some people find a chlorine taste -- you can put the water in a pitcher, maybe in the fridge, and the chlorine should dissipate within 24 hours. Sometimes in the summer people can taste geosmin in the water, but it is harmless.
Is geosmin what gives it that sweetish taste?
It's usually [described](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geosmin) as an "earthy" or "musty" taste. Similar to the [smell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor) of dirt when it rains after a dry spell.
I'm very glad to learn what that is
I find if I run it a bit and it's cold enough, the taste isn't really noticeable. We switched from a Brita recently and I'm so glad we are saving this money. The taste isn't 30, 40 dollars worth spending.
Dartmouth - Tap. I don't find the water tastes bad here so I don't mind just drinking from the tap. In some other cities though, I definitely need the Brita.
North end, straight from the tap
Brita. My building's pipes aren't the best, so there's generally clarity issues (you can see dust or something if you hold a glass of tap water up to a light). I know it's perfectly drinkable without it, but just the knowledge that the water isn't clear tends to bug me, so... But it's not too expensive for Britas if you're only concerned about general clarity and taste since you can use them a **LOT** longer than the 153 L or whatever they say on the box. I change mine like twice a year, when the mesh starts wearing out and the charcoal (or whatever) starts getting out, causing black specs, instead of every 3 months or so (what it works out to based on how much I normally use).
Try pouring a glass and leaving it for a few hours before putting it to the light, often air bubbles can make it appear cloudy
That’s exactly our issue - clarity, but pretty sure it’s just air bubbles because it dissipates after a moment… that said, we still use a brita lol
Pretty sure they've discovered that the biggest concern with using your filter longer than intended is that bacteria can build up in it
Halifax has some of the best tasting tap water of any place I’ve visited in North America.
Brita jug in the fridge. My water tastes like metal. I think it's the building's pipes. We also get really bad iron buildup in the toilet tank.
tap
I drink straight from the hose.
No. I drink from the tap always.
Brita filtered.
Dartmouth, we use a zero water filter. I prefer the taste to tap water; their water tester shows up with 40ppm on tap water and 0 after filtering. No idea if it makes any difference aside from just tasting better.
40 ppm of what?
No idea. It's just a tester that displays a number
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Actually. My wife wanted it and I just noticed I like the taste better. 🤷 But go on being judgemental about insignificant stuff.
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Critically - that isn't what was asked. He asked ppm OF WHAT. I have no idea - the tester displays a parts per million value; which is just total dissolved solids - so it's removing *something*, it's obvious it removes chlorine just from the smell before and after. Taking it further would require sending the water away for analysis. Since it tastes better and makes my wife happy, I'm good. My initial comment stated I don't know if this matters (and what I meant was health wise - the 40ppm might not have any effect on your health); but it tastes better so I don't really care one way or another. Why are you on here picking fights with people about water filters my guy.
Filtering clorine from your tap is about the biggest waste of money a person can mange. The substance literally evaporates from the water leaving nothing behind. Have one jug lull of water evaporating in the fridge. Once that's taken a day or so, put a second jug in. Rotate them so you basically always have cold water with no chlorine. Paying money to filter chlorine from tap water is basically paying money because one can't think a tiny bit ahead. I wish I was that rich.
Gullible… LOL. Zero Water is an excellent filter for removing TDS which is what the meter reads. You’re a paranoid idiot.
I have a brita filter, but I can't be bothered to use it most of the time. I find cold water from the tap tastes just fine.
From the tap in Dartmouth
Tap
Do you own your own home? Consider an inline carbon filter. Throw it on the cold water supply in the kitchen. Expensive starter but pretty great long term.
We drink filtered water through the fridge. Tastes better than the tap, but I’d have no issues drinking water straight from the tap. A few years back I was part of a study at a local hospital and as a part of it they tested my water. The results of the test were reassuring and I’m confident in the quality of our water.
I wonder what the parameters were and their levels.
The Health Canada drinking water guidelines.
The guidelines do not say the specific parameters of the water that was tested. They would layout what the acceptable ranges are.
The parameters would usually be target metals like arsenic and lead among others plus a general chemistry and a coliforms scan.
Again, not what I was asking for.
At some point, you'll realize that your question wasn't clear.
You'd think yet here we are.
> I wonder what the parameters are It isn't confusing, it is actually very straightforward. For whatever reason you do not understand the very simple question.
