Water Filtration

A flood of new water filters is making it easier than ever to remove impurities from your tap water. Here’s how to choose the right model for your home.

Analyze your water. Your first step is to review the Consumer Confidence Report, which your water system must provide to you each year. The CCR is usually mailed to you, printed in newspapers, or posted on the Web site of your local government.

But remember, this report tells you about the water in your municipality, not necessarily what’s coming out of your taps. The only way to know the quality of the water supply in your home is to test it. To find the names of state-certified testing labs or the state authority responsible for certifying these labs water, go to www.epa.gov/safewater/labs or call the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791). You might be able to get a test kit for free or at minimal cost.

You might also consider using the “Watersafe All-In-One Drinking Water Test Kit”, about $18, to check your water. In several independent studies it provided quick, accurate results for chlorine, lead, nitrate, nitrite, two pesticides, pH, and total hardness. Results for bacteria were less reliable and took 48 hours.

Ultimately, you might find you don’t need a water filter.

Choose the right model. Read up on the different water filter types to find one that matches your lifestyle and water problems. For example, if your family consumes several gallons of water a day, a single carafe just won’t do.

Read the fine print. Even within a specific type, the claims of which contaminants a filter can remove vary. So match the filter to the contaminants in your water.

Add in the long-term costs. Most water treatment units have filters that you must replace periodically. The yearly filter-replacement cost for these units ranges from $20 to $330 annually.

Nitrate, a chemical most commonly used as a fertilizer, poses an immediate threat to infants when it is found in drinking water at levels above the national standard. Nitrates are converted to nitrites in the intestines. Once absorbed into the bloodstream, nitrites prevent hemoglobin from transporting oxygen. (Older children have an enzyme that restores hemoglobin.) Excessive levels can cause “blue baby syndrome,” which can be fatal without immediate medical attention. Infants most at risk for blue baby syndrome are those who are already sick, and while they are sick, consume food that is high in nitrates or drink water or formula mixed with water that is high in nitrates. It is extremely important to avoid using water with high nitrate levels for drinking. This is especially important for infants and young children, nursing mothers, pregnant women and certain elderly people. Also, when you know nitrates are present in your drinking water, Do NOT Boil the water in an attempt to reduce nitrates. Boiling water contaminated with nitrates increases its concentration and potential risks. If you are concerned about nitrates, talk to your health care provider about alternatives to boiling water for baby formula. Using a water filter especially designed to remove nitrates is also recommended. Countertop, under sink and in-line refrigerator filters, both ultrafiltration type and reverse osmosis, will do an excellent job of removing nitrates and other similar contaminants from drinking water.

Nationwide, drinking water systems have spent hundreds of billions of dollars to build drinking water treatment and distribution systems. From 1995 to 2000, more than $50 billion was spent on capital investments to fund water quality improvements.

 With the aging of the nation’s infrastructure, the clean water and drinking industries face a significant challenge to sustain and advance their achievements in protecting public health. EPA’s Clean Water and Drinking Infrastructure Gap Analysis has found that if present levels of spending do not increase, there will be a significant funding gap by the year 2019.

Unfortunately, over the past 8 years funding has not only increased very slightly but in some areas of the country it has actually been reduced. If you are in an area that has seen little or no improvement in its water quality, or if a recent test of your water has shown unacceptable levels of contaminants, it is advisable that you use a residential water filtration system to ensure that your water is as pure and contaminant-free as possible. There are many, many water filters on the market today to choose from, so it is really just a matter of finding the one that is the most efficient as well as cost-effective for your particular situation. A few of the brand names that are rated the highest by various consumer studies are Crystal Quest, Bota and Living Waters.

Written by Ariel Schwartz

Published on September 15th, 2008
Originally posted in Clean Technica.com

Nanotechnology seems to be invading all facets of modern life, from the pills you take to the batteries that power your iPod. Pretty soon, carbon nanotubes may even filter your water.

Researchers at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center in India are investigating the hollow carbon fibers as a potential water filter. They believe the unique chemical properties of nanotubes mean that only water molecules can pass through their interiors, while toxic metal ions, viruses, and bacteria cannot.

Additionally, the smooth, water-repellent interior of the nanotubes means that a filter made from the technology would have a high flow rate of water without fouling—so it would be very efficient.

