Water Filtration

It goes without saying that water is necessary for life and clean water is a essential for a good life. Unfortunately, due to the pollution brought about by man, these facts have pushed us to the point where it is now necessary to pass almost every drop of water we intend to drink through some sort of filtering system.

Soon, bottled water companies may be the oil barons of the new world which is why more and more companies have entered the market in recent years and in doing so have provided their own take on the water filter. It is because of this, consumers are now faced with a wide array of costs and features from which to choose. With this article, we are going to attempt to answer the question of “what affects water filter costs?”

Quality - Higher quality water filters can cost more than ordinary water filters. Often this is for a very good reason. High quality products often perform better because of certain added precautions in their production. As you know, such quality does not come cheap. The added costs of maintaining the production of high quality products do affect water filter costs. Because of this, people who buy expensive water filters do expect certain things from them.

Features - With technology forever changing the face of various products, it is no surprise to learn that even water filters can have various features. Additional features that help make water filtration more convenient and efficient can affect the cost of water filters. If you wish to add some frills to your water filters, then you had better be prepared to pay more cash.

Type - The type of water filter also affects the cost. Basic filters like screen filters and disk filters which can be easily manufactured often cost a lot less money. Similarly, filters that remove a large number of contaminants or specialize in specific, hard to remove contaminants may cost more to manufacture and therefore can cost you a bit more. Because of such factors, it is wise to do your homework before investing in any type of water filter.

Popularity - Of course, the demand always affects water filter costs. If a particular brand or type of water filter proves to be very popular with the public, its cost may very likely be increased by the company selling it.

As you are comparing prices and manufacturers of water filters for your home or office, keeping abreast of the factors that can affect water filter prices will enable you to make the best and most cost-effective choice before buying. Since our bodies are approximately 75% water, it just makes good sense to make sure you only put into it the most clean and healthy water available.

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We continue to hear about problems with substances found in water systems. Water companies remove most of the harmful substances but unfortunately, too many harmful things remain in our drinking water. Home water filters are being installed in more and more homes across the country. As far back as 1995, up to forty-five million Americans were receiving drinking water that was not up to health standards. This included water that was contaminated by bacteria, high lead content and herbicide contamination.

There are many possible sources of contamination in drinking water. However, remember there is something we can do. Home water filters will remove ninety-nine percent of all contaminants that are found in municipal water systems. We owe it to our families to do something about this major health issue sweeping the country. You will feel better knowing you are doing your part to protect your family.

Let us get back to the many possible ways that drinking water becomes contaminated. Farm run off such as fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides are a major culprit. These leech into the water table and eventually find their way into our drinking water. Fluoride has been added to water but it is not a safe additive either. Bacteria and other parasites find their way into our drinking water as well. Good home water filters will prevent these from getting into the water we use at home.

So, how do water filters work? Filters can be attached to the faucet or right to the incoming water source. One of the best types of filters is the carbon block and granular carbon filters. Water flows through the carbon filters and the filters block the contaminants. Activated carbon is considered the best filter for removing harmful contaminants from drinking water.

Other top rated filters include multi media block filters. These particular home water filters use activated carbon along with other advantages to filter out the harmful chemicals and bacteria. This combination filter is considered an even better filtering system.

The most important thing to remember is that we can do something about the state our drinking water. First, farmers can stop using dangerous pesticides and herbicides as we now know that they can find their way into our drinking water supply. By taking care of the environment, we can work towards improving our water supply. In addition, we can install home water filters and be sure that our families are drinking clean, safe water.

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The Difference

The under sink water filter is very similar to the faucet-mounted one as they service one sink. The difference is that they are installed beneath your sink. Normally a dedicated faucet or tap is part of the setup. These home water filters last longer and are larger than the faucet and pitcher type of filters. Many reviewers of under sink filters say that the water flow is better than the faucet-mounts. These filters only need to be replaced once every 1 - 5 years, depending on the filter’s capacity, which the reviewers like too. They also recommend professional installation.

Do It Yourself

If you prefer to install the under the sink water filter on your own, don’t worry, you can get step-by-step instructions as well as videos by going on-line and doing a simple Google search.

What They Do

These home water filters fit under several types of sinks like kitchen, bathroom, bar, and other sinks. They purify your drinking water, cooking water, and the water you use to rinse your mouth out when brushing your teeth. The pollutants they remove are cryptosporidium and giardia cysts, chlorine, pesticides, hydrogen sulfide, sediment, and asbestos. They also reduce nasty odors and bad taste.

Look For This

When you are looking for your under the sink water filter check to see that it comes with EPA protocols and that the EPA approves the testing laboratory. Now that you know what these home water filters do, where to get installation instructions, and the benefits, you’re ready to pick a home water filter.

