A new trend toward "raw water" — water that comes from natural sources and has not been purified or treated — may put drinkers at risk because of bacteria that can be present or grow in the water.
The water is advertised as having no added chemicals and not passing through pipes like tap water. A 2.5 gallon container can cost up to $60.99, Business Insider reported.
The water appeals to those trying to eat more natural foods from their original sources and those on a raw food diet. The trend is especially popular in Silicon Valley.
Much of the raw water is collected by a company called Live Water, which was popularized in part by entrepreneur Doug Evans after his Juicero company shut down in September.
Raw water enthusiasts are concerned about pollution of tap water from corroding pipes and the effects of widespread fluoridation, which some think is harmful. The founder of Live Water, Mukhande Singh, claims tap water contains mind control and birth control drugs among other harmful substances, The New York Times reported.
While there may be some areas of the country with less than ideal drinking water, raw water can contain pathogens such as e. coli, parasites, and viruses. Some of these can cause serious illnesses and even death in some cases.
Live Water says raw water has benefits like probiotics, which are removed along with harmful bacteria when municipal water is treated.
Most experts think the risks of raw water far outweigh its benefits.
“Without water treatment, there’s acute and then chronic risks,” director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program Dr. Donald Hensrud said, the Times reported. “There’s evidence all over the world of this, and the reason we don’t have those conditions is because of our very efficient water treatment.”
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