Considering water’s many functions in maintaining health, investment in a quality water filtration system right here and now reflects true wisdom. Every day researchers discover new ways in which the production, dissemination, deterioration and improper disposal of toxic chemicals poison our ground water systems and rivers in turn negatively impacting the ecosystems of our entire planet. Most likely your government has decided to regulate your local water systems which might seem like a good solution until you realize that their so-called ‘maximum contaminant levels’ are grossly unacceptable while false pretenses in turn provide justification for their fluoridation of your municipal water supplies without consideration for the documented maladaption of various organic tissues under regular exposure to flouride. In addition, due to the major increase in emission of greenhouse gases perpetrated by humanity in recent history, earth’s global temperature rises now at a potentially catastrophic rate. Combine all these factors and it becomes clear that the practices of humanity as a whole have put a premium on the clean, pure water that should be included in the birthrights of every being on the planet; one need only consider the recent economic boom in the bottled water industry for evidence. Bottled water too might seem a decent solution, but in the process of manufacturing the plastic bottles, greenhouse gases and other pollutants compromise much more water than the bottles themselves ever hold and their contents can leach additional contaminants from the plastic. The bottled water often comes directly from the same municipal water supplies that provide your unclean tap water or even more unsatisfactory sources and is regulated by only the FDA‘s standards for safe drinking water which subsequently are never enforced. Conditions being in the grim state that we find them, your only option is to purify your own water with a well-crafted water filter system.
- Brita Slim Water Pitcher
- Brita Deluxe Water Pitcher
- Brita Atlantis Water Pitcher
- Brita Aqualux Water Pitcher
- Brita Fjord Water Pitcher
- Brita Riviera Water Pitcher
- Brita Classic Water Pitcher
- Brita Ultramax Water Dispenser
- Brita 5-Pack Replacement Filters
Ion Exchange Resin and Activated Carbon Granules – DI De-Ionize De-Mineralize Filter
Expectedly, countless water filtration systems now flood the market. Evaluating any of these products requires consideration of the type of filtration taking place, the efficiency of the filters, the net cost of the clean water produced, the conditions under which you intend to use the product and the reliability of the water filtration system itself. Every water filtration system transfers your water through both mesh screen filtration and activated carbon granule filtration at least once. The screening process traps all particulate matter that cannot pass through the filtration screen reducing many illness-causing contaminants including bacteria like Klebsiella terrigena, protozoan cysts like cryptosporidium and giardia, and carcinogens like benzene. The ion exchange resin with activated carbon granules (DI Water Filter) reduces lead, mercury, zinc, cadmium and copper, pesticides like lindane and DDT, trihalomethanes (THMs) and chlorine. This de-ionization, de-mineralization process causes harmful agents to bond with the plentiful surface areas of the activated carbon granules, removing unpleasant tastes and odors from your water.
All pitcher-type products will filter your water from the filling chamber, through the replacement unit screens and DI-filters, until clean water trickles into the storage reservoir at the bottom of the pitcher. Brita has the best line of products that rely on these common filtration methods. Brita pitchers come in numerous styles and sizes that all employ the Brita pitcher replacement filters and thus all require filter replacement every 40 gallons (2-3 months). $28.00 per brita pitcher five-filter pack ÷ 5 replacement filters ÷ 40 gallons ≈ $0.14 per gallon for a pitcher-type product when solely considering the cost of replacement filters.
Brita filter water pitchers cost little and filter various harmful elements from your water at a good rejection rate but if speed of filtration concerns you then consider a Brita faucet mountable filtration system. The Brita On Tap Filters allow you to use whatever water storage solution you desire, differing slightly from the Brita pitcher replacement filters in that these filters last longer and will quickly flow clean water through your pressurized water faucet for less cost than their counterparts. Each Brita faucet filtration system replacement filter remains functional through 100 gallons of water (3-4 months). $25 per faucet filter pack ÷ 2 replacement filters ÷ 100 gallons ≈ $0.13 per gallon for a faucet-type product. Prices differ little between Brita and their main competitor Pur but numerous customer responses at Amazon indicate that Pur pitchers and Pur faucet filtration systems all suffer hairline fractures that soon render the products unusable. Pur filters however remain reliable, especially considering their recent merger with Katadyn of Switzerland. At this level of filtration Brita filter products triumph but still fall short of higher level filtration systems in both rejection rate and cost efficiencies.
