Home Water Purification Guide

Introduction

Water Purification Systems

Charcoal Filters

Reverse Osmosis

Distillation

Ultraviolet Filters

Hard Water and Water Softeners

Bottled Water

Filter Manufacturers

Water Cooler Manufacturers

Water Bottle Manufacturers

Bottled Water Companies

The Basics

The Hit List

Testing Your Water

GLOSSARY

Introduction

Should you buy bottled water? Should you ladle-up a few hundred dollars for a filtering system? Or should you trust the tap? Here, we offer a guide to dealing with drinking water problems. This helpful guide includes information on: basics about sources and treatment, the standards for drinking water, the contaminant hit list, testing your water, and solving water problems with treatment devices. We also cover water filter manufacturers, watercooler manufacturers, and bottled water companies.

Solving Problems with the Various Water Purification Systems (Types)

If your home has water quality problems, a water treatment device can solve them, but you must choose the right device. No single method will remove types of contaminants. Some treatment devices use more than one technology.

What to use?

Point of Use Systems: Choose a Point Of Use System if you are interested in only purifying your drinking water. Point of Use Systems clean the water dispensed from your bathroom or kitchen faucets (including ice makers), or water pitcher. These are smaller, less expensive, and can often be installed without the help of a licensed plumber. They can be used to address poor taste/odor, dirt/rust, or scale build-up.

Whole House Systems: Choose a Whole House System if you’ve been told that your water is contaminated; your water supply comes from a lake or well; or you would like the most filtered water possible in your home. A Whole House System can be made up of one or several different products customized to address your specific concerns or problems.

Shop around at our site; you will have choices in price, installation, maintenance, and warranties. If the only problem with your water is grit, dirt, sediment, rust, or other such particles, a physical filter may be sufficient. Made of fiber, fabric, ceramic or other screening media, these simply catch particles -- including, occasionally, small organisms like cysts and some bacteria. Don't rely on them to handle disease-causing organisms, VOCs, metals, or the like. If your home is older, you should check for lead that might have leaked into your water from plumbing that was lead based.

There are many ways you can also acquire information without necessarily testing. Consider contacting your health department or local supplier for water and ask for copies of any water treatment reports.  Here you will see any reported violations, and can review how broad the tests are and how frequently they are conducted. Don’t forget to find out whether there are any hazards unique to your area you should know about. These include those that might affect the water between you tap and the water treatment facility. Mineral content, radon and lead levels should be tested for homes that receive their water through a well, at the very minimum once or twice per year. Most local agencies offer well water tests. Tests that check for solvents and pesticides are typically more expensive and have to be ordered separately.

Charcoal filters

Activated carbon filters or charcoal filters are a good option if your water has a foul odor, looks or tastes bad. These filters are typically useful for removing contaminants such as chlorine, pesticides, some inorganic chemicals and radon. Most carbon filters are also capable of removing some of the lead content in water.

Most carbon filters aren’t able to remove substances such as nitrates, salts, heavy metals or nitrites. Keep in mind when using a carbon filter you must replace the cartridges frequently, because bacteria can actually breed in them.

There are some carbon filters that are registered but not supported by the EPA, including those that contain pesticide silver. Despite any claims these filters may not be fully capable of removing any bacterial growths or organic contaminants.

How well a carbon filter works depends on how much activated carbon it contains. You can buy several different models including ones that fit on the countertop, mount on the faucet or are installed beneath the counter. The less expensive models generally run about $30 but are only marginally effective compared to some more sophisticated and expensive models. There are systems available for the whole house, referred to as POE or point of entry systems. These are expensive but a good option in areas where contamination from radon or other chemicals might be a serious hazard to the homes occupants.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis filters are a good choice for removing inorganic substances from water including metals, nitrates, salts and even asbestos. These filters can remove lead but not chlorine. Many reverse osmosis filters contain carbon prefilters and carbon post-filters, which help remove sediments and other particles. These additions also help improve taste. The pre and post filters generally need to be replaced at least annually.

Most reverse osmosis filters are installed directly with plumbing beneath the home owners sinks. A tank is available for storing clean water and a line helps contaminated drinking water drain. Some models provide an automatic system that helps eliminate waste. Reverse osmosis filters are not as efficient as some models; they generally waste approximately 3 gallons of water for each pure gallon of water they produce for consumption. Most cost $200 or more.