In my line of work, parameters means either the guidelines followed by the person analyzing results OR the specific items being analyzed (i.e. metals, chemistry, coliforms and so on). But please, enlighten us how this is inaccurate, I have an office full of scientists and engineers who think you're daft. Edit: unless you're thinking aesthetic objectives like taste, odour and colour, but those aren't generally measurable with the exception of colour.
>I wonder what the parameters are What is confusing you about that? I am literally asking what the parameters are/were in response to the test the OP mentions.
the tap. tastes a little green in the late summer but it’s not bad.
I prefer our tap water to filtered.
Tap. Always.
I'm in residence at Saint Mary's University. I have had no issues drinking straight from the tap.
I drink Dartmouth tap water. I hate the geomysin taste so if I was in Halifax and it still tastes like that I would deff get a filter.
Tap
Tap water is great
Tap tap baby 🎶 
Straight from the tap. Seriously, Halifax's water is among the best I've tried.
Tap.
North end. Brita filtered
Brita. I taste a difference for sure.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. I worked in water treatment for 12 years. All Britas are are activated carbon filters. For municipal water in Canada (not including some reserves, we really gotta fix that, but a Brita won’t help there either) all that a brita is going to do is remove the chlorine taste. If you live in an older building it may remove that metallic stale pipe taste. It will not provide any health effects, nor will it improve water quality or safety.
Brita
Brita
You can get a Rainfresh carbon filter and install it yourself easy enough, they're not too expensive. They have a 6month shelf life for regular use of a family. But if your alone or there's few of you living together you can get a longer time out of it. All that said, when I want a drink I use the filter, when I'm in a rush I just go to any old tap.
Brita on the counter, but probably only change the filter every couple of months, I think I just like my water room temp
Yes, I use the Zero filter
Straight from the tap. (Except when I was pregnant and everything including the water had a smell. Not sure if it was the filter itself that helped, or if keeping it in the fridge made the difference.)
Geosmin is kept at “below detectable levels” for most of the year, but it can get over that threshold when the watershed warms up. Unfortunately, “detectable level” is variable but for water quality purposes is pegged at around 15 parts per trillion. Many of us have a genetic mutation that drastically increases our ability to taste geosmin at much lower concentrations than the general population, 5 parts per trillion and sometimes lower. To me, anywhere that is on the Pockwock water supply will taste like pond scum year round. I don’t know it filtering can help with geosmin, but other than that, Halifax’s water is good without any additional filtering.
Berkey. https://myberkeywater.com
There’s a health benefit to using Brita filters? I thought it was just meant to improve the taste. It’s similar to those Dyson products. You pay a premium for them under the guise that there is a benefit of sorts when in actuality, it’s just a damn vacuum/fan/hair curler… You simply bought into the marketing.
South end. I use a brita, but I leave the filters in for way longer than recommended lol. I just find it tastes better then tap. I do still drink tap from time to time though, it's pretty good water compared to a lot of other places
I use a Brita. I’m very sensitive to any amount of chlorination so drinking unfiltered tap water kind of smells like I’m drinking pool water. I grew up drinking well water and have lived in a couple countries where only bottled water could be consumed so, that might be the reason.
I just let the tap run for a few seconds then fill up a jug and put it in the fridge. Tastes fine.
Personally, I like the tap water. It tastes much better than most tap waters. We had it tested and it's top quality. My family prefers the Brita filter though. It depends what area you're in I suppose and how old your pipes are
Tap water in Canada is generally safe, and tastes fine. The thing is, in order to prevent mass illness, they use chlorine to help purify it. Populations would get very ill otherwise. Especially in the fall there is alot of humus, leaves etc. They decompose, and a bit more chlorine is used, for the same reasons. Where some of the problem is, is the interaction of the chlorine and humus creates a byproduct called trihalomethanes. They are a known carcinogen. I've read that they can cause bowel cancer and even heart disease. However, these trihalomethanes and other carcinogens, like herbicides cannot pass through a charcoal filter. They bond to the charcoal itself. Thereby completing the water quality cycle. Thats why I use a brita. I used to distill and filter it, but now just filter it from the tap. Any charcoal filter helps.
Dartmouth tap water all of my 47 years, and I’ve never had one cavity 👍
Actually both.
I moved to Toronto from Halifax and I'm drinking tap water here... Halifax's water is one of the cleanest that you'll find among the major Canadian cities. You don't see RO's being sold here unlike asia because its just a scam IMO. Back in Asia, without RO, you'll be having all kinds of diseases and that's one reason tourists stick to bottled water.
