Concerned about your drinking water? Join the crowd. According to a survey by the Water Quality Association, 75% of Americans are wary of their household water supply and 50% express concerns about possible health contaminants in their water. More than 50 million water treatment devices are in use, and the bottled water has become a booming $3.5 billion business.
Is it time for you to invest in a water filter? If so, which one? Scores of companies claim to have the latest and greatest answer to your water needs. Should you buy an under-the-sink reverse-osmosis filter or will a simple spout-mounted filter do? What are your other options?
A Brief Overview
"Most water treatment products are still sold for aesthetic reasons--to improve the odor or taste of water, especially to remove chlorine taste," says Carlyn Meyer, Director of Public Affairs at the Water Quality Institute. But the ranks of people concerned about the unhealthy pollutants that bypass traditional treatment are growing. "There have been a lot of scares regarding nitrates in wells, pesticide runoff, cryptosporidia and the like." Meyer adds. "Buying water treatment products is an insurance policy against possible risks or, if people have had their water tested--which we always recommend--real risks."
Incidents of contracting immediate illnesses from bacterial contaminants are rare. But the possibility that tiny amounts of chemical pollutants may accumulate in our bodies and cause chronic illness later is a serious concern. According to the EPA, "There is genuine concern in the scientific community that prolonged exposure to certain elements, even at levels as low as a few parts per billion or trillion, may be increasing the incidence of cancer and heart disease."
Though municipal water suppliers chlorinate and filter water to rid it of disease-causing impurities, during the past few decades, a witches brew of chemicals from industry and agriculture has seeped into ground water supplies that ultimately find their way to our taps. Through advanced testing, minute traces of more than 2000 toxins can be found in drinking water.
With this risk in mind, Congress enacted the Clean Water Drinking Act in 1974, limiting the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) allowable in drinking water. These standards govern all water utilities that serve at least 25 people or 15 service connections. Most large metropolitan water utilities adhere strictly to these standards and test regularly--even hourly-- with reliable equipment. But not all. For example, the EPA recently filed a court order in Boston to force water utilities to update their facilities, following years of violations. Smaller utilities are even more likely to breach regulations. If you're served by a well, you may have no protection at all.
Know Your Water
To make an informed decision about the right treatment system for your home, you must know what is in the water. Call your water supplier or health department and request copies of water treatment reports. Find out how often the water is tested, what it is tested for and whether any violations are on file. Also ask about any known hazards--such as lead-- that might enter water between the treatment plant and your tap.
If local hazards exist or if your home is served by a well or small utility, have your water tested by an independent lab. You can ask your utility or the state health department for names and numbers of labs, or look under "Laboratories" in the Yellow Pages.
Another option is to contact a national laboratory that specializes in water analysis. National Testing Labs (800-458-3330) or Suburban Water Testing (800-433-6595) will send you instructions and a water sampling kit that you mail back. A lead-only test costs about $35; a comprehensive test for organics, inorganics and bacteria runs from $119 to $145, depending upon the range of the tests. Some filter makers offer this service, too. For example, you can call the GE Answer Center (800-626-2000) and request a water test kit and information on GE's SmartWater line of filters and treatment devices.
Be aware that a large municipal system's water quality can change daily, because it may draw water from more than one source. Also, chlorine levels --which affect the amounts of bacteria and some other toxins-- can fluctuate hourly.
If your water comes from a well, you should do several tests. Test your well once for lead and radon, if radon is suspected in your area. Once a year, test for bacteria. And, if specific pollutants such as pesticides or gasoline may be a problem in your locale, also test annually for these (neighbors can often share the cost of this testing).
Once you have reports or test results, compare them with the EPA's maximum allowable contaminant levels. For a free copy of these listings, call the EPA's National Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. When you compare, note any pollutants that exceed federal standards. Record these, then use this list to select an appropriate water treatment device.
Water Problems
Aesthetic problems come from otherwise harmless contaminants that affect the color, odor and taste of water. Such substances are chlorine, sulfur, iron and manganese. These problems are usually easy to deal with, using a conventional activated carbon filter (see below).
But if your water contains dangerous levels of other pollutants, you'll need to choose a water treatment technology that is appropriate for eliminating the toxins, also discussed below. For the sake of discussion, it's easiest to group toxic pollutants into four categories: organic chemicals, inorganic chemicals, radio nuclides and micro biological organisms.
Organic chemicals include solvents, pesticides, synthetics, resins and other manmade chemicals; many are known as volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). Organic chemicals on the EPA's list are often linked with cancer and/or nervous system, liver and kidney disorders. A particularly nasty organic compound, trihalomethanes (THMs), can be created after water has left a treatment plant when chlorine reacts with leaves and other decaying animal and plant matter. Chloroform, a suspected carcinogen, is one of the resulting substances.
Inorganic chemicals include nitrates and nitrites, asbestos, fluoride and metals such as arsenic, mercury and--the most notorious--lead. Many of these occur as natural mineral deposits. Some, such as copper and lead, leach into water as it travels through pipes; treatment by your water utility doesn't remove them. Nitrates and nitrites are produced by industry or farming. Inorganic chemicals are associated with a variety of health problems. Lead is known to cause brain damage and is particularly toxic to infants and pregnant women. Pre-1930 plumbing in some areas utilized lead pipes, and solder used to join copper piping in homes before 1986 has a lead content of about 50 percent.
