Can we trust water purifiers?

Worrying about contaminated water is not a new phenomenon. In the past, some people believed that drinking groundwater was dangerous because it could be polluted by natural or human contamination. However, in the last few decades, we have seen an increase in awareness and concern about the quality of tap and groundwaters. Thus, a lot of people started to use purified drinking water as their main source of hydration. These are the main reasons why so many people started buying or investing in bottled waters to quench their thirst for clean drinkable liquid. Currently, most homes are shifting from buying bottled water to investing in water purifiers. The purpose of this article is to answer the question, “Can we trust water purifiers?” the answer is YES! Read on to understand what a water purifier is, how it works, its importance, and the types available.

What is a water purifier?  
A water purifier is one of the most important and pivotal appliances that every household should have. It is imperative to protect yourself and your family from unsafe drinking conditions by purifying the water. Water purification is the process of removing contaminants or other unwanted substances from water to make it safe for consumption. This process can be achieved through chemical, physical or biological methods.

How does a water purifier work?
As stated earlier, a water purifier works with the principle of water purification. This principle involves three stages: 1) Disinfection 2) Filtration 3) Purification. The first stage involves sucking up raw water (usually contaminated) from the source, then disinfecting the water by adding chemicals like chlorine or iodine. The second stage is where the water gets purified by passing through a filter that removes particles, viruses, bacteria, and other impurities from the water. The last stage involves making sure that there are no chemical substances left behind which can contaminate drinking water for humans or animals later. 

Importance of using a water purifier 
Whether your water is obtained from a borehole or well or is delivered by a water distribution company, you want to ensure that it’s safe for your family. There are many opportunities for contaminants to enter your water, and even if your water is free of contaminants, high levels of minerals can affect the taste of your tap water or make the operation of your dishwasher or clothes washer less efficient. The best way to tackle these issues is to purifier your water in your home, at the point where you will use it. Here are some of the benefits of using a water purifier.

1 Water purifiers help to improve the taste of your water.

2 Water purifiers are safe to use and are recommended by health professionals.

3 Water purifiers help remove chemicals, pesticides, and other harmful contaminants found in drinking water sources.

4 Water purifiers do not require large amounts of space and can be placed anywhere like the kitchen, dining room, or sitting room.

5 Water purifiers are very easy to install.

6 Water purifiers help prevent illnesses and diseases like kidney stones and other diseases associated with water.

7 Water purifiers help prevent skin irritation and conditions like eczema or psoriasis.

8 Water purifiers help improve your dental health i.e., you will have cleaner teeth and fresher breath

9 Water purifiers help save money as you won't have to buy bottled or sachet water.

10 Water purifiers help preserve the environment as it reduces the use of plastic bottles in your home.

11 Water purifiers help reduce potential plumbing issues caused by minerals, heavy metals, and chemicals. By eliminating these potentially damaging factors at the source, you can extend the life of your pipes, hot-water heaters, and other home appliances. 

Understanding the popular water purification techniques 
Different water purifiers use different techniques of purification. Common techniques used to purify water include boiling, carbon filtering, distilling, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, electrode ionization, water conditioning, and plumbo-solvency reduction. Let us look at the science behind some of these purification techniques.

• Reverse osmosis. 
This is the gold standard for home water filter systems. These systems use air pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane. Properly installed, these systems can handle a large quantity of filtered water and eliminate almost all contaminants. Reverse osmosis systems are designed to operate as a whole house water filter. They're placed in a central location and provide the entire home with filtered water.

• Ion exchange
These systems are known by other names, usually water softeners or exchange systems. They are designed as whole-home systems, so all the water in your home will receive the benefits of employing one of these systems. The system works by creating positively charged ions that attract the negatively charged ions of earth metals like barium, calcium, and magnesium, minerals that can cause your water to taste bad and negatively impact your health.

• Activated carbon/ carbon filtering  
Activated carbon systems are relatively inexpensive and quite common. Activated carbon systems are usually located at the point of delivery, that is, before an individual faucet, such as in your kitchen. Your water supply flows through an activated carbon filter located in line with the faucet and the filter removes chemicals, parasites, or heavy metals present in the water. Activated carbon filtration systems are easy to install, but the carbon filters in the system will need to be replaced regularly, and they do not cover the entire home, just the faucet you’ve installed them in line with.

Types of water purifiers 
There are many types of water purifiers, so the type you choose will depend on your needs. You can get a purifier that looks like a coffee maker, a jug that contains activated carbon, or a countertop machine. Contact us for more information on the type of water purifier perfect for your home.