What You Need To Know About The Strange Anti-Filtration ‘Raw Water’ Trend

anti-filtration-raw-water-trend

Silicon Valley has become intrigued by untreated and unfiltered water. In fact, San Francisco’s Rainbow Grocery can’t seem to keep it stocked. Labelled as “raw water”, this strange new trend has people purchasing unclean water for as much as $60.99 US for a 2.5-gallon jug.

Startups Tourmaline Spring and Live Water are just a few of the companies looking to cash in on the “off-the-grid water” fad. However, these business ventures are posing a huge health threat to the public. Therefore, one has to ask, why are consenting adults so willing to drink expensive, unfiltered, and unclean water that can potentially make them very sick?

What’s The Appeal?

While most people would be fearful to drink untreated water, supporters of the movement are claiming that drinking raw water is all about connecting to natural sources that will unlock extremely powerful health benefits.

Supporters also raise points about lead in drinking water and “contaminates” that are being inserted into our water by treatment facilities. And while some of these concerns are valid, as towns are experiencing water quality crises, it’s important to know that raw water presents more health risks than filtered water and that the benefits of raw water, although they sound convincing, are unproven at this time.

It might then seem that the most attractive appeals of raw water are fear and exclusiveness. Fear: in that people feel disconnected and uneducated about water quality and are looking for an alternative that calms those fears, and exclusiveness: as trends and fads convince the mind that something is much more desirable when there’s:

a) Not much of it (high demand, low availability)
b) There are a general buzz and interest that makes it seem like a “cool” movement to be a part of

The Water Consciousness Movement

While there are many individuals looking to exploit the raw water trend, there are few notable companies that are raising the most noise and are working hard to convince the market that their product is safe.

Concerned about water education, we’ve chosen to investigate these businesses to ensure that our clients and the general public are aware of the risks and marketing manipulations at play with raw water:

Live Water

As the Founder of Live Water, Mukhande Singh is quoted as telling the New York Times that tap water is “dead water”. He went on to explain that he believes tap water and toilet water contain birth control drugs, chloramine, and fluoride – which are “mind control drugs” and all negatively impact dental health.

Beginning his business in Opal Springs in Oregon, Singh believes that his water provides necessary probiotics that people are not receiving elsewhere or in other water supplies. Singh now sells raw water through delivery in California for $6.40 per gallon US.

At Harris Plumbing, we feel it is our responsibility to warn our readers that there is sufficient data to prove that fluoride improves dental health and that we believe Mukhande Singh’s comments are marketing tactics – to put fear into the public about their safe water systems. Should you have any concerns about your water quality, please feel free to reach out to us today – 1-866-786-1801.

Doug Evans

As consumers began to realize the $400 Juicero fruit and vegetable squeezer was an unnecessary and extravagant investment, entrepreneur Doug Evans moved on to exploit the price of raw water.

Participating in a cleanse to get “off the grid water”, Evans gave up filtered water to drink only raw water by Live Water. With perceived health benefits, Evans became an enthusiast, joining the movement of those who believe that natural water contains the minerals, bacteria, and energy people need in their lives.

Tourmaline Spring

Tourmaline Spring claims that their bottled water is the only bottle of water that is exempt from treatment in Maine’s history and that its core values are purity and integrity. The company also claims that their product is “one of the most incredible and bioelectrical gems stones on earth” and has designed packaging that evokes a sense of ‘spiritual connectedness”.

And while these marketing tactics and hype are connecting with some, it’s still largely unclear why so many people are willing to put their health at risk for a $35.95 US case of water.

However, the fad doesn’t stop there:

Other Wave-Making Water Conscious Companies

  • In Arizona, Zero Mass Water installs systems that allow people to collect water from the atmosphere, leading to over $24 million in venture capital.
  • In San Diego, Liquid Eden, founded by Trisha Kuhlmey, offers fluoride-free, chlorine-free, and mineral electrolyte alkaline drinking water for those who are “water conscious”.
  • Daniel Vitalis leads a podcast called “ReWild Yourself,” where he promotes the hunting and gathering food, including gathering water from unprocessed springs.

And the list goes on…

The Risks of Unfiltered Water

Consuming natural and unfiltered water is a cause of concern as this water can be filled with bacteria, animal feces, viruses, parasites, and contaminants that are removed during the filtration process. Therefore, raw water does not meet the guidelines outlined by the Safe Drinking Water Act, nor the bottling standards set forth by the Food and Drug Administration.

“Without water treatment, there are acute and then chronic risks,” said Dr. Donald Hensrud to The New York Times. He went on to say that the evidence of these risks are evident and that the only reason associated conditions aren’t prevalent in today’s society is that we currently have an effective and efficient water treatment system in place.

In other words, because the Western population has been exposed mostly to treated water in their lifetime, it is difficult to understand the magnitude of risks associated with consuming water that is untreated. However, this does not mean these risks are not real, harmful, and deadly.

Below is a video of ‘What’s Trending’ that covers this trend and its associated risks in full:

The Solution

While the fad of drinking healthier or cleaner water isn’t new, off-grid raw water isn’t the answer. To achieve the most optimal quality of water, consumers should spend more time investigating water filtration in the home.

If your water is smelly, unclear, tastes poorly, or isn’t flowing properly, it’s time to call the plumbers at Harris Plumbing at 1-866-786-1801. We can test and assess your water to determine if your systems are delivering the highest quality of water to your home.
For more information on the true value of filtered water, check out our other articles below:

Understanding Your Need For Water Filtration
How Does Water Filtration Work

Dedicated to the health of our clients, we’ll be sure to update this story as it continues to unfold.