Where To Find The Best Quality And Prices

Consumers Digest reviews a variety of home water filters and can help you with your research, but if you look around the internet you can easily find many top quality, under sink home water filters either direct from the manufacturer or from one of their dealers who very often sell the same product for even less, saving you big money.

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By Lisa J. Wolf

CRESCENT VALLEY, Nevada

The community of Crescent Valley in Eureka County, with a population of just over 200 residents, has a drinking water arsenic level of 15 parts per billion, ppb, according to the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection.

This level is five ppb above the 2006 federal Safe Drinking Water Standard and since Eureka County presently has no exemption to this standard, it seems the county is not in compliance with the federal and state arsenic rules.

Eureka County is not alone - 26 arsenic exemption applications remain pending, including water systems in Lander and Elko counties, until the State Environmental Commission meets again this fall to consider these applications.

There are those in the mining and ranching community of Crescent Valley who are concerned about the effects of arsenic on themselves, their children, and senior citizens. They wish to find out their arsenic levels and to determine whether their current health problems are due to arsenic poisoning.

People are wondering whether their nausea, diarrhea and headaches are linked to arsenic ingestion and what kinds of diseases the elderly could be exhibiting that are linked to arsenic.

But to get a comprehensive assessment and survey of the population’s arsenic levels and health by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, will literally require Congressional intervention.

Although the 2001 report “EPA Rule National Primary Drinking Water Regulations; Arsenic and Clarifications to Compliance and New Source Contaminants Monitoring” shows that the agency agreed with the National Research Council that studies of subpopulations such as children, teenagers, pregnant and nursing women and the elderly have been inadequate, the EPA has not commissioned or contracted out such studies.

Tulbir Bakshi of the National Research Council, NRC, said the council has called on the EPA for additional studies of arsenic on sub-populations, but until they receive a contract from the EPA, the NRC cannot move forward. Bakshi said, “Call your senators,” to get Congress to require the EPA to contract new arsenic health studies.

The EPA has declared itself not subject to “Executive Order 13045: Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks.” The agency states that this is because it “does not have reason to believe the environmental health risks or safety risks addressed by this action present a disproportionate risk to children.”

The EPA permits states to grant exemptions to the arsenic standard based on a determination that such a “variance will not result in an unreasonable risk to health (URTH) to the public served by the public water system.”

However, as subpopulation studies have been deemed necessary and have not been performed, how the EPA can offer such an assurance to the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection, the Nevada Environmental Commission, municipalities, the residents of Crescent Valley and the general public is unclear.

The EPA itself states on the back of its CD, “Interactive Workshop on Arsenic Removal From Drinking Water,” that “Studies have linked long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver, and prostate. Non-cancer effects of ingesting arsenic include cardiovascular, pulmonary, immunological, neurological and endocrine (e.g., diabetes) effects. Short term exposure to high doses of arsenic can cause other adverse health effects.”

The EPA specifies that the public must be notified of the health risks regarding arsenic in their water system. After the new federal arsenic Safe Drinking Water Standard became effective on January 23, 2006, water providers “must provide public notification to consumers for any violations.”

Ask people in Crescent Valley the last time they were notified about arsenic in their drinking water or that they currently have no exemption, and they cannot remember.

The Arsenic Water Technology Partnership program, supported with $7 million in congressional appropriations through the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, moves technologies from bench-scale to demonstration. It enables water utilities, particularly those serving small, rural communities and Indian tribes, to implement the most cost-effective solutions to arsenic treatment needs. While this is essentially good news, Washington’s red tape is keeping things from progressing fast enough for most residents. Many in Crescent Valley are buying bottled water or installing water filters at home to avoid arsenic. A point-of-use filter that addresses arsenic is available from numerous on-line suppliers for $100 -$300, which is not an excessive amount but an expense some seniors and low-income families can ill-afford.

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If you enjoy camping and hiking or any outdoor activity you will be happy to know there are portable water filters on the market in which you can take with you which will filter water you derive from areas in which you could not normally consume the water due to the enormous amount of contaminants including bacteria and chemicals. These filters can cost anywhere from $20 to $200, however, if you are a hiker or camper and enjoy this hobby multiple times during the year the cost could quickly pay for itself.

There are also also portable water systems which have a filter in them and you fill water before you leave and it filters through the drinking system and you carry the water as a backpack. They are a type of camel back. Pitcher filters can be taken on camping trips to fill as needed for drinking purposes or you can also filter water into gallon containers and take them with you so that it is simple and convenient.

Imagine going on a hike and taking your filter with clean pure water with you on your back and whenever you need a drink you simply sip the purified water through a straw like tubing. These types of water filters which are common for back country hikers are becoming more popular with day hikers and even families spending the day out at sporting events or day long picnics are using these. They are simple convenience and easy.