But there’s still plenty of work to be done before carbon nanotubes are a viable option for filtering. The Indian research team is currently trying to engineer nanoscale structures to form arrangements that can efficiently decontaminate water.

With the rapid rise of contaminated drinking water around the world, solutions are desperately needed. Since poor countries are more likely to lack access to drinking water, a carbon nanotube filter will be most useful if it is both simple and cheap to operate and maintain. And if that massive hurdle is surpassed,  developing nations may suddenly be a lot better off.

1. In order to capitalize on the health benefits of water, it is essential to draw from a clean source of water.
2. Drinking impure, contaminated water is the leading cause of epidemic disease in developing countries.
3. There are more than 2100 known drinking water contaminants that may be present in tap water, including several known poisons.
4. Bottled water does not offer a viable alternative to tap water.
5. Municipal water treatment facilities cannot always control for the outbreak of dangerous bacterial contaminants in tap water.
6. The only way to ensure pure, contaminant-free drinking water is through the use of a point-of-use filtration system.
7. Several types of cancer can be attributed to the presence of toxic materials in drinking water.
8. Clean, healthy drinking water is essential to a child’s proper mental and physical development.
9. According to the EPA, lead in drinking water contributes to 480,000 cases of learning disorders in children each year in the United States alone.
10. It is especially important for pregnant women to drink pure water as lead in drinking water can cause severe birth defects.

If you’re still not convinced that a water filtration system will benefit you, check out the EPA’s website at: www.epa.gov

Excerpted from allaboutwater.org

 According to the EPA, most people do not need to treat their drinking water at home to make it safe. A drinking water filter can improve water’s taste, or provide an extra margin of safety for people more vulnerable to the effects of waterborne illness ( people with severely compromised immune systems for instance and children that may have special needs).  Consumers who choose to purchase a drinking water filter or whoe house water filtration system should carefully read its product information to understand what they are buying, whether it is a better taste or a certain method of treatment.  Be certain to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for operation and maintenance, especially changing the filter on a regular basis.   

Be advised that no single unit takes out every kind of drinking water contaminant; you must decide which type best meets your needs.  Both NSF International (877-867-3435) and Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (888-547-8851) test and certify home water treatment units.  The Water Quality Association (630-505-0160) classifies units according to the contaminants they remove as well as listing units that have earned their “Gold Seal” approval.  Water treatment units certified by these organizations will indicate certification on their packaging or labels.

Needless to say, there is a wide variety of water filters on the market today. In fact, almost one for every known contaminant. So, how does the average person decide which is the best filter for their situation? The first step has to be to get a basic understanding of the terms used in every water filtration ad. Here are the most common terms you will find when researching water filters and a brief description of each:

Carbon Block: reduces rust, sediment, taste, odor, chlorine, chloramines, THMs ( chemical sovents ), lead particles and VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

GAC: “granulated activated carbon” reduces chlorine, rust and sediment, taste, odor,  VOCs, radon and MTBE (a gasoline additive found in some ground water)

Ceramic: removes bacteria, cryptosporidium (cysts) and sediment

KDF (trade name for a copper/zinc filter)/GAC: this combination reduces chlorine, heavy metals, pesticides, arsenic, lead, iron, mercury, THMs, VOCs, hydrogen sulfide, barium, cadmium, chromium, MTBE, taste and odor

Activated Alumina: reduces fluoride and arsenic

Reverse Osmosis with carbon: reduces all of the above plus removes calcium, magnesium and potassium

Sediment: pleated or wound cartridge for reducing sediment with different micron ratings

There are of course a plethora of additional terms one runs into, but these are the most common and hopefully will give anyone looking at water filtration systems a better understanding of what is being touted.

Studies have shown that pharmaceuticals are present in some of our nation’s water bodies. Further research suggests that there may be some ecological harm when certain drugs are present. To date, no evidence has been found of human health effects from pharmaceutical and personal care products in the environment. This includes drinking water sources.

Studies have also shown that pharmaceuticals are present in our nation’s water bodies. Further research suggests that certain drugs may cause ecological harm. More research is needed to determine the extent of ecological harm and any role it may have in potential human health effects. To date, scientists have found no evidence of adverse human health effects from PPCPs (Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products as Pollutants) in the environment.

