As concern for the levels of contaminants found in drinking water is fueled by media coverage of toxic chemicals in our environment, more and more people are looking into options for filtering the water at home, using a water filter.
The reverse osmosis system is a more advanced technology than a basic carbon filter. Reverse osmosis includes activated carbon as well as a membrane.
Water Contamination and Reverse Osmosis
For tap water from municipal treatment plants, each water contaminant detected must be reported to consumers in an annual Drinking Water Report.
A partial list of contaminants that reverse osmosis technology can remove includes the following:
- arsenic (pentavalent)
- asbestos
- barium
- benzene
- cadmium
- copper
- chlorine taste and odor
- cysts
- fluoride
- haloacetic acids (HAA5's)
- lead
- magnesium
- nitrates and nitrites
- parasites like cryptosporidium
- perfluorochemicals (PFC's)
- radium
- selenium
- sodium
- sulfate
- tannin
- tds (total dissolved solids)volatile organic chemicals (VOC's)
- trihalomethanes (TTHM's)
- zinc
Filter Quality and NSF Certification
Filter quality varies in the reverse osmosis industry. The Water Quality Association has a list of NSF/ANSI-58 standard certified reverse osmosis units alphabetically by manufacturer for reduction claims by model and brand. Note that this is not a complete list of manufacturers nor does it give a complete list of contaminants removed. The list only reflects the NSF/ANSI-58 standard.
Check with manufacturers directly for complete listing of what contaminants each model has been laboratory tested to remove.
Reverse Osmosis Water
Reverse osmosis water is 90-97% pure, and is safe to cook with, to make baby formula, coffee, tea, and juice with, and to drink. Since taste and odor are improved using the filter, the water-based drinks and water-based soups taste better, too.
Reverse Osmosis is currently the only technology that handles arsenic removal. This may be critical for some people, as Type 2 Diabetes has been linked to even low levels of arsenic in the water.
Two of the industry giants for bottled water – Coca Cola and PepsiCo Company – use the reverse osmosis technology to filter common tap water. These commercial filters remove most contaminants and therefor render the water over 90% pure. To say, then, that these bottled water brands are no better than tap water is misleading and inaccurate.
Home Water Filter Options
Reverse Osmosis is a good option for filtering water for drinking and cooking. Additionally, a whole house water filter might be appropriate depending on the contaminants needing to be removed and the levels of contaminants found.
Whole house water filtration systems are a good option if the contaminants of concern should not be breathed in the shower or inhaled while doing dishes. Examples of these types of contaminants are radon, chlorine and VOC's (volatile organic chemicals) such as benzene and toluene.
Basic water softeners remove minerals and some iron, but do not remove the VOC's, chlorine, or radon unless there are activated carbon beads mixed in with the resin or there is a separate whole house activated carbon filter.
Due to the membrane combined with the carbon filter, reverse osmosis is a practical, advanced technology that will remove almost every contaminant from problem tap or well water and provide pure, clean, safe drinking water in the home.
Sources:
- Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.)
- Performance Data Sheet for the Ecowater Systems Reverse Osmosis Filter, Model ERO-375 Series (6/20/08, Rev. F)
- Water Quality Association
- The Drinking Water Book by Colin Ingram, (Ten Speed Press, 1991)
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