Trying to find whole-house water treatment systems can be confusing. The right home water treatment system for your family depends largely on what contaminants are present in your water supply.
Reverse Osmosis Usually Not a Good Choice
Some people recommend reverse osmosis (RO) for home water treatment system, but with the technological advances that have been made over the years, you probably dont need it or want it.
The RO units are large, expensive and wasteful. Unless your source is an untreated river or lake, you are not likely to have contaminants that require reverse osmosis for removal.
If you have a private well, you should have testing conducted in order to choose the right whole-house water treatment systems. Depending on the depth of the well, you may have bacteria, algae, pesticides, herbicides, arsenic, lead, benzene or any number of other impurities. These may also be found in springs, so testing is necessary.
If you are serviced by a public supplier, your primary concerns are synthetic and organic chemicals, lead, copper and tiny cysts. Ill try to briefly cover these one by one, starting with cysts.
Cysts
The term cysts is used primarily to refer to protozoa like cryptosporidium and giardia. They are parasites that cause intestinal infections, similar to food poisoning. They can be deadly if consumed by individuals that are already in poor health. During an outbreak in Milwaukee, for example, over 100 people died from the infection.
In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency warns that cysts may be present in any public or private supply and even in bottled water. They recommend a home water treatment system that includes sub-micron filtration to remove them.
How to Remove Metals & Chemical Threats
Lead, copper and other metallic ions affect the taste and quality of drinking water. Lead is particularly hazardous to ingest, as it is not readily disposed of and accumulates in the body over time. So, even small quantities can cause chronic diseases.
One of the whole-house water treatment systems that will remove lead and other metallic traces is ion exchange. The step can also be used to soften hard water.
Synthetic and organic chemicals are not removed by a reverse osmosis home water treatment system. Thats one of the drawbacks. Granulated carbon and carbon blocks will remove things like chlorine, benzene, VOCs, THMs, perchlorate and even traces of nitrates and pharmaceuticals.
If you are serviced by a public facility, your whole-house wate treatment systems should include, at the very list, granulated carbon and microscopic sediment filters. Instead of the whole house, you can choose a home water treatment system designed solely for the kitchen that includes all of the steps mentioned here. But, dont forget the bathroom.
Researchers have found that exposure to chemical contaminants in the shower is even more hazardous than through drinking them. If youre concerned about cysts, the EPA reminds you that exposure occurs when brushing your teeth.
So, whole-house water treatment systems may be more economical than a variety of units scattered around your household. Hopefully, this information will help you choose the right product. See the resource box for more facts on whole-house water treatment systems.
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