Reasons for concern:

• Large quantities of PPCPs can enter the environment after use by individuals or domestic animals.
• Sewage systems are not equipped for PPCP removal. Currently, there are no municipal sewage treatment plants that are engineered specifically for PPCP removal or for other unregulated contaminants. Effective removal of PPCPs from treatment plants varies based on the type of chemical and on the individual sewage treatment facilities.
• The risks are uncertain. The risks posed to aquatic organisms, and to humans are unknown, largely because the concentrations are so low. While the major concerns have been the resistance to antibiotics and disruption of aquatic endocrine systems (the system of glands that produce hormones that help control the body’s metabolic activity) by natural and synthetic sex steroids, many other PPCPs have unknown consequences. There are no known human health effects from such low-level exposures in drinking water, but special scenarios (one example being fetal exposure to low levels of medications that a mother would ordinarily be avoiding) require more investigation.
• The number of PPCPs are growing. In addition to antibiotics and steroids, over 100 individual PPCPs have been identified (as of 2007) in environmental samples and drinking water.

Should we be worried about ecological and/or human health?Studies have shown that pharmaceuticals are present in some of our nation’s water bodies. Further research suggests that there may be some ecological harm when certain drugs are present. To date, no evidence has been found of human health effects from PPCPs in the environment.

If you have concerns regarding pharmaceuticals in your drinking water, it is recommended that you contact your local water supplier and voice those concerns. In the meantime while you wait for their response, installing one of several  multi-stage water filters can only be of enormous benefit to your family and/or your employees.

Arsenic occurs naturally in rocks and soil, water, air, and plants and animals. It can be further released into the environment through natural activities such as volcanic action, erosion of rocks and forest fires, or through human actions. Approximately 90 percent of industrial arsenic in the U.S. is currently used as a wood preservative, but arsenic is also used in paints, dyes, metals, drugs, soaps and semi-conductors. High arsenic levels can also come from certain fertilizers and animal feeding operations. Industry practices such as copper smelting, mining and coal burning also contribute to arsenic in our environment.

Higher levels of arsenic tend to be found more in ground water sources than in surface water sources (i.e., lakes and rivers) of drinking water. The demand on ground water from municipal systems and private drinking water wells may cause water levels to drop and release arsenic from rock formations. Compared to the rest of the United States, western states have more systems with arsenic levels greater than EPA’s standard of 10 parts per billion (ppb). Parts of the Midwest and New England have some systems whose current arsenic levels are greater than 10 ppb, but more systems with arsenic levels that range from 2-10 ppb. While many systems may not have detected arsenic in their drinking water above 10 ppb, there may be geographic “hot spots” with systems that may have higher levels of arsenic than the predicted occurrence for that area.

If you are concerned about arsenic in your drinking water, the first step is to have your water tested by a reputable testing lab. Then, if arsenic is present greater than the EPA’s standards, installing a quality, high efficient water filtration system is strongly advisable.

Q: How do I have my water tested?

A: Water samples from the tap will have to be collected and sent to a qualified laboratory for analysis. Contact your local water utility or your local health department for information and assistance. In some instances, these authorities will test your tap water for you, or they can refer you to a qualified laboratory. You may find a qualified testing company under ‘Laboratories” in the yellow pages of your telephone directory. You should be sure that the lab you use has been approved by your state or by EPA as being able to analyze drinking water samples for lead contamination. To find out which labs are qualified, contact your state or local department of the environment or health.

Q: What about lead in sources other than drinking water?

A: As mentioned above, drinking water is estimated to contribute only 10 to 20 percent of the total lead exposure in young children. Ask your local health department or call EPA for more information on other sources of exposure to lead. A few general precautions can help prevent contact with lead in and around your home:

• Avoid removing paint in the home unless you are sure it contains no lead. Lead paint should only be removed by someone who knows how to protect you from lead paint dust. However, by washing floors, window sills, carpets, upholstery and any objects children put in their mouths, you can get rid of this source of lead.
• Make sure children wash their hands after playing outside in the dirt or snow.
• Never store food in open cans, Keep it in glass plastic or stainless steel containers. Use glazed pottery only for display if you don’t know whether it contains lead.
• If you work around lead, don’t bring it home. Shower and change clothes at work and wash your work clothes separately.