The next time you go camping or plan a day out or even fishing consider one of these portable water filters to make the ease of your trip a little less stressful.

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Many people are starting to become concerned by what is in their drinking water. Water filters and filtration systems are becoming popular in homes across the country. Safety is one concern, but taste is another that water filters address. Contaminants are the cause of particles or bad taste. Testing your water for contaminants is the first step. If contaminants are found you can then look into a water filter.

The type of water filter you chose will be based upon a few factors. If you own your home you can pretty much install any water filter you chose, but if you do not own your home then you are limited to water filters that are non-evasive or easily removed. Costs also vary from under $100 to over $1000. The amount of filtration also varied from filter to filter. To start with you should familiarize yourself with the types of water filters available.

Whole house filters are set up through the main water line that comes into the house. This type of water filter removes contaminants from all the water entering your home. A whole house system is good for removing particles like rust and sediment.

Under sink filters come in a variety of styles. There are filters that take multiple cartridges or only one. Each type of under sink filter is designed to remove different contaminants. Some may only remove particles while others may have additional cartridges to remove odors and taste problems. These can be bought according to the particular needs based on the contaminants in your water. They only filter water going to the area where the filter is installed.

Faucet-mounted filters are easy to install and remove. They only filter the water coming out of the faucet where it is installed. There is no mounting required as most simply screw onto the faucet. These types of filters also come in a variety that can be chosen based upon what contaminants are in your water.

Canister filters are the simplest form of water filter. These filters are basically just a pitcher with a filtration system in the lid. Water is poured in, goes through the filter to the reserve tank (pitcher bottom) and then can be drunk. The only water filtered is what is put in the pitcher.

These are the basic types of water filters. Your needs and the contaminants in your water will help you decide which water filter will work best for you.

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Back-to-the-Tap Movement Gains Momentum 

Many people around the world have become accustomed to the use of bottled water.

I must say it is very convenient, simple and easy. You do not have to worry about cleaning a plastic container over and over again and worry about it harboring bacteria if you cannot get it cleaned thoroughly.

This convenience has become used more and more everyday. If you think you do not need a filter because the bottled water is free from impurities you may be mistaken. Yes, bottled water may have some contaminants removed but may still contain some things that a water filter would remove completely. Also, some bottled water is called spring water and has a worse taste than drinking water from the faucet.

 I personally use water filtered through a system as my source for consumption source and most times will bring water in my own container that I have acquired through a drinking water filter when I have to leave the house.

Also consider that you are using up valuable Earth resources with all the plastic from the water bottles everyone is purchasing. If we all drank filtered water from home and used a specific container all the time and reused it we would save and conserve the earth.

Benefits from drinking water filters are many. A few of the benefits are:

• Recycle and save earth resources by not using plastic bottles
• Have clean contaminant free water to drink even when you are out
• Have good tasting water

I even fill about 6 bottles from by drinking water filter and leave in the refrigerator and instead of grabbing a store bought bottle of water I grab one of my own bottles with water acquired through my drinking water filter.

This way I conserve the Earth resources and have healthy water on the go.

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Back-to-the-Tap Movement Gains Momentum

by Janet Larsen

From San Francisco to New York to Paris, city governments, high-class restaurants, schools, and religious groups are ditching bottled water in favor of what comes out of the faucet. With people no longer content to pay 1,000 times as much for bottled water, a product no better than water from the tap, a backlash against bottled water is growing.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, which represents some 1,100 American cities, discussed at its June 2007 meeting the irony of purchasing bottled water for city employees and for city functions while at the same time touting the quality of municipal water. The group passed a resolution sponsored by Mayors Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, Rocky Anderson of Salt Lake City, and R. T. Rybak of Minneapolis that called for the examination of bottled water’s environmental impact. The resolution noted that with $43 billion a year going to provide clean drinking water in cities across the country, “the United States’ municipal water systems are among the finest in the world.”

While the Mayors Conference fell short of moving to stop taxpayer money from filling the coffers of water bottlers, a growing number of cities are heading in that direction. Los Angeles, which has restricted the purchase of bottled water with city funds since 1987, now has more company. By the end of 2007, purchasing bottled water will be off-limits for San Francisco’s departments and agencies, saving a half-million dollars each year and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. St. Louis is poised to ban bottled water purchases for city employees in early 2008.

At the launch of Corporate Accountability International’s “Think Outside the Bottle” campaign in October, Mayor Anderson of Salt Lake City described the “total absurdity and irresponsibility, both economic and environmental, of purchasing and using bottled water when we have perfectly good and safe municipal sources of tap water.” He urged city government departments and restaurants to stop buying bottled water.

