Why What’s in Your Water Matters—and How to Choose the Right Filter
If you don’t have a filter... your body becomes the filter.
Water is foundational to our health
Our bodies are made up of 60–80% water. It supports nearly every system that keeps us alive and thriving:
- Hydrating our cells so they can function properly
- Supporting digestion and nutrient absorption
- Flushing out toxins
- Keeping joints cushioned and skin healthy
- Regulating body temperature and circulation
- Even impacting mood, energy, and brain function
So, the quality of what we drink matters. While it might look clean, most tap water contains a cocktail of chemicals, heavy metals, microplastics, and other nasties you wouldn’t knowingly consume.
📄What’s in Australian tap water supplies?
Let’s break it down: what’s really in your water, what it means for your health, and how to choose a filter that fits your life.
What’s Lurking in Our Tap Water?
Some chemicals are deliberately added (in fact, up to 50 different substances may be used in Australian water supplies), while others come from environmental pollutants.
Here’s what could be flowing from your tap:
- Chlorine & disinfectants – Added to kill bacteria and viruses, but can also form toxic by-products. Linked to fertility issues, liver damage, and even cancer.
One rural Australian resident found her tap water contained chlorine levels similar to a swimming pool — a stark example of how variable water quality can be.
- Fluoride – added to “help prevent tooth decay”, but long-term exposure may disrupt thyroid function, and cause irreversible dental issues. Studies also suggest a connection between fluoride exposure and lowered IQ and cognitive development in children.
- Microplastics & PFAS ("forever chemicals") – Found in 97% of people's blood, these are incredibly persistent in our environment, as they are extremely hard to break down. These chemicals are linked to cancer, hormone disruption, infertility, miscarriage, obesity, developmental issues, high cholesterol, and immune dysfunction.
- Heavy metals – Like arsenic, lead, copper, aluminium, mercury and more. These can damage your kidneys, nervous system, and hormones, and are associated with cancer, autoimmune disease, and high blood pressure. They can also affect the brain causing neurological disorders.
✅ While lead pipes are no longer installed, some older homes and buildings in Australia still contain old plumbing or lead solder, meaning exposure is still possible.
- Pharmaceuticals – Traces of medications like antidepressants, painkillers, and birth control hormones have been found in drinking water around the world.
- Pesticides & agricultural runoff – These can enter our water through soil and rain runoff and disrupt your gut microbiome, hormones, and overall immune health. Many of these contaminants are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) — which means they interfere with your hormone system. Over time, this can affect everything from reproductive health to metabolism, and development.
Want to know what’s in your local water? Google your postcode and search for a water quality report.
Why It Matters
Filtering water goes beyond enhancing taste. Every sip, every shower, every time you cook—you're either filtering these chemicals out, or you're absorbing them.
Your skin (your body’s largest organ) absorbs what’s in your shower water. Your gut, brain, and hormones feel the impact of what you drink. Water quality touches everything.
What Kind of Water Filter Do You Need?
There’s no perfect one-size-fits-all, but here's how we rank them—starting from the most comprehensive:
1. Whole House Filter – Best Overall (if you can)
- Filters every drop in your home: taps, showers, laundry
- Protects your skin and lungs from chlorine & contaminants in steam
- High upfront cost and requires professional installation, but huge long-term benefits
2. Reverse Osmosis (RO) System – Best for Drinking Water
- Removes up to 99% of contaminants
- Can be installed under your sink or on the counter
- May remove good minerals too—remineralising is key!
💡 Tip: Add back minerals with a pinch of salt, lemon/lime juice, or an electrolyte mix like LMNT or Ultima.
3. Gravity Filters – Great for Renters or Small Spaces
- No plumbing needed
- Removes a wide range of toxins (if using the right filters)
- Good option for daily drinking and cooking water
Note: Boiling tap water may kill bacteria, but it doesn’t remove chemicals or heavy metals—and can even concentrate them—making the water more harmful to drink.
What About Pitcher Filters?
Brands like Brita are super common—but they fall short. Most only reduce taste/odour, not much else.
Plus, they can harbour bacteria and mould. One study found Brita-filtered water had 10,000x more bacteria than regular tap water. This study also found that 5 of 13 brand new filters were already contaminated with mould or bacteria
If you’re using one, make sure to clean and replace it often. But honestly, there are better options for real health protection.
And Bottled Water?
Unfortunately, bottled doesn’t mean better.
- Most bottled "Purified water" is essentially bottled tap water
- Plastic leaches microplastics + endocrine disruptors
- Some brands have been found to contain 24,000+ chemicals Including endocrine disruptors. Sixteen of the chemicals inhibited estrogen and androgen receptors up to 90%.
If you're out and need to buy water, choose glass bottles and/or spring water with a neutral pH (between 7–8.5).
Simple Actions, Big Impact
You don’t need to overhaul your whole house overnight. Start with what works for you:
- Fill your glass with filtered water instead of tap
- Filter your shower to protect your skin and lungs
- Add minerals back in to stay balanced
The key is progress, not perfection.
Final Thoughts: Protect Your Body, One Sip at a Time
Water is meant to nourish—not harm. Filtering your water is one of the simplest, most powerful things you can do to support your health.
Let’s keep it clean, simple, and empowering—just like everything we do.
