Water purification is a complex topic, but learning a little about the technology is a good idea. This is especially true, if you are shopping for a home water filter. There some really good water purifiers and some mediocre products. What follows are some suggestions about which type to look for and which ones to avoid.
If you live in an area with a public water purification facility, then the liquid that comes through your faucets has already been treated in a number of different processes. Of course, some treatment plants can supply cleaner water than others. In its latest published annual report the EPA stated that "76% of the populations served by public water systems received drinking water with no significant violations". That means that for the other 24% there were significant violations.
It is reports like this that have caused consumers to look at ways to obtain cleaner drinking water. As a result sales of water filters have increased substantially. Companies ranging from Sears to the Clorox Bleach Company are selling water purifiers. Regardless of where you live, there are some contaminants still present in the water supplied to your home. The only way to completely protect yourself is to invest in a water purifier of your own.
EPA standards are not all that high, you see. For example the level of chlorine allowed by the EPA is not considered safe by some experts. A recent study carried out at Birmingham University found that babies born in areas where drinking water is heavily disinfected with chlorine are at double the risk of heart problems, cleft palate or major brain defects.
Chlorine can be removed with an activated carbon filter, but the effectiveness of the different models varies between 75-99%. You should ask to see a certification, before you buy. The California Public Health Certification is the most stringent. UL listings are also reliable.
The best manufacturers of home water purification systems provide this information freely, along with their other brochures, but only in three states are they required to have their products certified.
One problem that public water purification systems cannot address is contamination with bacteria resistant to chemical disinfection. One of the biggest threats is a parasite called cryptosporidium. Some home water purifiers can block 99% of these illness causing parasites, but not all.
In addition to chlorine and bacteria there are more than 2000 chemicals in tap water, many of them potentially cancerous. The best water filter for the money is one that blocks them all.
What should you avoid? You probably do not need reverse osmosis water purification. It does nothing to remove chemicals or bacteria. It’s outrageously expensive and wasteful. It does, on the other hand, remove health giving minerals from the water. This type of water purifier is only helpful if you live on an island or your only source for drinking is an untreated lake or river water.
Water purifiers complete the process begun at the public water purification plant. Be a smart shopper and choose the right ones.
Hugh Harris-Evans is a writer and researcher on water purification issues. Visit his site now at
http://www.brightwaterfilter.com to get the facts on how to choose the best water purification system.
