Drinking an adequate amount of water every day is essential for your health. Water is a powerful drink that replenishes your cells with enough oxygen and aids nutrient absorption. Not only that, but water also helps regulate body temperature and promotes a healthy digestive system.
If you're into weight loss and workouts, water is also the perfect go-to drink since it's calorie-free and helps with hydration. You see, water is an important component in achieving your health goals. Therefore, ensuring that your drinking water is of the best quality is a must, don't you think so?
Safe drinking water is the key to maximizing all health benefits of water. Otherwise, not only will water taste bad, but it can also put you in so many health risks. As such, drinking unfiltered tap water is not the best way to ensure water quality.
You may also think that constantly buying bottled water is a waste of money and is not very environment-friendly. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) strongly advocates for tap water instead of bottled water because plastic bottles contain harmful chemicals that can pose threat to the environment.
Realizing all these, you begin to entertain the idea of a water filtration system where clean and good-tasting water pours at the turn of a tap.
Now, you won't have to endure the bitter metallic taste of unfiltered water, nor waste a dime on buying bottled water. Easy, quick, and convenient—who wouldn't want that in the comfort of your own home?
HOW DOES THE WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM WORK?
Physical Filtration Vs Chemical Filtration
Before getting into the process of a water filtration system, it is important to note there are two techniques that are used to filter water. One is physical filtration where water impurities are filtered out by straining. Next is chemical filtration where water combines with active materials and gets chemically treated to remove impurities.
Types of Water Filters
-
Granular Activated carbon
First on the list is a type of water filter that is commonly used in households. GAC is nothing like ordinary carbon; it is more reactive, purer, and has a higher surface area. It is used inside a water filter to remove chemicals such as chlorine, pesticides, chloroform, and other impurities from water.
Basically, as water passes through the filter channel, the loose carbon particles filter out certain chemicals that are dissolved in water. This is a cost-effective way of providing clean and filtered water for the whole house.
-
Reverse Osmosis Filters
Filtering out chemicals such as iron and nitrate is not feasible using the GAC method. These chemicals aren't attracted to carbon, hence other types of water filters are needed to remove them.
This is where the reverse osmosis system gets taken into consideration. This filter system involves constraining polluted water through a semipermeable membrane by constant pressure. As a result, it filters out contaminants as water flows from the more concentrated area to the less concentrated area.
It is important to note that the more concentrated water is, the more contaminants. Conversely, the less concentrated water is, the lesser the contaminants.
The water from the less concentrated side is called the permeate, or the clean water you will receive from the tap water. On the other hand, the water from the more concentrated side is called the brine (or the waste).
This water treatment system is effective in filtering out sediments, chlorine, and other contaminants or dissolved solids in water.
Furthermore, it is also known to have a high filtration efficiency rate of 99% with its capacity to remove bacteria, sulfates, fluoride, and other toxins in the water. It is a high technological advancement that allows water purification that works even in non-potable tap water.
To add, it can also turn high-mineral content water drinkable. One downside though is that it can also remove healthy minerals from the water.
-
Ion Exchange
Another filtration process is through ion exchange. This is more of water softeners than water filters. Ion exchange binds with resin materials, which in return removes magnesium and calcium. It then strains water through the resins and ions in the water are interchanged with the ions present in the resins.
Basically, it helps neutralize water by the equal removal of both negatively and positively charged ions and the replacement of "bad" ions for "good" ones.
So, how exactly does this filtering water process work? Ion exchanges are made out of zeolite beads with sodium ions.
By definition, hard water is full of magnesium and calcium compounds. Upon mixing hard water into the ion exchange, these magnesium and calcium compounds are transformed into magnesium ions and calcium ions, respectively.
After which, the filter beads trap these ions while freeing their own sodium ions to exchange them with. With the absence of magnesium and calcium ions, the water becomes more drinkable to most people.
Although, one disadvantage of this kind of water filter is that it requires constant recharging of filters, making it less energy efficient. You need to regularly add a certain type of salt to recharge the filter's water softeners.
-
Distillation
One of the traditional ways of filtering water is by using heat to kill microscopic organisms such as bacteria. You can say that distillation is just a few steps ahead of boiling water.
Essentially, it begins with heating the water until it reaches its boiling point. Next, the water goes through the process of condensation where the water is turned into vapor and is cooled as it passes through water pipes.
As the water vapor condenses, it begins the process of distillation. You can say that it simply separates certain components from water through boiling and condensation.
While heat is an effective agent in killing bacteria, it does not effectively filter out other contaminants, limescale, and sediments.
Furthermore, there are contaminants like volatile organic compounds that boil at a lower temperature as compared to water. As a result, they simply evaporate along the steam without getting removed through the distillation process.
THE DANGERS OF DRINKING UNFILTERED TAP WATER
As previously mentioned, clean water is necessary for maintaining good health. Therefore, there are health risks associated with drinking unfiltered tap water. With over 700 chemicals present in tap water, two of the most dangerous chemicals found are chlorine and fluoride.
Drinking water without chlorination (a process of disinfection) poses health threats caused by waterborne microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. At the same time, failure to remove fluoride from the water also results in bone and teeth issues when consumed.
In fact, it may even lead to more serious health problems such as skeletal fluorosis, joint damage, and impaired neurological development.
Since tap water runs directly from a natural source of water, it is expected to carry a myriad of harmful components in each flow. Hence, without water filters, tap water will remain contaminated with harmful microorganisms and unhealthy chemicals.
After all, tap water is raw water without any form of chemical treatment. We've always been taught that natural is better, but in this case, natural water will put you in danger.
Yes, you will save a lot of money and energy if you opted to not get water filters, but it will compromise your health. If your primary water supply is unfiltered tap water, you will be susceptible to diarrhea, sepsis, and cholera. Worse, you may be setting yourself closer to death than you'll ever know.
