We have been using silver (along with copper and lately zinc) to purify hot tub water for decades. It's the only accepted method of eliminating chlorine in your hot tub...
http://www.almostheaven.net/aho/ionizers.htmNASA used silver to purify water in the Apollo moon program, and it's still used in the eyes of newborns and on burn patients. If big pharma had their way, though, no one would know about silver!