Many of us enjoy the comfort of a water filter at home, but how do these systems work?
Water filters range from simple cartridges that make our water taste better, to industrial systems that can remove major contaminants from unsafe and toxic water supplies.
For most of us in the UK, our drinking water is sourced from local supplies that pre-treat the water to ensure safe consumption. In fact, UK tap water is some of the cleanest in the world.
Due to the trace chemicals in tap water, many of us may find unpleasant odours and tastes. In other cases, tap water can cause limescale build-ups that may impact certain applications. Whatever the case may be, water filters remove unwanted contaminants, big and small.
As we continue discussing topics to celebrate Water Quality Month, learn more about how different domestic water filters work.
The main types of home water filters
The three most common home filter systems are:
- Absorption filters
- Mechanical filters
- Reverse Osmosis
Each of these filter methods is used to address specific needs, but all three are designed with the same goal in mind – to remove impurities from water.
Absorption filters
Absorption filters rely on capturing any water-borne contaminants via granular activated carbon (GAC).
Water passes through a fine layer of compact carbon which then absorbs any unwanted impurities, odours, and chemicals. If you’ve ever used a domestic filter such as a jug with replaceable cartridges, these usually rely on carbon absorption to give your drinking water a clean, fresh taste.
Mechanical filters
In a mechanical filtration system, the idea is to physically separate dirt, particles, and sediment from the water.
Generally, mechanical filters will feature some type of mesh or complex pore structure that acts as a net between the water and any particles present. When water is passed through a mechanical filter, unwanted substances are left behind, leaving you with sediment-free and great-tasting water.
Like carbon absorption filters, mechanical filters require replacement to work at full capacity.
And while mechanical filtration is excellent for standard home applications, if you’re looking for something that virtually removes all impurities, you’ll have to look into reverse osmosis.
Reverse-osmosis
Regarded as the most effective and complex water filtration system for home applications, reverse osmosis relies on a multi-step filtration process that pumps water through a high-pressure combination of semi-permeable membranes and carbon-based cartridges before delivering the purest drinking water around.
While mechanical or absorption filters are great at removing basic impurities, reverse osmosis is capable of going much further and removing dissolved inorganic solids, lead, arsenic, fluoride, heavy metals, and even parasitic cysts.
In situations where 99.99% pure water is required, reverse osmosis will be your best option. These complex systems ensure that water contains virtually no byproducts or adulterants.
Water filtration at home: The bottom line
Although the UK has some of the cleanest and safest domestic water supplies in the world, you’re still likely to find chlorine, calcium, and magnesium carbonate in your tap water.
While UK companies regularly test water supplies to ensure safe consumption, water filters can provide us with better taste and help to keep appliances free of limescale buildup.