Drinking unfiltered water is especially dangerous to children, the elderly, and people with comorbidities or weak immune systems. They can be easily attacked by adverse effects brought upon by contaminated tap water.
Furthermore, even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have publicized some advisory about drinking water without any form of filtration and/or treatment systems. According to them, unfiltered water may lead to outbreaks of salmonella, hepatitis A, E.coli, and norovirus.
Drawing from all these, drinking filtered water is the best option for your water needs. It is unsafe, risky, and dangerous to drink water that is untreated and unfiltered. Setting up filtration systems at home may cause a bit at first, but it will save you a lot in the long run.
Ultimately, water filters are the best option for providing your family with drinking water that is clean and safe. As such, it is always better to spend money on water filtration systems rather than on some hospital bills, don't you agree?
THE BENEFITS OF DRINKING FILTERED WATER
Cleaner, Safer, and Healthier
As previously mentioned, filtered water is a much cleaner, safer, and healthier choice for your drinking water needs. This is perhaps the biggest benefit you can get from drinking filtered water.
It protects your body from diseases caused by waterborne microorganisms and serious symptoms such as vomiting, stomachache, and diarrhea. It also gives your body defense against toxins and harmful chemicals present in unfiltered water.
Overall, it gives you purer and healthier drinking water that replenishes your bodily functions and strengthens your immune system.
More Chlorine-free
Chlorine is present in unfiltered tap water. Chlorine is a harmful component that can disrupt your respiratory system, thereby causing symptoms such as airway irritation, wheezing, coughing, and difficulty in breathing.
It can also pose health risks such as eye irritation and skin irritation. Moreover, according to recent studies, chlorine is linked to cancer itself. In retrospect, chlorine is especially dangerous when consumed in large numbers. Hence, the removal of chlorine from drinking water is a necessity.
With filtered water, you don't have to worry about this because it is proven to be more chlorine-free. In fact, filtration systems are proven to remove most chlorine present in tap water, which can go up to 99% of the whole. Hence, by using filtered water, you will be free of the chlorine-related health hazards that can make you unwell for a few days or more.
No Metals or Minerals
Apart from chlorine, you can also expect your filtered water to be free of metals and minerals. This may also include water filters that operate to remove sediment, mold, dirt, and another form of impurities.
Water is also easily contaminated by rust that came from dirty pipes. However, if you use water filters, you will get clean water quality that is safe to drink for you and your family.
Better Taste and Smell
As we all know, unfiltered water carries out a bland, sometimes evidently bitter, metallic-tasting flavor that is very hard to brush off. To add, it also carries out the same bad and metallic-smelling odor that sometimes smells like water from a contaminated sewage system.
When drinking water, it is essential for water to taste good, otherwise, you'll resort to buying artificially-flavored drinks such as soda to compensate for its bad taste.
With the use of water filters, you can also expect an improved taste and smell of water. Since water is filtered out of toxins and other pollutants, water will be more pleasant to drink.
A More Eco-Friendly Choice
Drinking filtered water is proven to be a more eco-friendly option for clean water than bottled water. In the midst of climate change, it is important to do your part and go green for the sake of the surroundings.
Instead of splurging on plastic bottles, buy a recyclable and reusable water bottle and fill it with filtered water. In that way, not only will you gain access to safe drinking water, but you're also helping the environment heal from plastic pollution.
Cheaper and More Convenient
You may think that buying bottled water is cheaper since it only costs a few bucks. However, a single bottle will only last you for a few hours, and then you will have to buy it again to satisfy your water needs.
If you add up the money you've spent on bottled water all throughout the day, you will be surprised by how big the total amount would be. In contrast, if you invest reliable filter, it will cost you less in the long run and will keep your water hydrated for a few weeks.
On the other hand, investing in water filters at your home is also more convenient. You can easily just get drinking water at a turn of a tap.
You won't have to go out and buy water since you can have it in just a few steps inside your home premises. To add, you can also use filtered water in cooking and refilling water tumblers.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, water is essential in our day-to-day living. In fact, some studies suggest that a person can live for eight to twenty days without food. However, a person can't go waterless for a few hours without feeling dehydrated, dizzy, and light-headed.
You will also endure hard stools and bad constipation. Not only that, you'll experience side effects of lack of water such as dry and dull skin, along with abdominal pains and cramps. Therefore, water is definitely not something that you can live without.
However, getting access to water is only the bare minimum. The water should be clean, sanitized, and properly treated for it to bring positive effects to our bodies.
This is the reason why drinking filtered water is important to keep your health intact. As previously discussed, there are a number of ways that water filtration can work, as well as the different types of water filters.
Depending on your preference and the kind of household you maintain, you can simply choose from the ones listed above and hire an expert to ensure a professional installation.
To end, the statement, "Health is wealth," stays true in the lives of every individual. We depend on sanitized water for natural absorption and cell oxygenation. We also drink water to flush body waste off our bodies, aid digestive processes and normalize blood pressure.
It also helps us maintain smooth, healthy, and radiant-looking skin. Therefore, spending money on a good and reliable water filtration system is a good investment. It will provide your and your family with one of the basic needs, which is to drink water.
Additionally, it will also prevent you from contracting diseases and illnesses caused by unsanitized and unfiltered water.
Luckily, we have the Berkey water filters to help us sustain a fresh and purified water supply. Berkey water filters are portable water purifiers that have gained popularity in the United States for the last few decades.
So, there we have it! Drink clean and safe water in the comfort of your home. You don't have to be always on the line, waiting for your turn in the cashier queue just to pay for your bottled water.
All you need to do is take a few steps, turn the tap on, and enjoy a drink of filtered water that is free from any form of contaminants.
← Older Post Newer Post →