Water For Health

Posts Tagged ‘Home Water Filters’

l water filtration systems target specific contaminants that would be problematic for a specific industry. For example, photo processing requires deionization. Iron reduction is important for many industries. Softening and reducing mineral content is necessary for water to be used as a coolant. One of the most common methods used for these purposes is reverse osmosis. At one time, reverse osmosis was the ultimate in technologically advanced purifiers. It was used by industry and well-owners alike to remove large particles and greatly reduce mineral content. There are many different methods available today, although reverse osmosis is still the method of choice for waste water treatment. It is however expensive for that purpose and many industries choose other treatment methods. Reverse osmosis industrial water filtration systems have been adapted for use by homeowners serviced by a public treatment facility. This adaptation was created as a way to address cyst contamination. Cysts are like parasitic eggs. They enter the water supply without notice and cause diseases similar to food poisoning. To an at-risk individual, this type of infection can be deadly. For example, a person with AIDS would not have the ability to fight off the infection. A person being treated for various types of cancer would be in a similar situation. Cysts are problematic because public disinfection methods will not kill these hard pathogens. They can only be filtered out. Most large scale industrial water filtration systems could not remove them because it would reduce the flow and pressure too greatly. The only effective choice for cyst reduction is a “point-of-use” or in-home filter that is certified to filter down to one micron or better. Reverse osmosis is one recommended product but the systems are very expensive and do not address other issues faced by homeowners on a public waterline. There is no chemical reduction with this method. Chlorine and chlorination byproducts would still pass through. Today’s homeowner can use inexpensive home water filtration that can remove some of the most dangerous contaminants from their tap water. Now you can have safe, pure water for cooking, drinking and showering. Some of the better home purifiers on the market include sub-micron filtration, which is similar to, but much less expensive than reverse osmosis. These purifiers also include granular carbon and multi-media blocks that trap chlorine and other chemicals on their surface. The best home water filter cartridges have a reasonable lifespan, typically 6 months before replacement filters are needed. Water that has been cleaned in this way is safe, pure and good tasting. The purity is also far better than what you will find in bottled brands. Bottling companies use industrial water filtration systems, which cannot address the issue of cysts or chemicals. Additionally, the bottles leach chemicals used to create the plastic into the liquid. Those substances act like hormones within the human body, interfering with the production of endogenous hormones and disrupting the endocrine system. You don’t need to go to the expense of buying industrial water filtration systems to install in your home. Getting a household water filter is a better option.

I have grown up to hear lots of different stories and hearsay about the British tap water system being unsafe to drink as it may contain some harmful chemicals – like chlorine. However, I have also been aware of the amount of people either spending out on massive bottles of mineral water, or investing in clever water filters and water filtered jugs. I used to believe that this was all over the top and full of nonsense, but now I have come to the realisation that there may be a fraction of truth in these warnings of drinking water safety.

I for one would never drink tap water when I am abroad as may be the case for everyone who are travelling abroad on holiday. As you are not aware of how safe the plumbing system is, it is best to put your health first and opt to buy bottled water. I have known people to take water purifying tablets, but those are only useful for extreme regions and expeditions rather than in places like Spain or Italy! With this in mind I had invested on small water filters to take with me on my last holiday, this worked out fine and cheaper than spending out on gallons of bottled water.

Water filters are handy for holidays as they are light, small and cost effective. They can work in various different ways, the most commonly used filters are ones that work from purifying water through ion exchange, sieving and absorption of small chemical particles, which a normal sieve could not pass through. Different types of filters are readily used for office water fountains, aquariums, irrigation, drinking water and swimming pools. The different types of filters include media filters, screen filters, disk filters, slow sand filter beds, rapid sand filters and cloth filters.

Filters are mainly used to soften the water and remove chemicals such as chlorine; there are water other purification methods that are just as effective if not more advanced as standard home water filters; however, they are not as readily portable as filters can be. The various water purification methods include reverse osmosis (involves a separation process that pushes a solvent through a permeable membrane), distillation (separates chemical substances in a boiling liquid mixture), ultra filtration (similar to reverse osmosis only pushing the solution through various semi-permeable membranes), deionisation (involves removing extra ions from the water) and finally carbon treatment used for wastewater treatments.

Drinking water in the UK mainly come from the surface such as lakes, reservoirs, rivers and ground water. The remaining amount comes from aquifers, which are underground geological formations that store rainwater. Our source waters are treated because although they are drawn from safe high quality areas, they are still treated through various ways as an extra precaution to remove pathogens. Surface waters are usually treated naturally from direct sunlight, which eliminates pathogens naturally. Therefore, our drinking water system is safer to drink, as chlorine is used as a disinfectant. However, as mentioned previously many have argued the health issues of using chlorine in water and it is a debate that continues to stand at the forefront of health and safety.

One thing is for certain there are more affordable ways for people to filter and purify their water, without having to spend extra amounts of money on bottled water all the time. Tap water may not be for some, the ideal way to consume water, but a few little tools can be used to make it that much safer without it being detrimental to your health. However, it is safe to say that there are no real harmful chemicals in the water supply other than the use of chlorine, in which the water suppliers maintain is not going to cause long-term health issues. It is a matter of choice and though there will be a continued debate against the use of chlorine there are always an abundance of water filters available, which if I say so myself are very useful.

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-nice 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 our 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 your 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.