Water Filtration

Some of us might think that filtering water is a relatively modern technology. The truth is people have been filtering water for nearly 4,000 years. It began in Egypt around 2000 B.C. and has continued to this day. Over the years, many techniques have evolved from filtering water through a common piece of cloth to using high-tech multi-media sand filters. One thing is sure: water filtering is a very good way of removing contaminants from our drinking water.

In very simple terms, water filters remove contaminants by trapping that material in some type of media. Depending on the type of filtration system being used, this might be a physical media such as paper, carbon, or sand.

As technology advances in water purification techniques, more and more homeowners are turning to water filters as a way of providing their families with the purest water possible. Just a few decades ago, the process of in-home water filtering could take hours but today’s modern point-of-use and point-of-entry water filters have solved that problem.

A point-of-use filter is one that is installed at or near the faucet (tap) or other outsourcing point (for example, the water line that feeds into an ice maker). These devices come in a variety of configurations, including models that stand alone on countertops as well as those that are installed below the counter and out of sight. A point-of-use water filter only filters the water that flows at that one specific point. They do not filter the entire water supply of the home or building.

Some of the advantages to a POU water filter include: they are inexpensive; they come in a wide array of models to fit just about any personal décor issue; they are fairly easy to install, and they are easy to recharge (all filter media has to be recharged, cleaned, or changed at some point in time).

Point-of-entry (POE) filters are installed where the main water line comes into the home or building. These are usually high-capacity filters and they filter water for the whole building, thus allowing homeowners to buy one system rather than several POU systems.

A major benefit to using water filters in the home is that they are not restricted or limited by the size or type of contaminant they can safely remove. Water filtration is also the only purification method that can reliably remove chlorine, chlorine byproducts, and VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compound) from your drinking water.

Studies suggest that chlorine and VOCs are some of the most dangerous contaminants found in public, municipally-treated drinking water. In addition, high-quality ceramic filters can remove chlorine-resistant parasite cysts such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium.

All in all, high-quality water filters can provide homes and offices with outstanding results and clean, safe drinking water. To learn more about which types of water filters best fit your individual needs, contact a reliable vendor and discuss your needs with an expert.

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Water is the essential element to life. Our bodies are made up of 70% water. We can go without food up to 40 days, but without water we can scarcely survive a week. Health professionals recommend the average adult to drink eight glasses of water a day to flush out impurities from our bodies. Digestion problems, headaches and even dandruff can be controlled by drinking an adequate supply of water. If we are to drink all the water that health professionals are suggesting, shouldn’t we make sure it’s clean?

The quality of your domestic water, whether from a public water supply or a private well is paramount not only to your family’s health and well being, but also to the proper aesthetics and functionality of your home’s water fixtures and appliances. The impurities that are carried in your home’s water supply can cause appliances to fail, laundry staining, or bathtub and soap scum staining that is nearly impossible to remove without harsh chemicals.

Unfortunately, the average homeowner does not really know the level of quality in the water that they use in their home each day. Some people may have water that is discolored and may be objectionable to the senses. It may appear cloudy, smell bad and/or taste bad, while some water that may appear to look good (it doesn’t stain, looks clear, tastes and smells great) but in fact may be unhealthy for drinking or bathing.

The fact is, you really won’t know what type of or how much of an impurity or chemical is in your water without performing a basic water analysis. A comprehensive water analysis is a better indicator of most of the potential contaminants that are often found to be an issue with domestic water sources in your region. The analysis is typically inexpensive and should be performed on an annual basis by an independent, state accredited laboratory.

The following is a list of some of the water quality problems found in drinking water that a proper filtration system can remedy:

Alkalinity
Arsenic
Chlorides
Copper
Fluoride
Hardness
Iron
Lead
Manganese
MtBE
Nitrates
Nitrite
Odor
pH
Radium
Radon
Sodium
Sulfate
TDS - (Total Dissolved Solids)
Turbidity
Uranium
VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds)

Once you know what impurities are found in your water, you will then need to determine the best water treatment system to remove them from your drinking water. You should find an experienced company to install a state-of-the-art water filtration system to remove the impurities, minerals, and chemical compounds in your water that can negatively affect your health. Many smaller systems can be installed without using a professional, but irregardless, whatever type or size water treatment system you use it should be customized to address the particular impurities you have with your water supply. And, be sure to test your water periodically to make sure the system is indeed working properly to you can be sure you are only using clean, pure water.