Radon gas, the most common radionuclide, occurs naturally in a number of regions, including Western mountain states and parts of the Northeast. The EPA estimates that up to 17 million people may have water with excessive levels of radon, which can enter the air through showers and steam.
Microbiological contaminants, including protozoa, bacteria and viruses, are normally killed by chlorination and treatment. Cysts, such as cryptosporidium and giardia, are more resistant to municipal treatment. Normally, bacterial pollution problems occur only when water treatment breaks down, or if a home's water supply is tainted by waste. Cyst problems tend to occur during times of heavy storm runoff.
Water Solutions
Once you've identified the problem, you can choose a water treatment solution. Be advised that no single technology will eliminate all types of contaminants, but some treatment devices use more than one method to rid water of nearly all contaminants.
Reverse-osmosis (RO) filters. For water with multiple contaminants, a reverse-osmosis filter is often the best answer. It will remove inorganic chemicals, such as salts, metals (including lead), minerals, nitrates, asbestos and, because most models include carbon pre-filters and post-filters, will catch organic chemicals (such as pesticides), THMs and radon. Some don't remove chlorine; if this claim is made, request proof. The carbon post-filter is used to improve the water's aesthetic properties. Pre- and post-filter cartridges should be replaced yearly.
Most RO systems mount beneath the sink and connect directly to plumbing. A small tank stores clean water until needed and tainted water drains out through a line connected to the sink trap. With most, drinking water flows through a special, separate sink-top spout or may be routed to an ice maker or water cooler. Conventional RO filters waste about 3 gallons for every gallon of pure water they produce; some have an automatic valve that prevents excessive waste. RO filters generally cost from $400 to $600.
Distillers. Another device that will remove almost everything from water is a distiller. Distillers electrically heat water until it turns to steam; the steam then condenses and turns back into water in a separate chamber, leaving behind 99% of the health and aesthetic-related pollutants. Countertop models must be filled manually, use a lot of electricity and may take several hours to produce one gallon of water, but are relatively inexpensive at from $100 to $300.
Activated carbon (AC) filters. If your water tastes, smells, or looks bad, a filter containing activated carbon (AC) will probably make it much more palatable. Many AC filters also remove chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, radon, trihalomethanes (THMs) and some inorganic chemicals, but not all carbon filters effectively reduce lead content. If you're concerned about lead, be sure the unit you're considering is certified for lead removal. "Solid block and precoat absorption filters" trap lead.
Though a carbon filter will remove mercury, don't count on a conventional one to remove all metals, salts, nitrates and nitrites and organisms. In fact, be aware that a carbon filter will accumulate the contaminants it cleans from water and the resulting bacteria may even breed in it; it's very important to replace filter cartridges religiously, according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
Effectiveness of a particular carbon unit is directly related to the amount of activated carbon it contains. Beneath-the-counter systems with dual filters typically cost from $100 to $200. The $30 faucet-end models are only marginally effective. Whole-house point-of entry (POE) systems, recommended where a contaminant such as radon poses a threat to the entire house, cost $500 or more.
Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection devices may kill bacteria and viruses, and improve the taste and odor of water, but they are not effective against chemical pollutants and may not work against cysts and spores. In some carbon filter units, ultraviolet is used to kill bacteria.
An ion exchange water softener conditions hard water by substituting sodium chloride (salt) or potassium chloride (salt substitute) for minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron. These eliminate nuisance problems associated with hard water, such as soap sum, dish spots and damaging deposits in piping and water heaters.
"Anion exchange" softeners also reduce arsenic, nitrates and mercury. Plumbing found to contain a high lead content should not be hooked-up to a water softener because soft water is more corrosive than hard water and minerals are helpful in forming a protective barrier in pipes. Installed prices for automatic water softeners range from about $400 to $1600; many people lease them for from $15 to $50 per month, depending upon the level of service and materials the company provides.
Decisions, Decisions
With the popularity of water treatment devices, a number of manufacturers have introduced products that integrate water systems seamlessly into the kitchen. For example, the ClearTap Filtering Faucet by American Standard is an elegant new kitchen sink faucet with a built-in, under-sink water filter-with this, you don't need a secondary spigot at the sink for clean water. Frigidaire offers a built-in PureSource Ice & Water Filter in their Gallery Side-by-Side refrigerators, and the GE Profile Performance Side-by-Side refrigerator offers a "Water by Culligan" built-in filter. Just be sure whatever product you buy utilizes the type of filter needed to conquer your water problems.
Before you buy, shop around, scrutinizing price, features, capacity, frequency and cost of filter replacement and warranties. For a listing of certified units and the contaminants they remove, you can contact the independent testing organization NSF International at 800-NSF-MARK and request the Consumer Guide to Drinking Water Treatment Units (there is a small charge). You can also search their Certified Product Database on the Internet at http://www.nsf.org. By doing your homework, you're sure to find a product that will offer your family clear, clean water for many years.
--Don Vandervort
