The culprit
UPDATE: I’ve totally given up on Brita. I had more “gastrointestinal problems” after writing the blog post. We’re now just buying huge jugs of water from the grocery store.
If you use a Brita water filter you need to be very careful with it. I pretty much lost a week of my life recently because there was stuff growing in it and I didn’t realize it.
I drink a lot of iced tea – probably a half gallon a day. Back in the day I was drinking Coke and Dan wanted to get me off that onto something that was more healthy, so we bought some tea bags and sugar and started making our own tea. Thing was the water in our building isn’t all that clean, so we bought the Brita filter/jug you see to the right.
Because it’s easier to make the tea and dissolve the sugar when the water is warm, we just kept the Brita jug on the counter. Sometimes I’d put it in the sun if I was about to make a batch of tea. BAD idea… I didn’t think about the fact that sun and warmth would let things grow.
About a week and a half ago I started getting sick. Stomach felt really bad, I was lethargic and there were bouts of diarrhea. I’m a bit prone to gastrointestinal stuff, so I just put up with it and thought it would go away in a day or two. Well, it didn’t go away. And when the diarrhea was worst I didn’t want to get dehydrated, so I’d drink more iced tea. What I didn’t know was that was making things worse.
Finally after 5 or 6 days I figured it out. I replaced the filter, cleaned the pitcher with hot water, and within 24 hours I was back to normal. Lesson learned.
I’m still using the Brita pitcher, but now it’s in the fridge. If you have a Britta or go to someone’s home who has one – make sure it’s kept in the refrigerator… Just changing the filters when they tell you to isn’t enough.
Brita water filters are very limited in their ability to filter out a wide variety of common contaminates present in many household water supplies. I realize they are better than using nothing at all though.
Perchlorates, fluoride, chromium 6 or old lead household plumbing requires a better filtration system.
Clean water is not free. It is going to cost everyone in higher taxes once the scope of the problem is brought out on the table.
What can concerned citizens do until water authorities take it seriously? At least filter your own tap water. I have been using this system for 6 mo. It is worth the investment. It will also make tea fast, without heating, like nobody’s business!
antioxidant water filters are the way to go!
Hi. Brita filtered bottles did something to the water and made me sick too! I noticed it several months ago when I had bad stomach cramps and finally realized it was the water in my bottle (after buying a second bottle). Yesterday, without thinking, I filled it with water. I then remembered and filled a soda bottle instead. Tonight, I went to empty the brita bottle and the water in it now has a strong chemical odor! It was fresh spring water. I don’t know if maybe we are just sensitive to something in the bottle or what, but I am going to write to brita. Of course, they will probably deny any problem, but I don’t want others to get sick. Thanks for sharing your experience.