What is the best type of water filter system?

What type of water treatment or filtration system should I purchase?

There are a number of resources available to help you make a good buying decision, including researching the internet. We recommend that you never purchase a product that is sold to you via alarm or alarm tactics and check with several sources before purchasing to ensure that you are getting a high-quality system or replacement part. 

You may also want to consider testing the water or finding the report to know exactly what contaminants are in your water. If you get water from a municipal water supplier, you can review your local “Consumer Confidence Report” (CRC) to find out what’s in your water. Every year, public water suppliers are required to provide a CRC. If you are on a private well, you can submit a water analysis from a certified laboratory.

FOUR COMMON WATER TREATMENT METHODS:

If you are looking for assistance, we are here to help you select the water filter system that best suits your needs.

Here are four of the most used water purification and filtration methods and systems:

1. Reverse osmosis water filtration Reverse

osmosis is a process in which water pressure is used to force water through a semipermeable membrane. When water is forced against the surface of the reverse osmosis membrane, dissolved materials are repelled, while water molecules are diffused across the membrane molecule by molecule, forming purer water on the other side. This “reverse osmosis” method is a popular method for reducing contaminants in water.  

What contaminants can a reverse osmosis system remove?

RO Contaminant rejection table

What is a reverse osmosis system? How does it work?

Reverse osmosis water filtration is an inexpensive, chemical-free way to improve the taste and smell of drinking water. As previously mentioned, an RO system produces clean, filtered water by forcing tap water through a semipermeable membrane and the filtrate is sent to a storage tank. The impurities separated from the water molecules are discharged into the drain. A reverse osmosis system consists of pre and post filters which add further removal of contaminants.

Does my water taste bad? What can be the cause and can it be corrected?

If you want to improve the taste and smell of your drinking and cooking water, a POU (point of use) system installed on your kitchen sink is a great choice. Reverse QWL water filtration systems are a simple and economical solution. Reverse osmosis can remove lead, iron, fluoride, nitrates, and dozens of other contaminants. Additionally, an RO system can greatly improve the taste and quality of your water by removing chlorine and other offensive flavors.

If you choose to treat the whole house, a system installed where water enters the home POE (entry point) system, the first step is to identify the cause of the problem (do a water analysis). Once you have identified the cause of the taste problem, you can then research what type of water treatment equipment is designed to meet your specific needs. 

There is chlorine in my water. Is chlorine bad for you?

There has been a lot of research into the effects of chlorine with evidence showing that the biggest concern is its reaction with natural organic materials such as leaves and humus that form disinfection byproducts, which are considered carcinogenic. Installing a Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System is one of the most effective and economical ways to remove chlorine from drinking water.

2. Sterilization and filtration of ultraviolet water

Ultraviolet: Sunlight has long been known to kill microorganisms. The sun’s rays contain the UV spectrum used in ultraviolet water treatment systems, albeit at much lower intensities. It is also called the germicidal spectrum or frequency. The frequency used to kill microorganisms is 254 nanometers (nm). UV lamps used in water treatment are specifically designed to have the maximum amount of UV energy at this frequency.

What is an ultraviolet system? How does it work?

An ultraviolet (UV) system uses UV light to inactivate certain bacteria, viruses, and cysts that may be present in the water. The water flows through the system’s UV chamber where it is exposed to UV light. For more information on UV water purification, refer to our information page on Ultraviolet Water Purification.

What can UV rays remove?

UV water disinfection is a safe, chemical-free way to treat water and is effective in destroying 99.99% of disease-causing microbes, including:

• Coliform bacteria
• Salmonella
• E.coli
• Virus
• Giardia
• Typhus
• Polio
• Cryptosporidium
• Hepatitis
• Cholera and more

My well water tested positive for coliform bacteria. What does it mean and what can I do about it?

Coli form bacteria can be an indicator that your well is susceptible to contamination by other bacteria as well. You have several options: one is to disinfect the well and retest for coliforms, but this is only a short-term solution. The second option is a long-term solution and involves installing a whole house water disinfection system such as Viqua IHS22-D4.

3. Filtration

Filtration is a process in which water passes through a water system which may include one or more filters for the purpose of removing turbidity, taste, color, iron or odor. The design can consist of reservoir systems for loose media or cartridge devices. In general, the process may include mechanical filters, adsorbents, neutralizers and catalysts / oxidants.

What is a water filtration system?

A process in which water passes through a water system which may include one or more filters for the purpose of removing turbidity, taste, color, iron or odor and certain chemicals such as chlorine. The design can consist of reservoir systems for loose media or cartridge devices. In general, the process may include mechanical filters, adsorbents, neutralizers and catalysts / oxidants.

Once installed, do water filtration equipment require service or parts?

Yes, all water treatment equipment requires occasional attention and many require replacement filters, membranes, lamps, sleeves, and annual cleaning. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended service and maintenance instructions for your system. 

What are sediment filters?

Sediment filters are very important in well water applications, but are also used by municipal water applications. Sediment filters can act as a barrier against grit and particulates that can clog the water filter system, cause problems in household plumbing and shorten the life of appliances that use water.

With a UV water filter system, sediments can reduce effectiveness by hindering the ability of UV light to reach microorganisms in the water. And if sediment isn’t filtered before a whole house water softener, sand or silt could enter the system and scratch and damage the softener’s fine moving parts.

4. Distillation

Distillation is the process in which a liquid such as water is converted by heating to a vapor state and the vapor is cooled and condensed to a liquid state and collected. It is the process of removing liquid (water) from its constituents or contaminants; compared to other processes where contaminants are removed from water (liquid). Distilled water is water that has been purified by going through one or more evaporation-condensation cycles and does not contain substantially dissolved solids. Since distillation requires a lot of energy to produce a small amount of purified water, we do not have distillation systems nor do we recommend distillation products.

What is distilled water?

Distilled water is water that has been purified by going through one or more evaporation-condensation cycles and contains essentially no dissolved solids. It usually contains less than 5.0ppm of TDS.