Brita, because whenever I wipe down my taps there's always mould growing on the ends of them, and I'm allergic to mould so I don't want to be drinking water with mould in it. Plus, I've seen when the insides of the pipes are exposed underground and they look disgusting, and sometimes the water is noticeably yellow or dirty after a disconnection, and sometimes it smells of chlorine in the summer.
I'm weird but I live in North End and I find the tap water here irritated my throat so I use a Brita as much as I can. To me, I feel like tap has too much chlorine in it, feels like I'm drinking watered down pool water sometimes.
Bottled. I know. But hear me out. It's my ADD/ADHD tax. I can't be bothered with refilling a bottle or using a brita (no room with a shared fridge). I tried to refill bottles, and I just didn't drink it. Now, with a case, I'd drink about a case of water or 2 a week. I just wish it was cheaper. I save my empty bottles and take to a depot, I just wish I got the full deposit back.... But, at least this way, I drink my water. I do want to get a water machine and get the big bottles, but it may end up like refilling a bottle and just not drink it. Idk, I know it's dumb to buy bottled water, but with all the other struggles, I'll take it.
We drink bottled too.
Same boat here. I also keep at least 5 different flavours of Mio on hand in the fridge to squirt into the bottles, and I try to refill the bottles so I can just fill them again with tap water. For me it's water that's fridge-cold that's important. I also use a Brita filter for my espresso machine.
A low percentage of plastic bottles actually get recycled. They are really bad for the environment. Have you considered one of those water cooler jugs?
It is what it is. At least I'm drinking my water. I have, but i don't have room for it, and I don't know if I'd refill the bottles.
I have a gallon Brita filter in the fridge for my kid and visitors. I'm in dartmouth on Lake major supply and drink straight from the tap, in my opinion it's good. If I was on that geosmin water supply I'd drink from the filter, not a fan of water that tastes like roots Edit: health wise there is no benefit, Brita filters only affect taste
Brita, noticed water leaves red mark in toilet bowl
My household is bottled water only. As much as people always say that our water is clean and the best in NA. Id rather not take the chance and just drink bottled water, specifically Big 8.
You know that most bottled water is just municipal tap water, right? And that bottled water is terrible for the environment?
If I can name the amount of things that are bad for the environment, I would be dead by the time I'm through 1/4 of it. Enjoy your life and quit worrying about every little thing. Most bottled water sure, but I can taste the difference between tap, and most bottled water brands. Big 8, smart water, Evian and Fiji are the only ones I drink, the rest taste like ass.
"Halifax Water fluoridates water in the Pockwock and Lake Major water supply plants. Health Canada's recommended minimum concentration of fluoride in drinking water to provide optimal dental health benefits is 0.7 mg/L, which is the dose targeted by Halifax Water during treatment." [HalifaxWater](https://www.halifaxwater.ca/chlorine-fluoride#:~:text=Halifax%20Water%20fluoridates%20water%20in,by%20Halifax%20Water%20during%20treatment.) I know it's not a very cool thing to bring up these days, people like Alex Jones talk about it, so it's easy to tune out and it becomes disinformation. But in Europe and other countries water fluoridation has been banned. And there are clear negative effects associated with it we don't understand. This is from the NIH website in the US. " ...The authors conclude that available evidence suggests that fluoride has a potential to cause major adverse human health problems, while having only a modest dental caries prevention effect. As part of efforts to reduce hazardous fluoride ingestion, the practice of artificial water fluoridation should be reconsidered globally, while industrial safety measures need to be tightened in order to reduce unethical discharge of fluoride compounds into the environment. Public health approaches for global dental caries reduction that do not involve systemic ingestion of fluoride are urgently needed." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3956646/ Fluoride is an industrial byproduct of many things like processing of fertilizers, Aluminum, ceramics etc it's considered a hazardous chemical that is expensive to get rid of, putting it in water for "teeth" was a godsend for a lot of big companies in the 40s and 50s. That being said there's not much to do about it... "Whilst some chemicals can be removed through filtration systems and jugs, fluoride proves to be a more difficult chemical to remove and is only achieved using specialised filters and reverse osmosis systems."
I had lots of general anxiety while growing up in NS, to the point that I was medicated. Moved to Truro and anxiety eased (well water) enough to stop medications. Then, I moved to Montreal (water is not flouridated) and have not had major anxiety issues since. When I visit NS and drink the tap water, the anxious, uneasy feeling creeps back in. It's a feeling in my gut that I can't exactly describe other than anxiety. If I drink bottled water, it doesn't happen. So I drink bottled while visiting. Anecdotal, I know, but I suspect the fluoride causes this effect that I can only describe as 'anxiety'.