Microfilter Sub-Micron Filtration and Ceramic Filters with Impregnated Silver
These drinking water filtration systems from Katadyn, Aquasana, and WaterGeneral still use activated carbon granule DI filters to reduce harmful organic and inorganic substances like the Brita and Pur systems mentioned above while lending themselves well to special circumstances. When camping outdoors you need a regular supply of clean drinking water. Katadyn of Switzerland has specialized in portable water systems since 1928. In spite of the earlier caveat against Pur products, Katadyn maintains superior quality in their portable product line. Popularized by backpackers, the Katadyn Hiker Pro touts better sub-micron filtration with a glassfiber microfilter screen, better reducing bacteria, protozoan cysts and viruses. Even a crystal-clear stream or lake contains illness-spreading microorganisms that this sturdy and compact portable water filter efficiently rejects. Katadyn Hiker Pro Cartridge Replacement Filters can pump 200 gallons before replacement (4-8 months). $35.00 per sub-micron filtration replacement ÷ 200 gallons ≈ $0.18 per gallon for a compact personal water filter.
For long-term camping with a base camp you can store your clean water at higher volume. Katadyn also manufactures the TRK Drip Gravidyn water filtration system. In further support of extended outdoor excursions, it has special filters that tolerate multiple manual cleanings so as to last much longer than activated carbon granulate filters. With the help of some impregnated silver to delay the growth of bacteria, the trk gravidyn’s three micro porous ceramic filters can clean 13,000 gallons of water (6-12 months). $50.00 per micro-filters replacement × 3 ceramic filter elements ÷ 13,000 gallons ≈ $0.02 per gallon for a high-volume outdoor water filtration system. Katadyn’s innovations ease the drinking of clean water outdoors.
Home water purification systems have surpassed simple active carbon DI-filtration as well for special indoor applications. The Aquasana pure drinking water system AQ4000 connects to your faucet, filtering your water through double de-ionizing, de-mineralizing, carbon granule filters. Aquasana’s in-line faucet system rejects harmful elements at a higher rate than any of it’s similarly-priced competitors with sub-micron filtration reducing more organic contaminants (VOCs), chlorine-resistant parasites (cysts) and MTBE (Methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether; the most common oxygenated fuel additive). The AQ-4000 water purifier sits above or below your countertop and each Aquasana replaceable dual carbon water filter cartridges pack filters 500 gallons of water (6-8 months). $48.00 per aq double-filtration replacement kit ÷ 500 gallons ≈ $0.10 per gallon for an under-the-counter drinking water system with double filtration.
The final special case clean drinking water filter system purifies more than just your drinking or tap water. This large double-DI filter system easily pre-cleans the water in your entire home, well, spa, or restaurant and accommodates space-saving scenarios with the half-size WaterGeneral WH-1134 Whole House 10-inch Big Blue water filter set or the WaterGeneral WH-2201 Whole House filtration unit 20 inch Big Blue water filter. Installing this unit inline for your house means reduction of all the normal harmful elements, the stains in sinks, toilets and showers, the plugging of faucet aerators, and normal wearing on expensive faucets. Each twenty-inch Big Blue water filter set filters through 45,000 gallons of water (6-12 months). $60.00 per double-replacement filters kit ÷ 45,000 gallons ≈ $0.002 per gallon for a large-scale, whole-house double DI-filtration system. While unnecessary, pre-filtering with this system saves lots of cash and can pretreat your water, reducing wear on critical reverse osmosis RO systems down the line.
Reverse Osmosis Filtration System
Reverse osmosis (RO) filtration reduces dissolved impurities by applying pressure to force your water through a semi-permeable, spiral-wound membrane to desalt and demineralize with unsurpassed rejection rates. RO filters remove all chemical agents from your water including fluoride and others that no other type of filter can remove. Municipalities and industries use RO filtration desalination to produce consistently clean drinking water supply, transforming normal drinking water to high purity water for industrial use in microelectronics, food and beverage, power and pharmaceutical facilities, effectively rejecting bacteria, pyrogens and organic contaminants.
