Healthy H2O: Home Water Filtration, Simplified

Healthy H2O: Home Water Filtration, Simplified
The best filters will remove hundreds of harmful contaminants, including chlorine taste and odor, lead, organic compounds, mercury, copper, arsenic, fluoride, VOCs, pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals.Hananeko_Studio/Shutterstock
Updated:
0:00

Mother Nature has the ultimate water filtration system. Called the hydrologic cycle, it’s powered by the sun and circulates water from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere (evaporation), where it’s converted back into liquid via clouds (condensation), and is returned to the Earth as rain, snow, and hail (precipitation), all filtered by the sun’s UV rays.

Unless you’re catching it in a rain bucket, it’s usually filtered further as it passes through soil, sand, minerals, and natural charcoal and carbon filters, or even oysters, which can each filter up to 50 gallons of water a day, and have been used to clean up the water in New York Harbor, courtesy of the Billion Oyster Project.

Humans have added to the process with water filtration pitchers, faucet-mounted filters, countertop filters, refrigerator filters, location-specific filters such as an under-sink filter or one for a washing machine, and whole house filters. There are also filter systems to provide ultrafiltration of elements up to .01 micron, nanofiltration to .001 micron, or reverse osmosis with a pore size of .0001 micron. Other systems include water softeners, distillation systems, and UV treatments with pre-filtration.

No filter eliminates all contaminants, so let’s find the one that’s best for your needs and budget.

The plusses to a filter pitcher are its compact size, ease of use, and affordable price. (Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock)
The plusses to a filter pitcher are its compact size, ease of use, and affordable price. Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

Easy Options

Water filter pitchers, a faucet-mounted option, or countertop filters are all simple, straightforward choices, and of particular interest to renters who may not want to or be allowed to make modifications to the plumbing. There is a caveat; a faucet-mounted filter can’t be attached to a kitchen faucet equipped with a spray head.

The plusses to a filter pitcher are its compact size, ease of use, and affordable price. The downside is that it’s limited to one pitcher of filtered water at a time, the filtration process is slow, and the filters require frequent replacement. The best filters will remove hundreds of harmful contaminants including chlorine taste and odor, lead, organic compounds, mercury, copper, arsenic, fluoride, VOCs, pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals. There are even more sophisticated models that can remove radiological contaminants.

Faucet-mounted options attach to a standard faucet and can be switched on when you’re filling a glass or a pot for pasta and off when washing hands or the dishes in order to extend filter life. Unlike a pitcher, they provide virtually unlimited filtered water, though they may slow the water flow. Typical faucet-mounted systems have a sediment filter for sand and dirt, and a carbon filter to remove chemicals such as chlorine for fresher-tasting water.

Worried that a visible water filter would ruin the good looks of your kitchen? Then opt for an integrated water filter faucet.

Faucet-mounted options attach to a standard faucet and can be switched on when you’re filling a glass or a pot for pasta and off when washing hands or the dishes in order to extend filter life. (VVVproduct/Shutterstock)
Faucet-mounted options attach to a standard faucet and can be switched on when you’re filling a glass or a pot for pasta and off when washing hands or the dishes in order to extend filter life. VVVproduct/Shutterstock

Specific Situations

Many new refrigerators, particularly those that supply water and ice through the door, come with a built-in water filter. These remove sediment and chemicals such as chlorine for better taste. The downside is that the filters need to be replaced regularly and can be expensive.

If your refrigerator doesn’t have a dedicated filter and you’re concerned about water quality, you can attach an inline refrigerator water filter to the refrigerator water supply line. These specially designed filters usually feature both push-to-connect and compression fittings for easy connection to plastic or copper water lines; as a happy bonus, some of these filters are designed to last up to five years.

Hard water and sediment can be more than unpleasant to drink—it can make washing clothes a nightmare, leaving them feeling dirtier than before. The best washing machine water filters are compatible with hot and cold water and are easy to install. Options range from easily-clean filters to replacement cartridges and multi-stage filtration.

Speaking of hard water, while you’re at it, consider adding a handy, screw-on inline filter between the showerhead and pipe sticking out of the wall. Your hair will thank you.

Many new refrigerators, particularly those that supply water and ice through the door, come with a built-in water filter. (l i g h t p o e t/Shutterstock)
Many new refrigerators, particularly those that supply water and ice through the door, come with a built-in water filter. l i g h t p o e t/Shutterstock

Whole-House and Under-Sink

A whole-house water filtration system treats all water entering the home, and is particularly applicable for hard water and water supplies containing VOCs—volatile organic compounds, which are toxins that enter the environment. VOCs can be a particular threat to those who use well water. A whole-house system protects the home’s plumbing and appliances as well; however, it requires permanent modifications to the plumbing, can be costly, and may require professional installation.

Looking for something equally brawny but easier to obtain? Depending on the plumbing layout, an under-sink filter can be a do-it-yourself installation, but don’t forget it has no impact on the other water sources in the house. Both whole-house and under-sink are available as single-filter, multi-filter, reverse osmosis, and UV systems.

Whatever the option chosen, let’s raise a glass of crystal-clear water in a toast to living healthier.

Enhanced Protection

Choosing the right water filtration is a big decision. Before you buy, this advanced tech is definitely worth considering.

Mimicking Natural Osmosis

Available as a standalone device up to a whole-house system, reverse osmosis (RO) reverses the flow of water through multi-stage sediment and carbon filters and other membranes to remove contaminants up to .0001 micron in size (protozoa, bacteria, viruses, chemical contaminants).

Pathogen-Killing UV

UV water-purification alters the DNA of bacteria, viruses, and protozoans, so they can’t reproduce or otherwise harm those drinking the water. It’s usually combined with filters to remove chemicals, heavy metals, and sediment.

Distilled Convenience

Why buy overpriced distilled water when you can invest in your own countertop system? While many are expensive, there are affordable options if you shop around; you’ll get your ROI (return on investment) quickly if you have a CPAP water purifier.
Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please write to us at [email protected] or Features, The Epoch Times, 229 W. 28th St., Floor 7, New York, NY 10001.
Sandy Lindsey
Sandy Lindsey
Author
Sandy Lindsey is an award-winning writer who covers home, gardening, DIY projects, pets, and boating. She has two books with McGraw-Hill.
Related Topics