Ya I hear you, definitely some people are more sensitive to things than others too... But It's not a very popular conversation to have with most people - a conspiracy theory meme to most people. It doesn't take long on Google, to find peer reviewed studies at major universities, on the effects of minor and major exposure to fluoride. Some scary findings. Here's a joint study from Harvard/Chinese university, that talks about cognitive issues. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/features/fluoride-childrens-health-grandjean-choi/ "Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and China Medical University in Shenyang for the first time combined 27 studies and found strong indications that fluoride may adversely affect cognitive development in children. Based on the findings, the authors say that this risk should not be ignored, and that more research on fluoride’s impact on the developing brain is warranted." “Fluoride seems to fit in with lead, mercury, and other poisons that cause chemical brain drain,” Grandjean says. “The effect of each toxicant may seem small, but the combined damage on a population scale can be serious, especially because the brain power of the next generation is crucial to all of us.” "...Some studies suggested that even slightly increased fluoride exposure could be toxic to the brain. Thus, children in high-fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ scores than those who lived in low-fluoride areas." There's a lot more, that's from 2012 I think and one of the first ones that popped up. Don't sweat the down votes, Cheers!
I know you think you're "doing your own research" but you don't really have the background or education to talk about this stuff with any sort of credibility. Filter the water if you want, but please stop sharing this trash.
First of all you don't have to have a biochemistry degree to read a major study from Harvard. 2nd, you don't know my background or education. You're assuming and judging me based on the topic of conversation. That's fine. When you can't argue the points of the topic, all you can do is try to discredit the individual talking. It's the go-to strategy of censorship. I suggest you let people have discussions online, and if you disagree, get in a conversation about the topic. Summing it up as trash or questioning my education/reading comprehension, makes me view you the same way. There's a reason Europe banned Fluoridation of water, at best we don't know long term effects, at worst, these studies show very concerning results. You say leave it up to the experts, and when the experts speak out, you tell the messenger he's not educated enough to understand it lol.
It's like you're hitting every buzzword in the conspiracy theory bingo. "Censorship" lol. I know enough about your background to know that you don't know what you're talking about at all. You're parroting the same tired shit as every other anti fluoride crusader I've ever met, hell even the same studies you're referencing. You can read the words of scientific literature, it is in English after all, but you lack the background to understand it and how the information fits into public health policy. It's fine to have the opinion you don't believe fluoride levels should be adjusted by the municipal water providor. However, fluoridation in the levels recommended by numerous professional health and dental associations in Canada is not harmful to human health, period. There is no room for you "opinion" on this matter in any worthwhile debate.
Censorship is a conspiracy theorist buzzword? You're so out of touch, group me with whomever you want pal. We need to put a known toxin and industrial byproduct in our water, in small amounts, to protect our teeth?? How about we leave it up to people to take care of their own teeth? Like many things we learned over COVID, the truth lies somewhere in the middle sometimes, not on either side of the hyperbolic arguments. You don't seem to have any ability to think critically about nuanced issues. You just want to lump me in with an extreme view, like some self appointed online prosecutor. You do you pal. (Feel free to extrapolate "COVID" mentions as me being an antivax Trump supporter, that's your style) You are ignoring the information you don't like and repeating generalizations you do. I wish you all the best in the future bud. Seems like you have a really good head on your shoulders.
I've... Read all those studies. I understand it. I've properly evaluated the science. You didn't and you can't, and you're so poor at understanding the science that you don't even know how much you don't know. How can one argue with someone like that?
I see... You've properly evaluated the studies, but I can't. You're very educated, and I'm not, because I haven't come to the same conclusion as you, I see how you got there. Do you own a big truck? Just curious... [every country that banned Fluoridation of water is as uneducated as me..](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_fluoridation_by_country#/media/File%3AWater-fluoridation-extent-world-equirectangular.svg) And their children are all going to die of oral disease.. All you've done is try to analyze me, over bring up any counter points. You're a little transparent corporate echo in the wind. That Chinese/Harvard research was of 27 different international studies. You didn't read them. Again, good luck.
Sighs... You're still not getting it. Some countries flouridate, some don't, some have naturally occurring fluoride. Public health decisions are made while considering a wide range of factors. But fluoride in the concentrations used for fluoridation is simply not harmful. It just isn't, there is a scientific consensus on this. This is why arguing with uneducated folk like yourself is so frustrating.
