By Brian Cronin, Director of AquaMD

(AquaMD is the water testing division of the American Water Council, a nationally respected provider of water education & testing services. AquaMD has teamed with Dr. Mercola to provide you both the free home water evaluation and the Dr. Mercola water testing packages at http://www.aquamd.com/mercola/labtests.cfm.)

Let’s travel back in time about 150 million years ago. A dinosaur rumbles through the mud during a rainstorm. As the water in its footprints begins to evaporate in the hot, tropical air, a microscopic water molecule rises up towards the sky.

Traveling a few thousand feet in the air, the water molecule bonds with millions of others to form a droplet. Gliding along the wind currents, the droplet enters a rain cloud and falls back to Earth as rain.

Flash forward to 65,000 BC: Our water molecule is now inside a snowflake. As the snow melts, the molecule is washed into a freshwater marsh. A Wooly Mammoth visits the marsh and gulps down our molecule. The Pleistocene giant eventually passes the water molecule as waste while marking his territory in an ancient forest.

The molecule then seeps through the soil and is absorbed by the root system of a tree. It is transported up through the vessels within the tree to a leaf, where it evaporates into vapor. Drifting along in the cold air, the water molecule re-freezes and descends onto a glacier, where it will remain for thousands of years.

The Present Day: Our water molecule finds itself in a public water supply reservoir in Washington D.C. As it flows into the water treatment facility, it is bombarded by chemicals - including algaecides, oxidants, pH inhibitors, chlorine and fluoride -- to kill germs and counteract other contaminants. After the chemical and filtration treatment, our molecule enters the municipal distribution system...moving through some pipes that were around when President Lincoln was in office in the mid-1800s.

The journey continues into the suburbs and enters a 25-year-old home about a half-mile from The White House. The water molecule snakes through some corroding pipes that were connected using lead welding material and passes up to the kitchen faucet.

A mother turns on the tap water to prepare a bottle of baby formula for her child. Our water molecule is then ingested by a nine-month-old child as she drinks her bottle.

And the cycle continues...

So, what is the point of this narrative? Hopefully, it helps to illustrate a couple of very basic facts about drinking water:

1. All Water is Recycled: Every drop of water we use -- to drink, brush our teeth, bathe, shower, cook & wash -- is recycled. In fact, every single molecule of water on this planet has always been here...and will continue as part of the Earth’s water cycle in the future.
2. Water is a Carrier: As water moves throughout the Water Cycle, it picks up contaminants along the way. Some of this matter exists in the form of beneficial minerals, but some contaminants -- both naturally occurring and man-made - are potentially harmful to people plants and animals.

In the months to come, the American Water Council will cover a number of water-related topics -- specifically how this vital resource impacts human health...and how we can play a more active role protecting it. Future topics will include answers to questions like:

• What types of contaminants are commonly found in drinking water?
• What types of health issues are attributed to water-borne contaminants?
• How can I find out what’s in my home’s water?
• If contaminants are found in my water, what can I do about it?
• Are there reliable solutions available to treat my water?
• What’s the difference between "City Water and "Well" Water?
• Is about bottled water a safer alternative to tap water?
• Do filters really work?

These questions and many more will be covered in the months ahead as the American Water Council provides exclusive articles to Mercola.com readers.

Although some of the issues we will discuss may be surprising, our intent not to spread alarm, but to objectively present the facts. Once you are armed with accurate information, this knowledge will empower you to take control of this very important aspect of your family’s health.

The American Water Council is a nationally respected provider of water education and testing services. The AMC provides consumers nationwide the AquaMD water testing service, and AquaMD has teamed with Dr. Mercola to provide you both the free home water evaluation and the Dr. Mercola water testing packages at http://www.aquamd.com/mercola/labtests.cfm.

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Water Tests & Water Diagnostic Services Mercola Recommended Please don't fool yourself into thinking that you can tell your water is safe by the way it looks, tastes, or smells. Some contaminants in water are so harmful that they are measured in "parts per million" or "parts per billion." In other words, just a drop of these poisons added to gallons and gallons of water can be very harmful. Just installing a filter to purify your drinking water may not be enough. You could still be exposed to contaminated water when you: Shower or bathe Wash your hands Wash laundry Rinse fruits and vegetables Wash dishes, glasses, and other utensils If you are unsure if your water is safe, I recommend you find out by taking advantage of AquaMD's Diagnostic Service or their Direct Laboratory Testing Services. How AquaMD's Diagnostic Service Works If your water is supplied by a water company or municipality: You simply answer some brief, but pertinent questions in their online questionnaire. One of AquaMD's water diagnosticians will review your responses and contact your water company to examine the laboratory tests they have performed on your water supply. AquaMD will provide you with a written report advising: a) If the water you are using is safe right now. b) If you need a specific water treatment system to remove the contaminants found in your water. c) If some limited additional laboratory tests should be performed because your water company did not conduct them. If your water is supplied by a private well: You need to have your well water tested yourself at least once a year. Since there are hundreds of contaminants you can test for, it is not cost effective to test for every possible one. Thus AquaMD's Diagnostic Service will ask you to respond to more extensive questions. Your answers will be reviewed by one of their water diagnosticians and they will recommend exactly what lab tests you should have performed, and explain why they should be performed. If contamination is found, they will also provide you with unbiased treatment advice. AquaMD Diagnostic Service is risk-free and completely independent. If you are not satisfied with their service, they will refund your money. If you prefer, you can also take advantage of Dr. Mercola Lab Test Packages that I've created with the help of AquaMD. You can also customize your own packages to fit your needs. I encourage you to find out if your water is safe by taking advantage of AquaMD's services at AquaMD.com. The staff of AquaMD can also be reached at 1-866-278-2634 (Toll Free). Please mention that Dr. Mercola alerted you to their services.