- RO-585 Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System
- GE Osmonics RO Membrane TFC-100
- FK4 Replacement 4-Filter Kit
- RO-6100 Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- DI Resin Refill 18oz
Many RO water filtration systems have identical configuration to the WaterGeneral RO 585 reverse osmosis water filter system. This unit boasts quality construction at a low price of $105 and includes a dispensing faucet and a 4 gallon pressure tank. The 100GPD RO membrane replacement filter kit filters 100,000 gallons of water (12-36 months) and the replacement filter kit for RO-585, RO-6100+DI and RO-6100DINT systems lasts through 36,000 gallons (6-12 months). ($42.00 per 100-gpd reverse osmosis filter ÷ 2 years + $31.00 per FK4 carbon 4-filter kit) ÷ 36,000 gallons ≈ $0.0014 per gallon for the RO585 filtration system.
The WaterGeneral RO DI 2 output reverse osmosis water system comes similarly equipped for $125 and features clear housings for the stage 1 and 5 filters. The RO filter lasts for 100,000 gallons of water (12-36 months), the replacement filters handle 36,000 gallons (6-12 months) and the 18 Oz clear DI resin refill packet contains enough granulate for 3 refills or 1,600 gallons (4-8 months each refill). ($42.00 per RO-filter ÷ 2 years + $31.00 per 4-filter kit) ÷ 36,000 gallons + $18.00 per resin replacement package ÷ 1,600 gallons ≈ $0.0129 per gallon for the RO6100DI filtration system.
- RO-6102DINT RO Water Filters System 2DI
- FK3 Replacement 3-Filter Kit
- 100GPD GE RO Membrane
- Demineralize Resin Refill
The final top quality RO drinking water system to consider, the aquarium RO 2DI reverse osmosis water filtration system integrates double DI-filters for the best crisp, clean taste available. This eBay-only promotion with one year warranty and free tech support costs only $105, down from $249-$340 for a limited time. All filtration stages except the reverse osmosis fourth stage filtration sport clear housings so you know exactly when your filters need changing and you can further equip this aquarium RO water filter as needed with a 4 gallon pressure tank, a dispensing faucet, a stainless steel ultra violet sterilization uv system for eradicating microbes like E. coli and an extra refillable clear inline filter housing. The reverse osmosis membrane withstands 100,000 gallons (12-36 months), the replacement filters last 36,000 gallons (6-12 months) and the DI resin holds 3 refills for 1,600 gallons (4-8 months each refill). ($42.00 per R O filtration spiral-wound membrane ÷ 2 years + $25.00 per FK-3 active carbon filtration replacement kit) ÷ 36,000 gallons + $18.00 per carbon granule filter resin replacement pack ÷ 1,600 gallons ≈ $0.0128 per gallon for the RO6102DINT filtration system. These three RO+DI water purification systems clearly provide the cleanest drinking water at the lowest net cost.
Reject Water Pollutants
Bottled water prices vary widely but a conservative estimate that ignores the cost of damage to our environment suggests an average of $1.50 – $2.00 per gallon, depending on the number of bottles and the volume of questionably pure water. Even clean water refills at groceries and co-ops cost upwards of $0.30 per gallon and who knows what harsh chemical agents they use to clean their water dispenser systems. Considering the murky outlook on this water crisis you MUST choose the proper drinking water filter system RIGHT NOW or face far greater charges as your health and peace of mind deteriorate through routine imbibement of toxified water.
Pretty good article but most aquarium systems using RO and Deionization use DI resins that will make your water taste HORRIBLE! I know, I built a system for my aquarium and used the water for drinking until I heated some for my tea – the water developed a NASTY smell that was a lot like water in a car radiator – yuk!
I learned you have to use the right DI resins for good tasting drinking water. See the folks at Pure Water Systems, Inc. who make an outstanding RO/DI water filter system for drinking and cooking water. It is a more expensive than the systems mentioned above but it is all about pure water for personal use with an excellent lifetime warranty. I also use the water for my aquarium with outstanding results.
Highly purified de-ionized water is not suggested for drinking due to the necessity of trace ions to maintain cell stability. While concerns about flouride is merited, it is suggested by some health specialists that hard water may have health benefits due to nutritionally significant levels of calcium and other minerals.
i bought the brita in faucet filter and tested the water using electrolysis. the water without brita was horrible and the water after brita was still bad. I have pictures if you want to check it. if I’m wrong, let me know. I want somebody explain the pictures because I don’t know each of the colors and weird components that come up in the electrolysis process. brown, green and some dark you can see inside the water after the process.