Clean & safe drinking water is a must for health and well-being. However, municipal water supplies often contain contaminants like heavy metals, chemicals, and microplastics that can have harmful effects if consumed regularly over long periods of time. While city water is treated, additional filtration at the point-of-use in our homes provides an extra layer of protection.
Water filtration systems come in different styles to suit different needs. This increases the chances that people may get confused about which they should go with. To make things easier, in this blog post, we have reviewed some of the most effective filtration systems that you can consider.
7 Most Effective Water Filtration Systems
To efficiently bad quality tap water, you can consider going with any of the filtration systems discussed below.
- Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis (RO) is considered one of the most effective water filtration methods for the home and commercial purposes. In an RO system, water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane that blocks the passage of contaminants like salts, heavy metals, nitrates and microbes as small as 0.0001 microns. Only pure water molecules are able to pass through, giving extremely clean and filtered water.
While RO is highly effective, it removes beneficial minerals from water. Some homeowners choose to re-mineralize their RO water afterward. RO systems tend to be more expensive to install than other options but they provide the highest level of filtration. They’re suitable for anyone concerned about very small particulate contaminants in their water supply.
- Activated Carbon Filters
Activated carbon filters use granular carbon that has been processed to have thousands of tiny pores. As water passes through, contaminants like chemicals, odors, colors, and taste-causing compounds get trapped in these pores through adsorption. Common target contaminants include chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, and THMs.
These don’t remove particles or dissolved solids as effectively as other options. They work best for chemical contaminants and to improve odor, taste, and color.
Carbon filters don’t need electricity and can be used at the point of use in pitchers, faucet mounts, and undersink/whole house systems.
- Pitcher Filters
Pitchers filters provide simple, low-cost filtration for families. They’re designed to filter about 40 glasses or gallons of water before the cartridge needs replacement. Pitchers are ideal for homes not plagued by serious water quality issues. They target chlorine taste/smell, some lead and other heavy metals, sediments as well as some VOCs and pharmaceuticals.
While convenient, pitchers have lower contaminant removal rates than whole home systems. They also require manual filling and emptying which isn’t ideal for large families or those limited by mobility issues. However, their affordable price makes them a good introductory filter for those new to home filtration.
- Countertop Filters
Larger countertop filters connect directly to your faucet for filtered water on demand, removing the need to transfer water manually. Models use activated carbon block filters encased in sturdy housings that can filter upwards of 100 gallons between cartridge replacements, depending on water quality.
Countertop systems offer improved contaminant removal over pitchers, with most reducing chlorine, odors, VOCs, mercury, pesticides, lead and cysts like cryptosporidium and giardia. Drawbacks are a slightly higher purchase price than pitchers and the extra real estate needed on your counter. However, they provide better accessibility than an under-sink system.
- Undersink Water Filters
Also called under-sink mounted systems, these connect directly to your cold water line supplying the kitchen sink. Housed in an unobtrusive mounting base located under the sink, most use carbon block filters to treat 5 gallons or more before needing a new cartridge. Models target chlorine, lead, mercury, pesticides, VOCs, cysts, and other common drinking water pollutants.
Compared to countertop filters, under-sink options have discreet installations that avoid cluttering counter space. Their dedicated cold water lines supply clean, filtered water directly to your sink for drinking and cooking purposes.
Though not suited to filtering hot water or multiple taps, they’re a top choice for galley kitchens and smaller homes. Installation does require some plumbing know-how.
- Whole House Filters
For maximum protection and convenience, a whole-house filter processes all the water that enters your home before it reaches the tap. Models are installed after the water meter and filter ALL water used for drinking, cooking, bathing, washing, and more. Common filter types in these systems include carbon block and KDF (a blend of copper and zinc).
Whole house options remove a wide range of contaminants including chlorine, lead, VOCs, mercury, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, cysts, and more. Since they protect both cold and hot water lines, no other filtration is needed.
Installation requires plumbing but provides comprehensive treatment for an entire household conveniently and with no extra user effort. It’s a popular choice for families with small children or those on private well water.
- Ion Exchange Filters
Ion exchange filters work through an ion transfer process instead of absorption. They use specially formulated resin beads that attract and bond with ions of opposite charge found in source water contaminants like lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, nitrates, sodium and other dissolved metals. The ions are then flushed away when the media needs replacing.
Ion exchange filters deliver very high contaminant reductions suitable for homes with serious metal contamination issues in their supply. However, installation can be complex and maintenance requires special care like backflushing.
Due to their technical nature, ion exchange is best for serious contamination problems rather than general ‘peace of mind’ filtration. Professional water testing helps determine if it’s truly needed.
Conclusion
There are many excellent options when it comes to residential water filtration systems. Choosing the right one for your home depends on factors like your source water quality, household size, budget and installation feasibility.
Simple countertop pitchers or faucet mounts provide basic convenience while systems like RO, whole house and some specialty filters are tailored for treating severe contamination issues. Proper maintenance also keeps all filters performing optimally over the long run. With a little research tailored to your locale, you’re sure to find highly effective filtration for clean, healthy water.