Can You Safely Drink from Your Garden Hose?

Is your garden hose safe to drink water from? If you’re using a standard garden hose to water your garden, fill your pool or wash your car, chances are that the answer is now. According to a study released by the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, MI, the water from most garden hoses can contain a potent cocktail of toxic substances. Here are some highlights from the Ecology Center’s garden hose survey.

The Ecology Center tested 90 garden hoses from many different manufacturers. They tested the hoses themselves as well as water from each garden hose

Brass garden hose fittings often contain lead. Of the 90 hoses tested by the Ecology Center, 30 of them had lead levels that exceed those that are considered safe for children. In addition, they found that the levels of lead contained in water from the garden hoses were higher than legal safe levels in every single case. That should be a wake-up call for any parent who thinks nothing of letting a child take a sip from the garden hose on a hot summer day, but it’s only the start of the bad news.

Lead was only one of a number of toxic chemicals found in water that came from garden hoses. In addition, the water from every garden hose tested contained phthalates and bisphenol A – more commonly known as BPA. The National Institutes of Health is currently investigating the potential harmful effects of BPA on the brain and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and young children, as well as on the behavior of young children. The study found that the levels of BPA in the water samples were 20 times higher than those given for safe drinking water.

In fact, the study found that 100 percent of the common garden hose products sampled contained a number of plasticizers that are banned from use in children’s products. Research suggests that these plasticizers may be linked to birth defects, asthma, increased breast cancer risk and altered levels of reproductive hormones, including estrogen and androgen. And while the Ecology Center acknowledges that you’d have to drink quite a bit of water from a dangerous garden hose to see most health problems, even small amounts of lead can create serious problems in young children.

The Solution: Choose a Drinking Safe Garden Hose

Thanks to the widespread publicity about drinking water from garden hoses, many manufacturers are now offering drinking safe garden hose products in their product line. When replacing your garden hose with a new one, make sure to look for one that is labeled “drinking water safe” or “lead and BPA free.” Your children’s health – and your own – is at stake.

Who Wants a Garden Hose for Christmas?

When you’re writing up your Christmas gift list this year, chances are that it won’t include a garden hose among your list of most-wanted items. If you’re serious about gardening, though, there are a number of garden hoses that you just might want to add to your list of gardening tools. Now, we’re not suggesting that you should give up your wish for diamond earrings for any old garden hose, but if you’ve got room under your tree, you might look forward to spring gardening and put in a request for one of these.

Coil Garden Hose

If you do small space gardening, you need a garden hose that’s designed to fit into your gardening lifestyle. The coil garden hose was created specifically to make watering tasks easier in enclosed, small spaces like your patio or deck. Unlike a traditional hose, the coil garden hose never needs to be rolled up on a garden hose reel. It takes up very little storage space and is far easier to maneuver in and around your patio furniture and container plants. If you’ve been watering your patio plants and container gardens with a watering can or traditional hose, you’ll love how easy a coil garden hose makes it to water all of your plants.

Garden Hose Reel

Increase the life of your garden hose and keep your garden looking tidy by investing in a high-quality garden hose reel. There are dozens of styles and types of reels available for garden hose storage. They range from wall-hung racks designed for small 1/2 inch garden hose to free-standing bins with self-retract mechanisms designed to hold your 100-foot 3/4 inch garden hose or even a one inch water hose. Storing your garden hose on a garden hose reel will keep it off the ground and reduce the chances of rot, decay and bacteria.

Heated Garden Hose

Make the morning watering chores easier during the colder months with a heated garden hose. Heated hoses come in a variety of sizes and varieties. They all have a built-in electric heater that keeps water from freezing inside the hose. The least expensive of them are heated at the faucet connector, which keeps the hose clear for water to flow. A heated garden hose is an important tool for anyone who needs to use a garden hose regularly during the winter months.

A garden hose may not be the most romantic of holiday gifts, but the right garden hose can make your life easier and give you more time to enjoy the things you love. Isn’t that a great reason to ask for a special garden hose from Santa this year?