There are so many questions about water filtration, water contaminants, waterborne bacteria and viruses, and other inquiries that are specific to your home’s water system. We’ve put together a list of the most popular questions with expert answers from water filtration techs.
5 Frequently Asked Questions About Water Filtration
- How to find out what’s in your water?
To find out what’s going on with your water, it’s best to start out with a water testing kit. You can find these online or you can also talk to your water utilities company about the problems with your water. However, if you want to be sure, we suggest finding a reputable water testing company online who can show you a definitive report with all of the contaminants in your water.
- Why does water taste bad after filtration?
In some cases, a filter won’t be able to remove all of the dissolved minerals. It can taste more bitter if these aren’t removed. If you suspect that it’s the water filter system, you may need to change out the filters if you’ve had it for longer than 6 months without changing the activated carbon filter or pre-filters.
If that doesn’t fix the issue, you may want to look into a multi-stage filtration system that includes an activated carbon filter and reverse osmosis membrane. These systems remove about 99.99% of all contaminants. However, some nutrients can also be removed with these systems. If you prefer mineral water, you may want to look at filters with remineralization stages.
- My well tested positive for bacteria. What does it mean and what filter should I use?
If your well tests positive for coliform bacteria, then it could be an indicator of serious bacteria contamination in your well. You’ll first need to disinfect the wall, then retest to see if bacteria was removed from the source. If the second test continues to show positive for bacteria, then you’ll want a whole home water filter system to completely remove this bacteria.
However, your system should also have an ultraviolet water filter that can remove bacteria and viruses from your water.
- What filter removes the most contaminants?
There are three highly effective filter types. However, the most effective is considered to be the reverse osmosis filtration system, which can remove 99% of contaminants. When tested, these systems were able to remove herbicides, heavy metals, pesticides, chlorine, hormones, dangerous chemicals, and more.
However, activated carbon filters are typically partnered with reverse osmosis systems, especially when removing chlorine and chloramine. The two go together to remove more contaminants.
Finally, if you have a well water system with bacteria and virus contamination, then UV filtration is a necessary stage, in addition to the other stages with activated carbon filters and reverse osmosis membrane.
- What does “NSF rated” mean on water filter systems?
The National Sanitation Foundation certified water filters on a scoring system that shows how well it can remove certain contaminants. These include “standard 42 for aesthetic” and “standard 53 for health effects.” If a water filter is rated above 53, then it means the water filter can remove most contaminants.