Distillation

This is a good option for families who need a convenient, sink mounted appliance to remove particle solids including metals, minerals and some organic chemicals. They work by heating water, which results in steam. The steam condenses back into water that has been purified. Distilling systems cannot remove all of the chemical contaminants in water unless they are paired with a carbon filter.

Distillers have to be filled manually for the most part and can take a long time to produce a gallon at a time. They also need to be cleaned regularly. The process is not effective against chemicals, which have a boiling point below that of water. Volatile substances such as ammonia are carried over into the condensation chamber. This may include nasties such as trihalomethanes, chloroform, trichloroethylene, and phenol.

Also, distilled water tastes flat because it has lost its dissolved oxygen.

Most distillation filters are generally a less expensive though some can range $1000 or more.

Ultraviolet filters

Ultraviolet filters help eliminate bacteria and viruses from drinking water. They are not useful however for removing chemical contaminants and some materials such as spores. When used in combination with a carbon filter however, a UV filter can often kill bacteria.

Hard Water and Water Softeners

The most common water problem found in homes is hard water, which typically results from too much minerals in water. Hard water is usually more annoying than it is harmful. Problems associated with hard water include rings in the bathtub or soap scum and spots on dishes. Most people also find they need to use more soap when cleaning with hard water. Skin irritations are commonly the result of hard water as well.

One of the simplest remedies is an ion exchange water softener, which can help replace salt for other minerals such as calcium and iron. Softeners work by adding salt to water which can for some be a hazard, thus some have them only connected to the hot rather than cold water side of the water faucets.   Most are $1500 or more. It is possible to rent a water softener.

Plumbing that has a high level of lead shouldn’t be connected to water softeners because the minerals in hard water help coat and protect the pipes.

Bottled Water

In the short term bottled water is far less expensive than filtered water. Most bottled water companies are subject to stringent standards. Bottled waters that do not contain seltzers or flavors or other types of carbonation are subject to public water system standards and regulations.

Filter Manufacturers and some reviews

Purchasing water filters can be difficult as there are many options to choose from. Fortunately, we have done the research for you so that you do not have to. The following is a brief list of manufacturers and their filters. Note that in some listings, the first price is for the filter, the second for the replacement filter.

Katadyn PF ($295/$145, 22.7 oz). The original microfilter using a 0.2 µm silver impregnated ceramic candle. An extremely thick filter allows it to be cleaned many times for up to 14,000 gallons capacity. The pump, while probably indestructible, is somewhat slow and hard to use, requiring 20 lbs. of force on a small handle. The PF also lacks an output hose, as the Katadyn engineers felt it would be a source of contamination.

Katadyn Combi ($185/$75 (ceramic)/$19 (carbon), 29 oz). A cheaper version of the PF incorporating both ceramic and carbon stages. Much faster filter than the PF.

Katadyn Minifilter ($139/$59, 8.3 oz). A smaller and cheaper version of the PF, easier to pump, but generally not well received. Good for 200 gallons.

Katadyn Expedition ($680/$77, 13 lb.) Similar filter to the PF (exact same cartridge as the Drip Filter below), but designed for much higher production, stainless steel case with spade type D handle, produces 0.75 gpm. Filter good for 26,000 gallons.

Katadyn Drip Style Filter ($240, $77, 12.5 lb.) Filter elements similar to those in the PF are mounted vertically on the top of a 3 gallon plastic bucket, water drips through filters into a second 3 gallon bucket with a faucet.   Throughput is 1 quart per hour, with the 2 filters included; a third filter can be added to increase the rate by 50%. Each filter is good for 13,000 gallons. The mounting hardware for the filters is available for $10, to allow you to make your own filter of whatever size is needed. Each mounting kit requires a ½" hole in the bottom of the raw water container.

Katadyn Siphon Filter ($92, 2 lb.) Similar design to the PF filter element, but a siphon hose replaces the pump, filters 1-2 quarts per hour (allow 1 hour for the filter to "prime" itself via capillary action), but multiple filters can be used in the same container. Collection vessel must be lower than raw water container. Good for 13,000 gallons.

