What Is Filtered Water: The Essential Facts
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Have you ever wondered how clean the water you are drinking is? When it comes to drinking water, it is essential to ensure that it is 100% free from contaminants that might put you and your family at risk. Hence, many people are shifting their trust from tap water to filtered water, but still, many still wonder and ask "What is filtered water?"
As an overview, tap water is the most economical type of water that has been or is still being used today, but a huge concern over its quality and safety sparked the proliferation of bottled water industry. On the other hand, bottled water draws economic and financial issues. Thanks to the advent of innovation, the issue of low water quality is being treated with water filtration solution, so we'll learn more about filtered water to see if its worthy or not
What Is Filtered Water?
Filtered water comes from the natural source and goes through a filtration system to remove bacteria, chlorine, pesticides, and heavy metals. It also helps eliminate phthalate, Cryptosporidium sp., and other contaminants that the municipal water lines and bottled water companies haven’t managed yet.
Here are other common elements that are removed using the water filtration system:
Aluminium: It is a specific metal that comes with the municipal water that can cause hyperactivity, Alzheimer’s disease, skin problems, and learning disabilities in kids.
fluoride: It is known to help improve oral health, but it is also linked with a weak immune system and cell damage. Read more here
Disinfection byproducts: These are harmful products that result from chlorine that is used to sterilise water.
Arsenic: It is a compound known to increase the risk of several types of cancer, and a considerable level of arsenic can be found in tap water.
Today, filtered water is more cost-effective than tap water and bottled water. Also, the water filter utilizes less or equal energy necessary to propel water through a house’s plumbing system. There are more reasons why households are switching to water filtration system.
Difference between Filtered Water and Purified Water
Filtered water and purified water are often intertwined. While both remove unwanted elements from the water, they do it in different ways. That said, purified water system sometimes cleans the water using chemicals, such as iodine or chlorine, instead of removing the impurities. Specific kinds of purified water system such as reverse osmosis remove magnesium and calcium too together with the contaminants.
The notion of the term “purified water” can be tricky because it is used to identify distilled water, filtered water, and deionized water. Hence, it is essential to understand how purified water and other types of water are treated.
Benefits of Filtered Water
Filtered water has a lot of advantages not only for improving water quality but also in conserving the environment, and some of which include:
Compared to bottled water, filtered water helps reduce the number of used plastic that takes not less than 300 years to degrade.
Filtered water protects the body from diseases and helps improve overall health.
The water filter is the final stage that removes thousands of toxins that are not eliminated by the municipal water line.
Filtered water helps to improve the immune system of children and prevent learning disabilities.
Good minerals such as zinc, calcium, and magnesium are retained in the water filtration system.
Water filtration improves the overall taste and smell of water because it removes impurities.
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Brita Ultra Max Filtering Dispenser
Types of Filtration Techniques
Below are the most common types of filtering processes that are used in home water treatment systems:
1. Activated Carbon
Activated carbon is the cheapest type of filter commonly used in countertop pitchers, faucet-mounted units, and under-sink filter systems. It is contained in a filtering screen where it repels and absorbs the heavy metals, pesticides, parasites, radon, and other unwanted particles that may be present in water.
2. Distillation
This process includes boiling the water into steam. Through distillation, heavy metals, pathogens, and bacteria are killed and removed. It also absorbs arsenic, lead, and mercury which can cause long-term health issues.
3. Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is the ideal type of filter for people with a weak immune system. Compared to other filtration processes, it tends to remove a higher level of pathogens. It is done by utilizing pressure to force the water through a semi-penetrable membrane to eliminate all unwanted elements.
Reverse osmosis is very effective, and one of the most expensive methods, but has more water waste. In fact, 15 liters of water gets thrown for every 3.7 liters of purified water produced.
4. Aeration
Aeration is usually utilized at the point of entry. Through this filter, the water is forced to pass through high-pressure air jets. During this process, radon or fuel byproducts are converted to a gas that evaporates in water. However, aeration does not eliminate parasites, mercury, and other contaminants.
What Are the Factors to Consider When Setting Up a Filtering System
You can’t just set up a water filter system at your home without knowing the kind of tap water that runs through your pipes. The system can be ineffective or even make your water worse without considering the following factors:
1. Tap Water
Tap water in various water lines varies. They contain different contaminants at different levels, so you must determine what you are trying to get rid of from your water. For instance, you can’t install an aerator filter system when you are targeting to remove bacteria from water.
2. Source of Water
You need to know where the tap water comes from. Does it come from a private well? Are the old pipes in your house made with lead? If you answer is yes to both, then you might need to have your water tested. The US Environmental Protection Agency can suggest companies that can do the test.
3. Periodic Replacement
Another critical factor in setting up a filter system is to understand the manufacturer’s recommended periodic replacement. The filter gets clogged over time, and it lessens its effectiveness in cleaning the water. If the water gets through a clogged filter, then the contaminants will definitely leak into it which makes your “assumed” filtered water more dangerous to health. Read more here
Conclusion
Water is vital in every living organism. The human body is made up of 60% water which helps regulate the temperature and other body functions that is why nutritionists recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water every day.
More than the number of the recommended amount of water intake, it is also essential to guarantee that you are drinking safe and clean water. The question “What is filtered water?” and other filtration-related queries have been answered and clarified, so go and make necessary steps to set-up a filtration system that corresponds to the tap water you have.
