H2O

A good friend of mine, let's call him Eugene (for he really looks like an old dear friend of mine who's called Eugene and with whom I've lost contact over the years) came over to my place last Saturday. He was there for a purpose - to do a sales pitch. See, Eugene is into this healthcare products by Elken. He was trying to get me interested in the Elken Pure Water Filteration and Purification system. The water system claims to clear away the many impurities in our water - impurities that cannot be totally got rid of even through boiling.

According to the salesman Eugene, the impurities or contaminants found in our water are categorised as follows:

• Biological comprising bateria, viruses, parasites
  
• Organic Chemicals consisting of pesticides, herbicides, industrial chemicals
  
• Inorganic Minerals which include lead, nitrate, arsenic, asbestos, dirt & sediments
  
• Disinfection by-products - one of which is Trihalomethanes; a mouthful but THM in short, and responsible for the 10,700 or more bladder and rectal cancers in the US per year alone.
  

Quite unnerving, isn't it? And you thought boiling water is safe.

As if this is not enough, Eugene produced two gadgets from his briefcase, and asked me for two empty clear glasses. He filled the first glass with boiled water taken from my house; and the other one with "purified" water he very shrewedly conveniently brought from his house, supposedly from the Elken purification system. Then he put what looked like a thermometer in the first glass. The digital reading in the gadget indicated 13. "That's the level of impurities in the water," he said. The he switched over to the 2nd glass, and it registered ZERO impurity.

Admittedly, I was a little sceptical. Then Eugene took out another gadget that looked like some kinda heating rod, juz that it has two rods attached to a black box, which he plugged into a wall socket. Within seconds, foams started forming from the water obtained from my house, gradually turning brownish black in colour. "Again, what you see here are the impurities from the water that has not gone through the purification process," Eugene announced. The other glass of water was clear as crystal.



At this point, I was totally convinced. And I asked, “How much?” “Usual price, $2200,” Eugene said. "But you can have one for $1880. You can also pay by installment, interest-free!" Does Eugene expect me to jump up in joy or what? I don’t believe in living in credit one.

I'm sorry if I've made Eugene look like a swindler. Because Eugene really is not. He's a good friend, a very strong believer who also happens to be working in the same office as me. So, I was almost 80% certain that I’m getting the water purification system. I reckon if it’s something that we put into our mouth everyday, and for the sake of my family, and myself, what's $1880 for good health? And for one and all?

Problem is, there are so many water purification systems of various brands in the market - Amway, Diamond, Aqua Technology and Elkan just to name a few. Which one should I trust? Anybody out there has one of these purification systems? Appreciate some advice, please. Thanks!



Category: Musings