What Is Filtered Water? What Experts Actually Say

You hear the term “filtered water” everywhere, but what does it actually mean? And more importantly, is it worth filtering your water at home?

The short answer: yes. Water can contain everything from bacteria and heavy metals to chlorine and pharmaceutical residues. Some of these are harmless in small amounts. Others aren’t.

Humans have been figuring out ways to clean their water for thousands of years, and today’s filtration technology is light-years ahead of what was available even a decade ago. Here’s everything you need to know about what filtered water actually is and how to get it.

How Is Water Filtered?

Water may contain a varying number of contaminants like microbes, minerals, chemicals, heavy metals, and particles. Some microbes that might be present in water include E. coli, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium, and coliform bacteria.

Arsenic, lead, and fluoride are some of the heavy metals found in water that can have detrimental effects on human anatomy. These impurities have the potential to cause deadly diseases in people and animals.

As a precaution, water meant for domestic purposes like cooking and drinking should be free from disease-causing pathogens. The nature of the impurities determines the method used to filter the water.

Below are several ways to purify water.

1. Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis (RO) uses a semi-permeable membrane thin enough to allow pressurized water to pass through while retaining impurities on the other side. This process produces clean water called permeate, while the wastewater is called brine.

Water passes through several stages in an RO system. In the pre-filtration stage, sediments and chlorine are removed from the water, as they can damage the RO machine.

Next, microscopic particles are filtered as water passes through the RO membrane. The filtered water directly flows to a storage tank that fills gradually as the RO process continues.

A final post-filter leading to a tap cleans the water to make it safe for drinking.

A reverse osmosis system can be expensive to acquire but is worth every penny owing to the following benefits. For a space-saving option, check out our guide on countertop reverse osmosis water filters.

Benefits: Fits under the kitchen sink, easy installation and maintenance, effective removal of harmful impurities, reduces pollution compared to bottled water, and removes bad taste and odor.

Drawbacks: The process is time-consuming, routine filter changes can be expensive, and the system requires regular maintenance to prevent clogging.

2. Distillation

In distillation, water is heated and converted to steam, leaving behind impurities. The steam is then cooled back to produce purified water.

The heat also kills harmful pathogens like viruses and bacteria.

A distillation kit comprises a heat source to vaporize the water, a condenser to revert the steam to water, and a tank that collects the purified water. The process is pretty simple, as it mimics nature’s way of producing water.

As the sun’s hot rays strike surface water, vaporization takes place and the water molecules ascend to form clouds. Cooler temperatures higher up in the atmosphere condense the water, forming droplets that fall back to earth as rain.

While the heating costs might be high, there are various benefits of distilling water.

Benefits: Simple to use, efficiently produces filtered water, friendly to the environment, and portable systems occupy little space.

Drawbacks: Requires a lot of heat to function, can be uneconomical for poor households that can’t afford heating expenses, and might lead to a flat taste in water as all minerals get extracted.

3. Chlorine

Chlorine is one of the most commonly used chemicals in the treatment of water. It’s a cheap and readily available compound that has been effective in water treatment processes for many years.

Long before the discovery of chlorine’s ability to disinfect water, multitudes died from waterborne pandemics like cholera, dysentery, hepatitis A, and typhoid. Apart from killing bacteria and parasites, chlorine is useful in the routine maintenance of water tanks, cisterns, and pools to keep the water pathogen-free.

Water reservoirs that have to contend with the growth of algae and slimy bacteria use chlorine to keep the water clean.

Benefits: Inexpensive treatment method, efficient at killing bacteria, and works quickly.

Drawbacks: Must be handled with care as it’s a dangerous chemical, doesn’t kill viruses, and produces hazardous byproducts like trihalomethanes.

4. UV Radiation

Ultraviolet rays have the potency to kill bacteria and viruses in water. Some of the microbes that UV rays can kill include salmonella, E. coli, Streptococcus, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and dysentery bacilli.

UV rays attack the DNA of the microorganisms that cause diseases and prevent their multiplication. However, UV radiation has to be used with other filtration methods to be effective.

You’ll need to consider a system that incorporates a filter that can eliminate substances like heavy metals and chemical impurities.

Benefits: Requires small amounts of energy, uses no chemicals, is tasteless and odorless, and effectively kills pathogens.

Drawbacks: Only eliminates viruses and bacteria, and must be combined with other methods for full filtration.

5. Activated Carbon

Activated carbon is made from carbon-rich elements such as wood, peat, coal, and coconut shells. Learn more in our detailed carbon block water filter guide. Impurities in the water attach to the activated carbon through a process called adsorption.

Most water filtration systems incorporate activated carbon because of its excellent absorption properties. It’s particularly effective at improving taste and removing chlorine.