In November, the city council of Chicago, beleaguered by swelling landfills and a stretched budget, placed a landmark tax of 5¢ on every bottle of water sold in the city in order to discourage consumption. That same month, Illinois state agencies were banned from purchasing bottled water with government funds. With 86 percent of used water bottles in the United States ending up as garbage or litter instead of being recycled, switching from the bottle to the tap helps to alleviate the trash burden.

New York City is urging residents to drink tap water, which is naturally filtered in the protected Catskill forest region. In Kentucky, the Louisville water utility hands out free bottles for residents to fill with “Pure Tap.” Dozens of other local governments are talking up tap water and are looking into banning the bottle.

Tap water promotional campaigns would have seemed quaint a few decades ago, when water in bottles was a rarity. Now such endeavors are needed to counteract the pervasive marketing that has caused consumers to lose faith in the faucet. In fact, more than a quarter of bottled water is just processed tap water, including top-selling Aquafina and Coca-Cola’s Dasani. When Pepsi announced in July that it would clearly label its Aquafina water as from a “public water source,” it no doubt shocked everyone who believed that bottles with labels depicting pristine mountains or glaciers delivered a superior product.

Despite the less-frequent quality testing and sometimes commonplace origin of the product, bottled water Read the rest of this entry »

Home water filters are used to purify the water either at the tap, the shower, or throughout the home. Filtered water is safer, beneficial to good health, and reduces exposure to the many contaminants that can be found in water. They use no more energy than water being pushed through pipes.

Filters are used to remove sediment, particles, and dirt. They also absorb pollutants. They also remove bacteria, chlorine, cysts, and VOCs - volatile organic chemicals. The taste of the water is improved and most filters take away pollutants but leave beneficial minerals behind.

There is a variety of filter systems available on the market. Budget, need, and space will likely influence the type chosen for an individual home. All are effective and produce healthy and safe drinking water.

Faucet filters are attached to the faucet or at the point of use. The water is purified as it passes through a filter. These are very effective systems to use. Most of them are relatively easy to attach. They usually have replaceable filter cartridges.

Whole-house filters are especially good for large homes. They are attached at the point where the water enters the home. The water at the tap, shower, bath and toilet are all purified as it passes through the filters. An added benefit to this is that because less contaminants remain in the water fewer of them can escape to the air. The result in this case is purer air as well.

Shower filters are attached to the shower head. They can also be attached to hand-held shower wands. The resulting pure water can reduce or alleviate the incidences of skin problems such as rashes and other irritations.

Drinking water filters can be faucet filters, whole-house filters, or pitcher containers that easily go in the refrigerator. There are also individual systems such as filter straws and filtration bottles.

Counter models sit on the counter. Under sink/counter models are designed to be installed out of sight. They are larger than counter top models. Yet they are every bit as effective in treating water.

Home water filters promote good health. In today’s economy, they are definitely cheaper in the long run than bottled water. They also remove about 2,000 contaminants as well as some known poisons that can be found in water supplies.

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Reverse osmosis is based on the process of osmosis. Osmosis involves the selective movement of water from one side of a membrane to the other. Reverse osmosis is also known as hyper filtration. It is the same process as used by a human body to filter out contaminants. Particles or impurities can be removed from a solution through the process of reverse osmosis. The solution is passed through a semi-permeable membrane. The semi permeable membrane allows the passage of water but rejects ions like sodium and calcium or contaminants like bacteria or urea. Gore-tex is a common semi permeable membrane. Gore-tex fabric contains an extremely thin plastic film into which billions of small pores have been cut. The pores are big enough to let water vapor through, but small enough to prevent liquid water from passing through.

Reverse osmosis involves a process known as crossflow, which allows the membrane to clean itself. As fluid passes through the membrane some of the fluid continues downstream, sweeping the contaminants away from the membrane. For reverse osmosis to occur, pressure must be applied to the fluid. The most common method of applying pressure is the use of a pump. The higher the pressure applied, the greater the force created. As the concentration of the fluid being rejected increases, the force required to continue concentrating the fluid increases. Pressure is exerted on the area containing the concentrated solution, which forces the water molecules across the membrane to the area of the fresh water.

Reverse osmosis rejects bacteria, salts, sugars, proteins and other elements that have a molecular weight of greater than 150-250 Daltons. The separation of ions with reverse osmosis is aided by charged particles. The membrane rejects charged ions such as salts.

The process of reverse osmosis is of immense benefit to mankind. The most common application of the process of reverse osmosis is in purifying water. It is used to produce water that requires meeting certain specifications. Reverse osmosis is used in commercial and residential water filtration. It is also used to desalinate seawater. Reverse osmosis is used to purify liquids in which water is an undesirable impurity, for instance in glucose or ethanol.

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