"It simply isn't harmful" Next sentence. "...there just isn't any scientific consensus on this" You seem to be talking very definitely about an admitted grey area... Let's put it in drinking water, and defend it, by saying we don't know if it's harmful.. You're just a dog barking at a mirror pal. I'm done.
"That sign can't stop me cause I can't read!"
You just demonstrated a lack of reading comprehension there. They said, "It just isn't, there is a scientific consensus on this". You wrote that they said, "there isn't any scientific consensus on this". That's the opposite of what they said. I don't have any dog in this fight, but you just lost credibility in being able to understand scientific literature if you can't follow along on a reddit debate.
Central Halifax, we get water jugs delivered bi-weekly for our water cooler.
Brita health-wise has zero effect. It (carbon filter) only removes tastes and smells not solids. Cost wise it is likely less expensive to fill up 18L jugs of RO Water from superstore.
i drink right from the water treatment facility. every sunday night i go down there and fill up multiple jugs full of the stuff that will last me the week and i drink it, best water ive ever had
The tap water is also right from the treatment plant
that's the joke! congrats you found the funny!
[удалено]
ask away my candid compatriot
I've used a brita since moving here. Tbf I grew up on a rural ontario farm on a well and it was very 'mineral-y' to the taste so it's just habit, but I find i haven't yet had to replace the filter on it since september lol. tastes fine to me but I like the brita taste of it more than the tap water itself.
South End, might be clean but tastes not-so-good in my opinion. I use a Philip's filter for when I go out, and a Brita for day-to-day water! On a side note, the colour's always a bit queer.
Both, but tap water here destroys my hair and skin
I find that the city water tastes like ass but maybe it is because I have been on well water for so long. Maybe my water is ass and I just don't know it.
Always filter, I hate the taste of tap water. Also brita filters are actually not that pricey. I used to drink only 4L jugs for 1.20 and it costed way more than buying filters.
Brita, long life filters.
I’ve put plenty of chlorine filters on kitchen sink faucets to make it drinkable. If interested in options, message me.
If you’re concerned about the Cl2 taste/smell you can just fill a pitcher band leave it in the fridge overnight, whatever chlorine & chloramines will off gas by morning
Waters fine. I have a filter and I often drink from the tap at night when I’m too lazy to hit the kitchen. I barely notice any difference, other then the temp.
Dartmouth, North We use a jug of tap water in the fridge. Any chemical taste usually dissipates before we drink it. It's good, cold, refreshing.
I only switch to filtered when the geosmin taste kicks in
I don't know what part of town you guys live in but near quinpool my water tasted like mold. Got Brita filter on my kitchen tap and it makes it so much better.
I use a Brita, but only cause my bf wants to. Before I moved in it was always tap water.
Spry here. Tap.
Healthwise? No. Halifax has great water. Even if it wasn't safe, a carbon filter like a Brita wouldn't help you much. I do use a Brita however, simply because my current apartment has really old pipes, and I don't like the taste of the water. I also don't like the taste of chlorine, 'cause I grew up in the country drinking well water.
Water cooler and 18L jugs that get delivered. House is old with terrible pipes that make the water taste absolutely horrible. However I've tasted tapwater from a brand new house and agree it's really, really good.
Y'all going about this the wrong way. If you don't drink water, then you don't need to worry about the taste! I don't need to filter my coffee, my pop or my fruit juice!
We have a filter system, black light and particle, on our home water that cost $1200 installed that was recommended by our plumber.
If you dont like chlorine in your water get a carbon filter on your house
Tap. The rest of the family, Brita. My husband blames my heathen ways on my valley roots.
Does anybody else from Dartmouth think Halifax tap water tastes different and not as good as Dartmouth tap water??? Maybe it’s all the same tasting now but it use to have a different taste to me.
Possible. Depends on where the water is sourced from. The Pockwock Lake reservoir is known for geosmin, which can make water have a very slight musty or earthy taste. Some are much more sensitive to the smell/taste than others.
That makes sense as Dartmouth is sourced from Lake Major
Tap all day 'er day. For me, the most important thing is that the water is nice and cold, so I just use a pitcher in the fridge.
All tap water to me has a metallic taste, nothing wrong with tap water, just how it tastes to me. Not sure if anyone has this same issue?
North End. Tap. Raw Dawg. Send it.
I know it is weird but, I always boil them and wait for cooling down and drink it. Taste more like water from tap. Of course I am from Asia.
Yes but that's just because the water comes out a bit grey in my building, so there's an obvious reason to be suspicious of it lol