| It's a sad fact of life that drinking water filters are | | | | Carbon filters do a great job of removing |
| more necessary than ever. Tranquilizers, pain | | | | insecticides, pesticides, petrochemicals, chlorine and |
| killers, herbicides, pesticides, not to mention heavy | | | | volatile organic chemicals, while making sure the |
| metals and bacteria all find their way into the | | | | minerals we need remain behind. What really |
| water we drink and cook with every day. Here | | | | impressed me is that the EPA considers activated |
| are the most effective choices in water filter | | | | carbon to be the best technology when it comes |
| systems and how they stack up. | | | | to removing chlorine and volatile organic chemicals. |
| Reverse Osmosis | | | | Carbon drinking water filters are cheaper than the |
| Reverse osmosis filters were developed years | | | | reverse osmosis ones. They are also easier to |
| ago for use in industrial settings. As such, they | | | | maintain. Pretty much the only maintenance |
| were designed to minimize the amount of | | | | required is to pop in a new cartridge every 6 to 9 |
| sediment left in expensive machinery. Water | | | | months. They don't waste any water, and don't |
| passes through a screen with very small pores, | | | | require any electricity or tanks for proper |
| and anything larger than a molecule of water | | | | operation. |
| stays out. | | | | Installation of carbon drinking water filters is |
| What you end up with if you use reverse | | | | usually really simple. For example, point-of-use |
| osmosis is water devoid of the naturally occurring | | | | filters can just screw onto you tap in minutes. |
| minerals that are essential to our health. In fact, | | | | There are also shower filters and whole house |
| some experts think that drinking de-mineralized | | | | filters you can buy-- those are a really good idea, |
| water long-term leads to various nutritional | | | | since a lot of harmful chemicals get inhaled or |
| deficiencies and health problems. Also, many | | | | absorbed through our skin. |
| chemicals contaminants have molecules smaller | | | | "Fancy" Technology |
| than water-- so they don't get filtered out, ending | | | | Then there is a whole slew of water purification |
| up in your tap water instead. | | | | products with various claims, some more |
| Reverse osmosis filters are expensive to operate | | | | outlandish than others: water energizers, water |
| and maintain. Booster pumps, storage tanks, | | | | ionizers, magnetic and UV filters etc. Some of |
| electricity use, and backwashing are all | | | | them make more sense than others, but none of |
| inconveniences that come with these systems. | | | | them have a proven track record showing that |
| Reverse osmosis is a really good idea if you for | | | | they are effective, cost effective and easy to |
| some reason have to rely on sea water and need | | | | maintain in the long run. If I'm going to go through |
| to get rid of the salt. Other than that, they are | | | | the trouble and expense, I want to be sure I get |
| really not a great choice. | | | | what I'm paying for: good, healthy water. |
| Carbon Filtration | | | | In conclusion, I am a big advocate of charcoal |
| Carbon water filter systems use blocks of | | | | drinking water filters. If you buy a quality product |
| activated charcoal blended with a chemically | | | | from a reputable manufacturer, these water filter |
| charged resin. Chemical contaminants, heavy | | | | systems are sure to protect your health-- and |
| metals etc. all bond, chemically or physically, to this | | | | your pocketbook-- for a long time to come. |
| block and are removed from the water. | | | | |