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| Reverse osmosis, ultraviolet, ozone, carbon: Household water filtration (softener) |
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| In the US and many other countries, it is common to filter all drinking water in the household. There are many different systems to choose from, | |
GE Merlin
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| from simple portable water filters (a filter jug) - usually based on activated carbon filter cartridges that are replaced every now and then from the supermarket - to whole house water filtration systems based on more advanced technologies like RO (reverse osmosis) which compare very well with the other advanced drinking water systems (softeners): Reverse osmosis water purification Reverse osmosis, (also under the name hyperfiltration), is the most efficient filtration technique available today. It is the preferred method of most water bottling companies, as it removes a wide array of contaminants. It can be fairly expensive, both to install and to run. More on how reverse osmosis works here. Reverse osmosis water purification is the most common treatment technology used by premium bottled water companies. Ultraviolet water purification Ultraviolet light of the right intensity will destroy all types of bacteria, yeasts, molds etc. It works quickly, there is no heat (like boiling or pasteurization) and there are no added chemicals (like using chlorine, bromide etc) so it leaves the drinking water pretty much as it is - but without the bugs. You can either have a point-of-entry system in your main incoming water pipe, or you can have smaller systems purifying water only at a single outlet (like your main kitchen tap). Ultraviolet is a cheaper system to install and run than reverse osmosis water purification systems. There is no tank, which is a great benefit both from a cost point of view and because it eliminates the risk of contamination or infections in the tank itself. More on ultraviolet water purification here. Ozone water purification Ozone is a molecule which in itself is relatively unstable and it will let go of an oxygen molecule very easily. This means it is a very good oxidant which can be used in water treatment because it is toxic to most of the unwanted organisms found there. Since it is unstable, it has to be made on-site and added to the water as bubbles. It is widely used in Europe and has been recognized for many years as a safe method of water purification without side-effects to taste. More on ozone water purification here. Activated carbon filtration Activated carbon (charcoal) has been used for many years for water treatment. The activated carbon has a very large internal area and many "holes" in each particle (imagine a popcorn with many holes going into it) where impurities in the water will be trapped. There are activated carbons of many types - mineral based, peat based, coconut based are the most common ones for household water filtration systems. Read more on activated carbons here.
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