Q: What is the government doing about the problem of lead in household water?

A: There are two major governmental actions to reduce your exposure to lead:

1. Under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA set the action level for lead in drinking water at 15 ppb. This means utilities must ensure that water from the customer’s tap does not exceed this level in at least 90 percent of the homes sampled. If water from the tap does exceed this limit, then the utility must take certain steps to correct the problem. Utilities must also notify citizens of all violations of the standard.
2. In June 1986, President Reagan signed amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act. These amendments require the use of “lead-free” pipe, solder, and flux in the installation or repair of any public water system, or any plumbing in a residential or non-residential facility connected to a public water system.Under the provisions of these amendments, solders and flux will be considered “lead-free” when they contain not more than 0.2 percent lead. (In the past, solder normally contained about 50 percent lead.) Pipes and fittings will be considered “lead-free” when they contain not more than 8.0 percent lead.These requirements went into effect in June 1986. The law gave state governments until June 1988 to implement and enforce these new limitations. Although the states have banned all use of lead materials in drinking water systems, such bans do not eliminate lead contamination within existing plumbing. Also, in enforcing the ban, some states have continued to find illegally used lead solder in new plumbing installations. While responsible plumbers always observe the ban, this suggests that some plumbing installations or repairs using lead solder may be escaping detection by the limited number of enforcement personnel. (flushed sample will indicate the effectiveness of flushing the tap before using the water.)

Q: How much lead is too much?

A: Federal standards initially limited the amount of lead in water to 50 parts per billion (ppb). In light of new health and exposure data, EPA has set an action level of 15 ppb. If tests show that the level of lead in your household water is in the area of 15 ppb or higher, it is advisable - especially if there are young children in the home - to reduce the lead level in your tap water as much as possible. (EPA estimates that more than 40 million U.S. residents use water that can contain lead in excess of 15 ppb.) Note: One ppb is equal to 1.0 microgram per liter (µg/1) or 0.001 milligram per liter (mg/1).

Q: How can I reduce my exposure?

A: If your drinking water is contaminated with lead - or until you find out for sure - there are several things you can do to minimize your exposure. Two of these actions should be taken right away by everyone who has, or suspects, a problem. The advisability of other actions listed here will depend upon your particular circumstances.

• The first step is to refrain from consuming water that has been in contact with your home’s plumbing for more than six hours, such as overnight or during your work day. Before using water for drinking or cooking, “flush” the cold water faucet by allowing the water to run until you can feel that the water has become as cold as it will get. You must do this for each drinking water faucet-taking a shower will not flush your kitchen tap. Buildings built prior to about 1930 may have service connectors made of lead. Letting the water run for an extra 15 seconds after it cools should also flush this service connector. Flushing is important because the longer water is exposed to lead pipes or lead solder, the greater the possible lead contamination. (The water that comes out after flushing will not have been in extended contact with lead pipes or solder.)Once you have flushed a tap, you might fill one or more bottles with water and put them in the refrigerator for later use that day. (The water that was flushed - usually one to two gallons - can be used for non-consumption purposes such as washing dishes or clothes; it needn’t be wasted.)
• The second step is to never cook with or consume water from the hot-water tap. Hot water dissolves more lead more quickly than cold water. So, do not use water taken from the hot tap for cooking or drinking, and especially not for making baby formula. (If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove.) Use only thoroughly flushed water from the cold tap for any consumption.

Q: Aren’t there a lot of types of treatment devices that would help remove lead?

A: There are many devices which are certified for effective lead reduction, but devices that are not designed to remove lead will not work. It is suggested that you follow the recommendations below before purchasing any device:

• Avoid being misled by false claims and scare tactics. Be wary of “free” water testing that is provided by the salesperson to determine your water quality; many tests are inaccurate or misleading. Research the reputation and legitimacy of the company or sales representative.
• Avoid signing contracts or binding agreements for “onetime offers” or for those that place a lien on your home. Be very careful about giving credit card information over the phone. Check into any offers that involve prizes or sweepstakes winnings.
• Be sure to do your homework, then get a water filtration system designed specifically for lead. Many water filters will remove some lead along with a variety of other contaminants, but if removing lead is your primary concern, don’t cut corners by purchasing an inexpensive, catch-all filter. The negative effects are too serious to take chances.