When the "Medicine" is Worse than the Disease

We've all heard those brutal TV commercial warnings related to pharmaceuticals..."may cause liver failure, temporary loss of sight, loss of balance, incontinence..."

Makes me wonder why anyone would ingest the stuff.
Or why doctors would prescribe it (but that's another story entirely).

But that's the way of LLC, limited liability companies, who seek to have the public volunteer to become the company's test subjects...this time (with the LLC designation) without the responsibility of being sued for the often accompanying unacceptable and debilitating effects of the medication. 

It's not a big leap to move from medicine to water treatment.

Let's consider water disinfection and its byproducts (DBPs).

"Adding chloramine to the water supply may

 increase exposure to lead in drinking water,

 especially in areas with older housing...

this exposure can result in

 increased lead levels in the bloodstream,

 which may pose a significant health risk."  Wikipedia^.

Disinfection byproducts are the "medication" that results from treating a surface water system, most notably Dangerous Duteau, (Jan.31/15 blog story), even though Mission Hill treatment plant also treats water (but not often from the Duteau source).

The "medication" may be

 worse than the disease...(unfiltered water)

If Greater Vernon Water officials and bureaucrats don't appear to care, one would think--indeed hope--that Interior Health would care what DBPs we're exposed to as they're mostly carcinogenic.
But that's not the case...just as long as the water utility is "heading toward a 4-3-2-1-0 treatment regime".

The "medication" may be worse than the disease.
The disease is unfiltered water!

Consider chloramine, used as a disinfectant for water because it's less aggressive than chlorine and more stable.

But look at the risks of using it to treat water.
Especially if you live in an older home...

"Such compounds have been identified as carcinogens and in 1979 the United States Environmental Protection Agency began regulating their levels in U.S. drinking water.
Some of the unregulated byproducts may possibly pose greater health risks than the regulated chemicals.
Adding chloramine to the water supply may increase exposure to lead in drinking water, especially in areas with older housing; this exposure can result in increased lead levels in the bloodstream, which may pose a significant health risk. 
The bottom half of the Wikipedia link is most interesting.

 

"Does the water utility care for those customers who live in older homes?" asks Kia.

Ya think?
They'd get off Scot-free (even without the LLC) by asking if we use Teflon-lined pans.