What Are The Different Types Of Water Purifiers ?

What Are The Different Types Of Water Purifiers?

The question of what are the different types of water purifiers is a vast one because the type of water purifier that you’d consider buying depends on what your needs are. There are many reasons why one might need to purify water, such as improving the quality of tap water for drinking, going camping or simply in emergencies such as when a natural disaster strikes.

There is a wide array of water purifiers available for use in the home for the purpose of purifying tap water for drinking. The most inexpensive of these consists of a carbon filter that is mounted inside a pitcher or mounted directly to the tap.

The concept is simple; the water is passed through bits of sand and charcoal that traps debris, including floating particles of heavy metals such as mercury and lead. It might shock you to think that your drinking water could contain such things, but it is quite common, especially in older homes that were built with lead pipes. Building regulations now require all homes to be upgraded to copper or plastic pipes, but in many cases some lead pipe gets overlooked, leaking small amounts of lead into the tap water.

Charcoal filters are effective for some purposes, but it depends on what. Are the different types of water purifiers equal in their effectiveness at removing all unsafe substances from drinking water? The answer is no. While charcoal filters remove most heavy metals, chlorine and floating particles from the water, they are ineffective against bacteria and other smaller particles that pass easily through the filter. That is why they are not sufficient for use outdoors or during ‘boil water’ advisories.

In situations where the water may be contaminated with life threatening substances, more aggressive measures are required.

In researching the question of what are the different types of water purifiers, one is likely to encounter the reverse osmosis system. Reverse osmosis works by forcing the water through a semi-permeable membrane that is capable of removing even the finest particles from the water. Reverse osmosis is one of the most complete water purification systems available, able to filter out objects as tiny as single molecules. It successfully removes viruses and bacteria as well as dissolved metals that pass easily through a charcoal filter. This method can also be used to remove the salt from seawater, making it safe for drinking.

The main disadvantages of reverse osmosis are that it is a very slow process, so not practical when large amounts of water need to be purified in a short amount of time, and requires very large amounts of water (meaning that there is a lot of waste water). This is why many large water companies use ozone to purify water. This process is performed by passing ultraviolet light through the water, instantly disinfecting it and making it safe for drinking.

Better knowledge of what are the different types of water purifiers can be immensely helpful when selecting a water purifier for the home or for other use. It is vital to know exactly what you are protected from and whether or not your water is truly pure.