Drinking Water Filters - Do I Really Need One?

Did you know that drinking water filters are not all the same? I'm not just talking about brand names, but the different makes of drinking water filter employ different methods of filtration. Some are more efficient than others and in this article I look at why this is so.

In life generally you get what you pay for. Quality costs, but with drinking water filters you do not have to buy the most expensive models to have an efficient system. On the other hand the cheapest models employ a technology that improves the look and taste of the water, but does not remove the harmful chemicals.

When a company includes information about water contamination in its advertising you may think that it is just trying to scare you so that you will be persuaded to purchase one of its drinking water filters. But the advertisements are just repeating the warnings issued by official public bodies like the FDA, the EPA and the CDC. Their reports may be written in dry, official langauage that is hard for the layman to understand, but the facts about tap water contamination are clear once you cut through the jargon.

Traces of lead have been found in tap water in many different parts of the country. Old lead and lead-lined copper pipes are thought be be to blame for the contamination, but the actual cause is not important. Lead is poisonous and particularly dangerous for young children who can suffer brain damage from drinking contaminated water.

If the pipe running from the mains supply to your home is the cause of the contamination, then whatever steps are taken by the public water authorities will have no effect on the water that comes out of your faucet. While you could pay to have your water tested by an independent laboratory, the safest course would be to install a drinking water filter.

There is a parasite called cryptosporidium that lives in water. It is resistant to chlorine treatment, particularly during its phase of life as a cyst. People who drink water containing this parasite can suffer stomach pains. In the case of children, the elderly or those with weakened immune systems the effects can be more severe, even in extreme cases resulting in death. Unfortunately public treatment facilities cannot guarantee that it is not present in your tap water.

If you want to make sure that you avoid this parasite, you have only two choices. You could stop drinking tap water altogether or you could install a drinking water filter. To be absolutely safe you need to ensure that the filter is a type that is certified to remove "cysts". Check the product performance data sheet to establish whether this is the case.

In addition to chlorine,lead and parasites there are more than 2000 chemicals in tap water, many of them potentially cancerous. The federal government has regulations covering the maximum levels of these contaminants in the public water supplies. The problem is that not everyone agrees that these maximum levels are safe or, even if they are, that all local water suppliers are observing them.

For anyone who is concerned about their health and that of their family the conclusion is obvious. Investigate drinking water filters and install one in your home.

Hugh Harris-Evans is a writer and researcher on water purification issues. Visit his site now at http://www.brightwaterfilter.com to get the the facts on how to choose the best water purification system.