GENEVA: Users of point-of-entry (POE) and point-of-use (POU) water treatment equipment should be made aware of the changes the devices can make in the mineral composition of drinking water and the potential impact of those changes on nutrient intake and health, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a recently released report.
Further, WHO said in the report, "Those who sell or install these devices may be encouraged to bring to the attention of the users of these devices the possibility of reduced mineral intake and alternative means for [the minerals'] replacement."
The report is the result of a scientific symposium in Baltimore in April that looked at the health effects of calcium and magnesium in drinking water, and a subsequent WHO Meeting of Experts in Washington that examined research and comments presented at the symposium in an attempt to come up with recommendations.
Representatives of the water treatment industry were among symposium speakers and had urged WHO to consider the benefits of treatment methods such as ion-exchange softening and reverse osmosis, which typically reduce levels of calcium and magnesium ions in water.
WHO suggested in its report that manufacturers of POU/POE devices provide bypass or remineralization technology to ensure that adequate calcium and magnesium levels are maintained in water used for drinking.
WHO noted the important roles played by calcium and magnesium in the human diet, primarily in maintaining the health of bones (in the case of calcium) and in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (magnesium); it added that "many people in most countries" fail to get enough of these minerals in their diets, although dietary need and consumption of the minerals can vary widely among individuals.
WHO also recommended that the public have access to information about the mineral content of bottled or packaged waters, saying there is "extreme variation" in mineral composition among bottled waters now on the market.
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