A Devastating Discovery
For Tom and Candia, what should have been a routine return home turned into a nightmare that would change their lives forever. Opening their front door, they were immediately overwhelmed by the unmistakable smell of mold permeating their house.
“We just got hit by a wall of mold. Reeking mold,” Candia said. “And that night I slept with my head under the covers crying myself to sleep because I knew how bad it was.”
The invisible threat had already taken its toll on Tom’s health. After prolonged exposure to mold, his immune system became compromised, leading to serious cardiac issues. “I had multiple issues with heart arrhythmia until one day it was a genuine heart attack, an electrical heart attack,” Tom said. “Everything accelerated from there in a big way.
A Commitment to Change
Faced with health challenges, the couple made a critical decision: their recovery would require a complete transformation of their living environment. “We realized that if we were going to get well, everything in our new home would need to be eco-friendly,” Candia said.
Their focus extended to every aspect of their home, but water quality became a particular concern. Tom developed an elaborate — if impractical — system for ensuring clean drinking water. “My routine is almost comical where I am a water-caring fool,” he said. “I have gallon jugs that I bring upstairs where the water system is set up, and I run the water into these jugs and then bring the jugs down here and we use them for drinking water and cooking as well.”
While Tom believed this was the most sophisticated approach available to him, he acknowledged there had to be better technology out there.
Enter EcoWater’s 100 for 100 Program
Laura from EcoWater recognized that Tom and Candia were ideal candidates for the company’s 100 for 100 program, which provides water treatment systems to deserving recipients. “After talking with Tom and Candia about their health issues and hearing about how they were purifying their water in their home, I knew that they were the perfect recipients,” Laura said.
Chad and Adam from EcoWater of Minnesota assessed the couple’s water quality and discovered significant issues. Testing revealed problems with iron, hardness, pH levels, total dissolved solids (TDS) and chlorine — all concerns that many households face but may not realize.
“My experience with clean water stems from knowing that municipalities, no matter where you live in the United States, they have products in them that are really not good for your health,” Chad said, highlighting a broader concern about tap water quality across the country.
A Life-Changing Installation
The EcoWater team installed a comprehensive water softener and treatment system throughout Tom and Candia’s home. The transformation was immediate and dramatic. Chad recalled the satisfaction of showing the couple the before-and-after results, particularly the sludge and iron that had been present in their untreated water.
For Tom and Candia, the change meant more than just convenience — though no longer hauling water jugs up and down stairs was certainly welcome. It represented peace of mind and a foundation for their continued health journey.
“Not having to haul water up and down the steps, to have everything at their fingertips, knowing that it’s pure good, clean water,” Chad said, capturing the relief the couple now experiences.
Water as the Foundation of Health
The experience has given Tom and Candia a renewed perspective on wellness, particularly as they age. “Water is the foundation for good health,” Candia said. “You start with that, and build. That’s a good thing for young people to know, as well as older.”
Tom added a simple but important reminder: “Don’t take it for granted.”
Laura from EcoWater noted the installation as coming full circle for the couple. “Not only are we helping Tom and Candia with their eco-friendly home, but we are able to help them full circle with their health journeys moving forward.”
A Broader Message
Tom and Candia’s story highlights several important issues that extend beyond their individual experience. Municipal water systems, while generally safe, may contain substances that aren’t ideal for long-term health. Many people remain unaware of what’s actually in their tap water or the options available for improvement.
Their journey from a mold-infested home to a carefully curated eco-friendly environment demonstrates how environmental factors can profoundly impact health — and how taking control of those factors can be transformative. What began with a devastating health crisis has evolved into a commitment to wellness that starts with something as fundamental as the water flowing from their taps.
For Tom and Candia, every glass of water now represents not just hydration, but a conscious choice in their ongoing journey toward better health.