PUR Pioneer ($30/$4, 8 oz), newly introduced low-end microfilter. 0.5 µm, 1 gpm filter rate, 12-gallon capacity.

Frigidaire offers a built-in PureSource Ice & Water Filter in their Gallery Side-by-Side refrigerators , and the GE Profile Performance Side-by-Side refrigerator offers a "Water by Culligan" built-in filter.

There are also many pourable pitchers now available, providing convenience and the added protection of a quality and safe water supply. These typically are low cost and can improve the quality of water in various ways. They can remove particles and sediment, improve taste and eliminate odor. These filters are also useful for removing some heavy metal pollutants including lead, and some organic pests such as parasites or bacteria.

BRITA water filters and pitchers are often the easiest to find and are economically priced. They come in a variety of sizes to fit every need. BRITA filters come with an indicator that lets you know when the filter needs replacing.

PUR also provides a pourable pitcher model that is efficient and low cost.   These models offer similar water quality improvement if not better than that offered by BRITA units. This model may take slightly longer to filter water, but the quality is worth the small investment in time.

Most of these models are readily available on the Internet. Other pitchers don’t come close to BRITA and PUR with regard to quality, affordability and convenience.

Aquapure and Everpure make a few Under Sink Filtration System models. These feature carbon block filtration, which reduces lead, coloring, VOCs, Giardia cysts, bad tastes and odors from water. Some Aquapure units offer a built in shutoff meter in which the system automatically shuts off after 1,000 gallons as a reminder to change filter cartridges. Their pull and change cartridge designs allow for quick, easy, and sanitary cartridge replacement. Both brands include the installation hardware, faucet and pipe connections to permit quick installation.

Amway offers water filters that cost around 9.6 cents per gallon, or $120 for a 1250-gal. replacement cartridge on their E-5199 model. Aquasana filters cost 9 cents per gallon, or $45 for a 500-gallon cartridge for the AQ-4000.

GAC Water Filters ( Granular Activated Carbon ) remove pollutants, but allows essential minerals to pass through to your drinking supply. Result? No hard water! What are the problems associated with hard water? Hard water is not unhealthy to drink, but it may have undesirable effects on your water-using appliances, your skin and hair, and your household plumbing. With hard water:

• Minerals from the water may build up and form scale deposits in your pipes, water-using appliances, and fixtures.
• Soaps and detergents won't lather as well, so it will be necessary to use greater amounts of them.
• Your hair and skin may feel dry and coarse.

Premier , Ametek, and NSA all offer several effective -- and efficient -- models of undersink, reverse osmosis and membranes, portable, and showerhead water filters. Premier also features water softening/conditioning equipment, all at competitive prices.

British Imperial offers guaranteed clean drinking water from a pond, creek, lake, river, mud puddle, well, cistern, rain water, water heater, toilet tank or even water you have stored yourself -- and can be used for drinking or cooking with peace of mind. Each filter element will provide efficient filtration from 2,600 gallons to 15,000 gallonsdepending on water quality.

British Berkefeld and Doulton countertop and ceramic carbon water filters will remove suspended solids, pathogenic bacteria, and chemical contaminants. In addition, they will improve taste and reduce trace contaminants from your home water.

Water Cooler Manufacturers

Water coolers offer a variety of opportunities for fresh, cooled water in a home or small office. Requiring no external plumbing, water coolers are traditionally environmentally friendly and portable.

A housing holds a large plastic water bottle (turned upside down). A refrigeration unit cools the bottle and one or more faucets can be depressed for gravity to dispense the cooled water. A small tray is often below the faucets to catch spill over, and dispenser frames can be purchased that are made of wood, plastic, or metal frames.

Features may include compact size for easy mounting, universal seal caps, and a float switch for automatic shutoff when the bottle is empty. Some dispensers include icemaker options as well.

Manufacturers include: Oasis, Water Factory, Sunbeam, EbCo, Avanti, Elkay, Absopure, and Coleman. The new trend is in plastic cabinets vs. the older metal types. There are many reasons for this. Plastic containers are often more durable and are more easily crafted to be aesthetically pleasing. They also offer higher impact and flame or ignition resistance. A plastic cabinet is typically crafted from a single blow-mold, thus is comprised of only one piece, vs. the three pieces traditionally required for metal cabinets and coolers. Rust stains are virtually unheard of with plastic cabinets.