Benefits: Improves water taste and eliminates odor, effectively filters organic chemicals like chlorine, made from natural substances, and affordable to maintain.

Drawbacks: Can’t filter some microbes and viruses, filters need regular replacement, can only remove chemicals attracted to carbon, and requires adequate contact time with water.

6. Ion Exchange Filtration

Ion exchange water filtration works by exchanging ions between specific elements to soften water. For example, magnesium ions switch places with sodium ions in the softening process.

This method removes nitrates, arsenic, alkalinity, sulfates, boron, fluorides, and water hardness. For those with hard water, see our article on water softener vs filter to understand the difference. It’s commonly used in water softening systems and industrial applications.

Benefits: Easy to maintain, quick and effective, works with different tank sizes, easy to install, and environmentally friendly.

Drawbacks: Doesn’t remove bacteria, can increase acidity due to sodium introduction, and can be expensive to operate.

How to Choose the Perfect Home Water Filter

There are many options for water filter systems designed by manufacturers for use in the home setup. Our guide on water filter cartridge types covers all the major options. Before you consider buying a water filtration system, you’ll have to consider some important factors.

Understand Your Water Source

Knowing the source of your water will enable you to grasp the type of contaminants present. Popular water sources for homes include rain, cisterns, wells, boreholes, and public water systems.

Water from wells and boreholes should undergo a quality test in a certified lab to ascertain its purity. Learn how to install a whole house water filter on a well for detailed protection. The quality test should be able to identify microbes, pH levels, nitrates, heavy metals, and dissolved particles.

You’ll be able to choose a water filtration system depending on the level of impurities detected.

Rainwater purity will depend on factors such as the prevalence of rainfall, nature of storage, and your location. Roofing materials may contaminate your rainwater with elements like copper, lead, and asbestos.

Dust particles, leaves, soot, and rust might find their way into your rainwater collection tank. Since your tank may host many impurities, disinfect the water regularly, especially if you’re using it for drinking and cooking.

Public water supply systems generally take steps to provide relatively clean water by using chemicals like chlorine. Test your home supply to verify the type of impurities present.

This knowledge will help you choose an appropriate water filtering mechanism for your needs.

Identify Your Reasons for Filtering

For starters, find out why you need a filter and what you would want your filtration system to accomplish. People choose filters based on all sorts of reasons, some of which are as follows.

Bad-tasting water: Minerals and chemicals present in water can affect its taste to some extent. If you desire a system that takes care of the bad taste, check the manufacturer’s label to make sure your product is capable of solving the issue.

Weak body immunity: For various reasons, the natural defense system that protects people from infectious diseases can be weak, owing to several conditions. Some factors that weaken immunity include cancer treatment, HIV, and chronic illnesses like diabetes.

People with a weakened immune system should take precautions to prevent waterborne diseases, which could take a severe toll on their already weakened bodies. Cryptosporidium infection can be life-threatening in the face of a weak immune system.

Be sure to confirm that your choice of water filtration can eliminate this pathogen.

Hard water: This type of water contains a lot of minerals like magnesium and will leave a signature residue on surfaces that come into contact with it. The flaky residue makes it hard for soap to lather, leading to excessive soap use.

Appliances like kettles are unable to work well unless you descale the hard water deposits that form around their heating elements.

Presence of lead: Lead contamination occurs as a result of the water piping system and is detrimental to children’s well-being. Check out the best water filters for lead removal. High levels of lead exposure are known to cause mental retardation and disorders in children.

Lead poisoning can manifest in symptoms like vomiting, stomach pains, anemia, and seizures. If your water contains lead, find a filter capable of reducing it and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Safe water for nasal rinses: Nasal rinses have been used for ages to alleviate symptoms of flu, colds, and asthma. They’re useful for loosening and flushing mucus, to help reduce nasal blockages and allow normal breathing.

Water used for nasal rinsing has to be filtered or treated to prevent infection of the nasal cavity, which can be fatal.

Consider Your Budget and Consumption

For a start, make sure you choose a certified device to achieve what is listed in the manufacturer’s labels. Read the label contents keenly and understand the functions provided before spending your hard-earned cash.

Consider the cost of acquiring the system, installing it, and the ease and cost of maintaining it.

Get to understand how often the appliance will need a filter change and make an informed choice. It’s important to keep your water needs in mind as you shop.

You might need a fast filter if you require large amounts of filtered water at any moment. However, if you’re only looking to filter your drinking water, a standard filter will do.

Some conventional water filter devices used in homes include under-sink compartment filters (like the Kube water filter) (positioned below the sink, ideal if you’re short on counter space), filtering pitchers (affordable and require no installation, though they filter water slowly), whole-house treatment systems (treating all water input, though expensive and may require altering plumbing — learn how to install a whole house water filter), and refrigerator filters (easy to use but requiring regular replacements — see how well refrigerator water filters work).

