The effects of water pollution are widespread and the dangers are obvious. Nevertheless, in our present political climate, even such important issues as these become mired in bureaucratic mud. Thus, the problem trickles down to one of individual responsibility. When it comes time to wet your palate, the decision of what to drink and what to avoid is yours alone. Perhaps this is the way it ought to be. If we don't make that decision, one day the government may make it for us. But herein also lies a burden that of educating oneself about the numerous options. What follows is a brief discussion of many of those options for buying or making clean drinking, cooking, and bathing water.
For most of us, this bubbles up a lot of questions: Is bottled water safe? Which one is best? What is a distiller? What makes the price of one water treatment device $20 and another over $1,000. How do I know which one I need?
This list of questions can get long and the decision so forbidding and technical that the easiest choice is to do nothing. Buying bottled water from the supermarket is often the result of this non-decision. After all, home water cleaning equipment requires an investment and unlike cars, you cannot take them for a test drive. Consumer magazines may on occasion compare bottled waters, filters, or distillers, but rarely do they contrast the different categories against each other. Yet, you the consumer, require this kind of information to make an educated decision that is correct for your health, pocketbook, and lifestyle.
One caveat about our discussion of the different waters - Perfection is unattainable. While these waters do their job of reducing certain contaminants to healthy levels, it is incorrect to assume that any bottled water or water treatment device removes 100% of everything or anything. True, in many cases, we can achieve 99% and even 99.9% reduction of a contaminant. But filters age and conditions change and what was once 99% may now be less. Suffice it to say that when you see such terms as “eliminates” or ”removes” or “purifies,” while they may be true overall, you cannot assume them to indicate 100% perfection. “Pure” and “clean” are unattainable ideals. However, as you read on, you will definitely find there are numerous ways to get safe, healthy, and delicious water for you and your family.
Bottled Water
Bottled water is tap water or well water that is processed, bottled and delivered to home or store. Bottling removes metallic tastes, odors, colors, arsenic, asbestos, benzene, lead, mercury, nitrates, trichloroethylene, total trihalomethanes, radium, radon and cryptosporidium. A person using bottled water for drinking and cooking could spend over $700 per year. Find out more in the “Bottled Water” page.
Water Filters
Activated carbon filters fit a cartridge mounted under the sink or on the faucet. Only solid block filters remove crypto and lead. Some remove chlorination by-products, cleaning solvents and pesticides. The filters must be replaced regularly. Contaminated filters may actually be more dangerous than tap water. Pour through pitchers usually contain a granular carbon filter. Filtration removes metallic tastes, odors, asbestos, benzene, lead, mercury, trichloroethylene, radon and cryptosporidium. Some filters, using brass fittings, have been found to add lead to the water treated.
Faucet-mounted filters cost from $9 to $25 with cartridge costs running $27 to $90 per year. Carafe filters runs from $5 to $13 and filters cost $28 to $78 per year. About 20% of U.S. households already own a water filter of some kind. The industry expects that figure to reach 50% in five years, a 30% annual growth rate. Find out more in the “Water Filters” page.
Water Distillation
Distillation systems use a tank in which water is boiled into steam and condensed into almost pure water. Some contaminants can vaporize and recondense in to the collecting jar unless there is a carbon filter. Distillation removes metallic tastes, odors, colors, arsenic, asbestos, benzene, lead, mercury, nitrates, trichloroethylene, total trihalomethanes, radium, radon coliform bacteria and cryptosporidium. Units costs from $250 to $1,450. Find out more in the “Distilled Water” page.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems use a pre-filter, activated carbon filter and a semi-permeable membrane through which water flows under pressure into a storage tank. RO systems remove dirt, pesticides, insecticides, metallic tastes, odors, colors, arsenic, asbestos, benzene, iron, lead, mercury, nitrates, trichloroethylene, total trihalomethanes, radium, radon and cryptosporidium. Units cost between $600-900, with annual cartridge costs of $120 to $170. Find out more in the “Reverse Osmosis” page.
Other Water Treatments
Ionization (soft water treatment), Bactericides, Ozonation, Ultra-Violet Lighting. Find out more in the “Other Treatments” page.
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