For the average citizen there is only one water world. It is the visible water world. It is a world made up of consumer water filters, home service companies, bottled water purveyors, activists, politicians, entertainers, and social media influencers. This world is adorned by fantastic health claims, scare-you-into-buying tactics, apocalyptic warnings, and a save-the-planet camaraderie. This world looks to organizations like NSF, IAPMO, and the WQA for validation and fortification. It is promoted and funded by individuals who, thirsting for notoriety, fame and fortune take it upon themselves to provide water leadership. I call this the fluffy water world, and if you surmise that I have little respect for it you would be correctamundo.
Hidden behind this world, is the real water world. It is the place where engineers, scientists, application specialists and technicians with dirt under their fingernails solve real water problems, invent new processes and new filtration technologies.
The citizens of this world don’t often write papers, do TEDx talks, or serve as guests in podcasts or television shows. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of technology, information, products and processes promoted by the fluffy water world are nothing more than watered down, simplified versions of what was invented and developed right here.
Now, I know what you are saying. Why dis the fluffy world? Why create consternation? The answer is simple. Everything I do stems from my passion for water. Everything done in the real water world stems from passion for water. The fluffy water world exists to pimp products. The fluffy water world promotes itself with euphemisms, generalizations and carefully worded product information that manipulates consumers into thinking that they are getting a guarantee of safe drinking water when in fact, they are not.
65 million Americans drank poisoned water in 2021. Conversely, not one customer served by the real water world went unfulfilled.
My goal is to provide the critical education and information consumers need to understand water, command familiarity with filtration technologies, and then protect themselves against poisoned water. Providers of consumer products have had the attention of the consumer since the late, great Emmitt Culligan formed his company in 1936. They have left the consumer no better educated than when Emmitt passed the torch. My upcoming book will fix that.