With increasing pollution, utilities are forced to put far more chlorine into the supply chain, Eaton explained. The chemical reaction that oxidizes impurities when chlorine is added, also forms carcinogenic byproducts.
Silver offers a healthy alternative.
The metal has long been known for its biocidal properties, Eaton noted. The Ancient Phoenicians, who stored wine in silver urns to preserve it, provide one of the earliest recorded examples of the metal's use for water purification. Applying modern technology to this old-fashioned principal, The Institute of Water Ionization Technologies has developed silver ion generators for municipal water supplies. The market for silver ionized swimming pool systems has expanded significantly in the United States and overseas, Eaton said. But in Britain, silver ionization is being developed for mainstream water systems.