Maintain Your Water Filter

Keep in mind that your filter traps all sorts of impurities as you continue using it. If you don’t regularly replace your filters, you risk contracting waterborne diseases that can wreak havoc on your body and finances. Read about the dangers of not changing your refrigerator water filter.

Benefits of Filtered Water

Access to filtered water can add a sparkle to your daily living and dazzle your home with rejuvenating freshness. Here are some benefits you can gain from filtered water.

Save Money on Bottled Water

A home filter will help you forget about having to budget for bottled drinking water constantly. A countertop water filter is an affordable way to start. Bottled water is expensive and unnecessarily wasteful on your finances.

Ditch the water bottle fad and watch your savings grow. The money saved can be redirected toward other household needs.

Environmental Preservation

It doesn’t take rocket science to see the environmental damage created by the unwarranted use of single-use plastic water bottles. Beaches are suffocating under plastic water bottle heaps, while drains are always blocking as bottles find their way into drainage holes.

Water filters eliminate the need for plastic bottles and give a lifeline to the already significantly polluted environment.

Reduce Heartburn

There has been a surge of heartburn or acid reflux cases over the past few years. Specialists have attributed this to dietary choices and other underlying conditions such as gastritis.

Water filters that produce alkaline water can aid patients, as the salty water has a neutralizing effect on the gut’s acidic enzymes, which cause the gnawing sensation on the esophagus.

Remove Limescale

Hard water can be particularly tough on home appliances and leave an undesirable film of mineral deposits on your water. Water filters effectively rid your cooking or drinking water of limescale, enabling your appliances to last longer and work efficiently. A sediment water filter is particularly good at removing mineral buildup.

Preserve Dental Health

Acidity in drinking water is corrosive to tooth enamel. People that often drink acidic water have to contend with stained teeth that are prone to dental decay.

Dental care is expensive and may bring about complications if not done well. Acidic water may also worsen mouth dryness.

Filtered water takes care of this problem once and for all.

Remove Tap Water Odor

Public water systems responsible for the supply of tap water to homesteads use chemicals to kill microbes in water. Some of these chemicals, such as chlorine, end up leaving a strong odor and alter the taste of the water. A dedicated chlorine water filter is one of the best solutions for this problem.

With a filter system in place, forget about smelly water and enjoy a clean, odorless fluid.

Remove Heavy Metals

One of the most pressing concerns raised on the safety of piped water is the presence of heavy metals like lead, arsenic, and mercury. A heavy metal water filter is designed especially for this purpose. Lead is detrimental to young children’s mental health and should be kept at minimal levels.

Lead has also been linked to prostate complications and reproductive problems in both sexes. Filtered water is free from these metals and will safeguard your family’s health.

Better-Tasting Beverages and Food

Ever tried making tea using salty water? The outcome was probably unpleasant, but for lack of a better option, you went ahead to gulp that briny fluid down your throat.

Filtered water will produce greater-tasting tea compared to hard water and allows you to relish your tea moments. Minerals and heavy metals present in water can alter the taste of food by absorbing the natural flavors.

You can solve this problem by using filtered water for cooking.

Increased Water Intake

One of the benefits of having a home filter is an improvement in water intake among users. Having a filter at the comfort of your kitchen means you don’t run out of drinking water unexpectedly, as is the case with bottled water.

Great-tasting water is a plus and is an effective way of making fussy water drinkers up their daily intake. You’ll find yourself reaching for a glass more often when the water actually tastes refreshing and clean.

Lose Weight

An increase in daily water uptake can help with weight loss by reducing appetite levels. Drinking a lot of water helps your body burn calories faster and reduce body weight.

Water helps the body eliminate waste substances like toxins and excess sodium, which is excellent for a trimmer waistline. Combined with a healthy diet and exercise, proper hydration is one of the easiest steps you can take toward better physical fitness.

Fight Colds and Flu

When you drink lots of water, you enable your mucus to loosen and relieve nasal blockages brought about by colds and flu. Proper water intake will help flush viruses and toxins, thus helping the body recover quickly from infections.

Relieve Headaches and Migraines

Did you know that headaches can develop as a result of chronic dehydration? Most people grab over-the-counter painkillers to cure headaches, despite the health risks associated with regular use of such medication.

Regular water intake will keep the body hydrated and less prone to headaches or migraines. Having access to filtered water at home makes it much easier to maintain consistent hydration throughout the day.

Slow Down Aging

High levels of free radicals, stress, and inflammation can greatly hasten the aging process. Filtered water contains antioxidants that help fight free radicals responsible for premature aging.

Proper hydration will also keep the skin supple and glowing, to maintain that radiant, youthful look.