Most prefer the look and feel of a plastic cabinet to a metal one particularly in the office or in the home.

Disinfect your cooler regularly

It is essential to clean and disinfect water coolers on a consistent basis.   Surface cleaning is helpful for removing dust and providing a clean area to dispense water from. Coolers often become dirty as a result of frequent use.   Commercial and industrial environments typically lend themselves to more dirty build up than office environments. In some cases where the water reservoirs are frequently wet bio-slime may form. This substance while not necessarily harmful may impact taste. The distributor of bottled water products should keep track of the coolers maintenance so be sure they are sanitized regularly.   There are very stringent guidelines established by the FDA and International Bottled Water Association for maintaining bottled water.

Another item to consider is whether the water cooler has an energy star to indicate energy efficiency. This can save a tremendous amount of money over time.

Bottled Water Dispenser Systems

A housing holds a large plastic water bottled (turned upside down). A refrigeration unit cools the bottle and one or more faucets can be depressed for gravity to dispense the cooled water. A small tray is often below the faucets to catch spill over. Features may include compact size for easy mounting, universal seal caps, and a float switch for automatic shutoff when the bottle is empty. Some dispensers include icemaker options as well.

Water Bottle Manufacturers

The more common or well known manufacturers include: Aquasana, Clear Brook, Ametek, Brita, Katadyn, Everpure, GE, Aqua Pure, Premiere and NSA.

Bottled Water Companies

Nestlé Waters North America Inc. is the major bottled water company in the U.S. and Canada. Its family of 15 well-known brands is built upon natural spring water products, including the Poland Spring, Arrowhead, Deer Park, Ozarka, Ice Mountain and Zephyrhills spring water brands. Other companies include:   Sierra, Das ani, Poland, Perrier, Calistoga, Crystal Springs, Great Bear, Hinckley, Belmont Springs, Kentwood, Danone, Dannon, Evian, AquaPenn, McKesson, Volvic, Aquafina, Alpine Springs, Fiji and more.

Countries of Origin

Several different types of filters, bottled water, coolers, and other supplies come from several different countries including France, The U.S., Switzerland and more.

The Basics

Typically most people acquire drinking water via municipal utilities which draw water from sources including aquifers, springs beneath the earths surface and rock strata. The municipal utilities treat this water to remove any impurities and then send it to people’s homes. There are some rural homes that pump water for drinking using personal wells.

There are several treatments used to eliminate bacteria including chlorination.   Bacteria and other microbes can cause disease when not treated properly.   There have been trace amounts of certain parasites such as cryptosporidium parvum found in recent years however the quantities detected typically have been too small to result in harm.

This bacteria can cause gastrointestinal distress in small amount but is usually not life threatening unless the person is immuno compromised, such as AIDS patients.   Children and the elderly are more likely than adults to fall ill from exposure to this parasite or other bacteria. To protect oneself 100% the Environmental Protection Agency has suggested that anyone at risk boil their water or drink filtered water to prevent any contamination.

In recent years in part due to improved detection technology many miniscule microscopic organisms and other contaminants have been detected and treated in drinking water. Typically any contaminants found are in very low concentrations, however long term exposure might be linked to serious disorders including cancer and related diseases. Most of the pollutants and other contaminants may be the result of chemical drainage into the nations drinking water supplies. Proper monitoring and controls are necessary to help minimize this in the future.

In 1974 and again in 1986 Congress enacted an act to help preserve the quality of the nations drinking water by establishing standards for utilities companies that serve more than 25 people or those that have more than 15 service connections. These standards require that utilities agencies carefully monitor the number of pollutants in drinking water to assure that maximum contamination levels are avoided. However, much as with anything there are never any guarantees that a company will comply with these laws.

Enforcement has been tricky in the past. Luckily many of the major water suppliers located in large metropolitan areas provide better drinking water because they are able to afford better equipment and resources that enable frequent and constant monitoring and testing. Private wells however are less likely to be monitored typically because they serve a limited number of people.   Typically only state and local laws apply to smaller wells.

