Absolutely pure water, known as H2O, is extremely rare and is only found in laboratories. It should never be consumed. It is strange therefore that so many people seek virtually de-mineralised water from distillers and Reverse Osmosis (R.O) units for their everyday drinking water! Whilst water low in mineral content may be beneficial to steam irons and car batteries, reports have shown that it should not be used as an alternative to mineralised water, which is a "clinically important" source of one's recommended daily mineral allowance. Minerals in water may be more easily absorbed into the body than those in food. Minerals in water can be beneficial in several ways:

• They are an excellent source of the minerals universally recognised as essential for a healthy lifestyle. Moderately high levels of solutes in water (TDS) have been associated with lower incidences of cancer and heart disease.
• They reduce the capacity of water to pick up contaminants in its surroundings as water is closer to saturation with dissolved solids.
• When essential minerals such as calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg) are in the water, the body is likely to absorb them and excrete non-essential ones such as lead (Pb). Where there are low concentrations of Ca and Mg, however, cells may select the non-essential Pb resulting in a dysfunctional protein or enzyme, which may become toxic. So, a small amount of a harmful substance in de-mineralised water can have more of a negative effect than the same amount in mineralised water.

Water with minerals actually tastes better too! People often find that de-mineralised water has a bland or insipid flavour as water's chemical make-up affects its taste characteristics.

Many of our filters using the 'Pearl' six-stage system remove chemicals and pollutants whilst retaining desirable minerals and trace elements. Units using the 'Pearl' system include:

• Fresh Water 1000
• Fresh Water 2000
• MP1K 'Fountain' Purifier
• MP2K 'Fountain Twin' Purifier
• MTS/K 'Stream' Purifier
• MTP/K 'Spring' Purifier