There are many contaminants that can be found in drinking water, some are visible, but many are not. Some of the common contaminants include biofilm, fungi, bacteria, chemicals, heavy metals, and more. Municipal water treatment plants remove some contaminants and disinfect the water to a basic standard. But, some emergent and known contaminants are not removed and breaks in the water delivery network allow contamination to occur. For these reasons, many homeowners have chosen to install their own whole-home water filtration systems.

What is a Filtration System?

This is a hard question to answer because the first thing to understand is that there are many makes, models, and types of filtration systems. These are designed to remove specific contaminants and depending on the makeup of your water you may need some and not need others. Most people have more than one water quality problem and it’s common for people to install multiple water treatment systems in series.

POE vs POU

These are acronyms for the two main types of water filtration systems. They are:

Point-of-Entry (POE): These filtration systems are installed where the water enters the home and they treat all the water that’s supplied to every tap and plumbing fixture. This is the ideal option for people that want to shower, clean, and launder their clothes in cleaner water.

Point-of-Use (POU): These are usually installed as a cost cutting measure because they are less expensive than POE systems. The water is cleaned at a single tap which is usually located at the kitchen sink for drinking, cooking, and food prep.

4 Popular Whole-Home Filter Systems

These are four of the most popular whole-home filtrations systems, but there are others to remove specific contaminants:

1.   Reverse Osmosis (RO)

 

The RO filter is a 4-stage system with a semi-permeable membrane filter with tiny pores at its core. The pores are so small that most contaminants are left behind on the filter surface and they are periodically flushed into the drain. The incoming water needs to be put under pressure to force the water through the filter membrane pores. This takes time, the filtered water is stored in a tank for later use.

2.   A UV-C Bacteria Shield

The UV-C wavelength disrupts the DNA of microorganisms that are present in the water. This prevents the bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens from replicating which is what makes them dangerous.

3.   An Acidic Shield

If the incoming water is too acidic it will leave blue-green stains in sinks, tubs, toilets, and other locations. There are other hidden problems, acidic water can corrode copper pipes leading to pinhole leaks and breaks. Water damage is expensive to fix and investing in an acidic shield is a bargain in comparison.

4.   A Toxin Shield

This is a 3-stage filter process that offers good protection against several contaminants, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, disinfection byproducts, industrial chemicals, and more. As an added bonus this filter will remove chlorine and prevent “swimming pool” tastes or odors and dry skin issues.

If you want to install a whole-home water filtration system in your home, contact your local water treatment specialist.

By EcoWater Systems.
EcoWater Systems of Nebraska is the largest water treatment company in the state and is a member of Water Quality Association.