Contaminant List

There are several different contaminants that put people at risk. The EPA has defined what contaminants are acceptable and which may be harmful over certain quantities. The chart below describes the maximum levels of contaminants allowed and the health problems that may be associated with over exposure to any of these contaminants.

1) Organic pesticides or chemicals and solvents. These chemicals often drain into ground water, and may be referred to as volatile organic chemicals. They may change constitution (becoming liquid or air) and are often linked with deleterious effects on humans including cancer or other major organ disorders.

2) Inorganic chemicals including metals. The metals that fall into this category include lead, mercury, nitrites, arsenic and fluoride as well as several other ‘natural’ minerals. These can also result in health problems, particularly lead and mercury, which are known to affect the brain and can be toxic to young babies or pregnant women even in very small amounts.

3) Radon or other radio nuclides. These chemicals are often present in certain regions of the country. They can be found in the drinking water or in the air through steam or evaporation. Radon may be naturally occurring or the result of radioactive waste or uranium. This substance is linked with an increased risk of cancer.

Testing your water

You should always void any free water testing offers that come from anywhere but your local health department. Usually agents promoting these are simply trying to convince you to buy a water treatment instrument. They will typically conduct one or two staged tests. You should always have your water tested by an independent lab when you want to access the quality of it.

The downside to this is you commonly have to test for every pollutant separately and this can cost a lot of money. In addition, water quality particularly that from municipal utilities may change from day to day, so many tests won’t help you anyway. If you do want to check for something useful, check for lead contamination, which is more likely to remain constant.

You can also call your local municipality and ask for copies of reports for water contamination, or ask them if you are located in an area that is at risk for certain pollutants.

If you own a well or receive your water from a well, you should consider testing your water for mineral content, radon, bacteria and lead at the very least once per year, twice if you can. Your local health agency should be able to provide you with some information about your well and more advice about testing. They may even be able to perform some of the tests for you, including chemical tests that detect trace minerals. These tests are usually more affordable than others.

You can also contact your state health agency to find out about private testing through a lab. You can also try under the search term “laboratories” in the phone book or online. There are many mail-order labs and agencies that conduct water testing at a reasonable price, including National Testing Labs. You can contact them at (800-458-3330). Lead only tests are generally inexpensive and run about $35, however more comprehensive testing can be upwards of $100 or more.

Disclaimer – it is important that trained professionals conduct effective water treatment analysis.  We are not offering any warranties or assuming any responsibility for any errors or omissions in this text or any damages that may occur from the use of this information.

GLOSSARY

chloroform -- the trihalomethane often found in the highest concentration -- is formed by a reaction of chlorine with certain compounds in water. Formation occurs during chlorination and can continue to occur as long as chlorine is available.

Crypto -- a diarrheal disease caused by a parasite. The parasite is called, “Cryptosporidium parvum.” It can only be viewed under a microscope. Cryptosporidium parvum can live in the intestine of humans and animals. The parasite is passed in the stool of an infected person or animal. The disease and the parasite are referred to as "Crypto."

Giardia cysts -- the Giardia parasite is found in every region of the United States and throughout the world. Giardiasis occurs often in mountainous areas where water supplies from lakes, ponds, or streams have become contaminated with animal droppings or human waste.

gpm -- gallons per minute

phenol -- phenol is a manufactured substance. It is a colorless-to-white solid when pure. The commercial product is a liquid. It has sickeningly sweet and tarry odor. Phenol is used primarily in the formation of phenolic resins. It is also used in the manufacture of nylon and other synthetic fibers. It can be an irritant when ingested.

trichloroethylene -- a colorless, somewhat toxic, volatile liquid belonging to the family of organic halogen compounds, nonflammable under ordinary conditions and used as a solvent in dry cleaning, in degreasing of metal objects, and in extraction processes, such as removal of caffeine from coffee or of fats and waxes from cotton and wool. It is thought to be a carcinogen if continually breathed or ingested (as in drinking water).

trihalomethanes -- a group of four chemicals -- chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform -- formed, along with other disinfection by-products, when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbial contaminants in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water. It is thought to be a carcinogen.