News headlines send people looking for drinking water filters. But what do you expect your drinking water filter to do? Do you want to remove chlorine and its derivatives, lead, microscopic disease-causing organisms, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, TCE, MTBE, or all of the above?
If you are like me, then you have chosen all of the above. There are high-quality drinking water filters that remove all of these contaminants, but the price is not that high. Of course, the cheapest systems can’t handle them all, so you have to decide what fits your pocket, while protecting your family as best you can.
Some people only drink bottled, because they think it’s the safest option, but benzene has been found in Perrier. BPA has been found in anything stored in polycarbonate. Phthalates are found in anything stored in any type of polymer. Both chemicals act like estrogen within the body and can cause some serious health problems, including cancer.
A pitcher drinking water filter is often chosen because it is the least expensive option, but the cost per gallon is actually higher. Filter cartridges have a very short useful life and this affects the cost of use. For a Brita pitcher, for example, the cost per gallon is 25 cents, compared to less than 10 for one of the best drinking water filters on the market.
The launchers are also slow. Fill the upper compartment with the faucet and it is filtered through the system. To get a full jar, you need to repeat this process several times.
So there’s a problem with what a pitcher-type drinking water filter can do. We will use Brita again as an example. Not to bother you, but they are one of the most popular options. They only remove about 75% of the chlorine and about 93% of the lead. Nothing else is removed.
Countertop drinking water filters can provide much more water in much less time. You just turn on the tap and get a drink right away. There is an option to turn it off, in case you want to extend the life of your drinking water filter, but you should be aware that chlorine and its derivatives can contaminate the air quality inside your home. So if you’re using hot water, you want the “on position”.
An under-counter drinking water filter system costs more, but doesn’t do much else. It really is just the aesthetics of having a unit sitting on the counter or stored underneath.
Whole-house drinking water filters are the most expensive, but they’ll protect your clothes from harmful chlorine and you won’t have to worry about your dishwasher emitting toxic fumes. The choice is yours, of course. I just wanted to give you some useful information to accompany you while you shop. Just don’t let the many options stop you from taking steps to provide safe, pure water for you and your family.