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Water is essential for life and the human body is large made up of water. Water replaces lost body fluids and promotes cell metabolism and other vital functions. In fact, medical professionals say every adult should consume around 8-10 glasses of water every day. This need would vary depending on size, weight, and health conditions. Children need more water and fluids than adults.

Clean water prevents ailments and diseases. In industrial environments, clean water prevents contamination of process. World-wide water filtration systems are in use to ensure that clean water is available for human consumption. Filtered water is used not just for cooking and drinking but for bathing purposes, as well.

Drinking water comes from a variety of different sources: wells, rivers, lakes, ponds, springs, rain, snow and so forth. Natural water can be hard or soft and contain many pollutants from the environment. Very often the water gets contaminated by bacteria, viruses, organic and inorganic substances. Contaminants in water include: taste and odor causing contaminants, rust and sediments, bacteria, parasites, lead, and other chemical poisons, and these could cause diseases. To ensure that water is clean for domestic or industrial use water filters are routinely used for the following reasons:

1. Water filters remove dust particles from water.

2. Filtration also ensures that contaminants like fungi, cryptosporidium and protozoa gardia are removed from the water.

3. Filters are designed such that they remove harmful substances like lead from drinking water.

4. Bacterial and viral contaminations are also removed. Often water contamination is the source of wide spread gastrointestinal diseases.

5. The filtration process effectively removes excess chlorine, its by-products, and volatile organic compounds from water.

6. Filtration however does not remove trace minerals contained in water that are essential for health. Most water filtration systems encourage adsorption.

Among all water purification systems filtration is the least expensive and does not require huge amounts of electricity. Filtration is efficient and does not waste water. There are many kinds of filters: whole house filters; under sink filters; faucet mounted filters; countertop or canister filters and so on.

The World Wide Web has immense information on water and filtration systems. You can read articles and tips on water filtration and view the various options available online at websites that are solely devoted to water filters for domestic and industrial use. Always comparison shop and compare product efficacies as well as price. The internet brings you the convenience of being able to buy water filters for your home, office, or factory quickly and easily from your computer.

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Americans spend billions of dollars each year on home water treatment units. According to the Water Quality Association, more than four out of 10 Americans currently use a home water treatment unit of one type or another. These units range from simple pitchers costing less than $20 to sophisticated reverse osmosis systems  costing hundreds of dollars.

Some people use a home water treatment unit to improve the taste of their tap water. Others treat their water because of health concerns, but regardless of why the water is treated, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the agency that sets and enforces national standards for the tap water provided by public water systems, says that drinking water in the U.S. can reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. As long as those contaminants are at levels no higher than EPA standards, the water is considered safe to drink for healthy people. ( Individuals with immune systems that are weakened by AIDS, chemotherapy or transplant medications are more vulnerable to microbial contaminants in drinking water. Those who wish to take extra measures to avoid waterborne contaminants can boil their water for a full minute or use a point-of-use filter such as a reverse osmosis unit).

Before purchasing a home water treatment unit, consider local water quality, cost and maintenance of the unit, product performance and certifications to make sure that the unit will meet your needs.

Water filtration and purification are the processes used forremoving contaminants from a raw water source. The goal is to produce water for a specific purpose with a treatment profile designed to limit the inclusion of specific materials; most water is purified for human consumption (drinking water). Water purification may also be designed for a variety of other purposes, including to meet the requirements of medical, pharmacology, chemical and industrial applications. Methods include, but are not limited to: ultraviolet light, filtration, water softening, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, deionization and powdered activated carbon treatment.

Water purification may remove: particulate sand; suspended particles of organic material; parasites, Giardia; Cryptosporidium; bacteria; algae; virus; fungi; etc. Minerals calcium, silica, magnesium, etc. and toxic metals (lead, copper, chromium etc). Some purification may be elective in the purification process, including smell (hydrogen sulfide remediation), taste (mineral extraction), and appearance (iron incapsulation).

Governments usually dictate the standards for drinking water quality. These standards will require minimum / maximum set points of contaminants and the inclusion of control elements that produce drinking water. Quality standards in many countries require specific amounts of disinfectant (such as chlorine or ozone) in the water after it leaves the water treatment plant (WTP), to reduce the risk of re-contamination while the water is in the distribution system.

It is not possible to tell whether water is safe to drink just by looking at it. Simple procedures such as boiling or the use of a household activated carbon filter are not sufficient for treating all the possible contaminants that may be present in water from an unknown source. Even natural spring water - considered safe for all practical purposes in the 1800s - must now be tested before determining what kind of treatment, if any, is needed. Chemical analysis, while expensive, is the only way to obtain the information necessary for deciding on method of purification.