There are different kinds of water treatment systems to remove impurities from drinking water. Impurities are inevitable, even though most untreated tap water in the United States is perfectly good to drink. You may wonder if these systems are worth it, and if they’re hard or easy to maintain.
Most people pick one of four water treatment systems to clean their drinking water. They’re reverse osmosis, sediment filtration, UV disinfection and activated carbon. Here’s how they work.
Reverse Osmosis
In this system, water passes through layers of membranes that remove a great many contaminants. These include toxins such as arsenic and heavy metals such as lead. The membranes also remove pesticides, nitrates and nitrites. RO also removes calcium and magnesium, the minerals that cause hard water that’s tough on plumbing pipes and water-dependent appliances. RO doesn’t use electricity, and a plumber can install it to serve the entire household or a specific fixture. Drawbacks with reverse osmosis are that it doesn’t remove bacteria or viruses well, it uses a great deal of water, and the very fine filters it uses can be expensive.
Sediment Filtration
Like other water filters, sediment filters remove contaminants, but this treatment system is really made for removing sediment such as rust, sand and dirt and leaving your water crystal clear. These sediments, like hard water, can damage plumbing pipes and appliances that use water. Sediment filtration is often used with other types of filters that are better at removing more types of contaminants.
Ultraviolet Disinfection
Some water treatment systems use UV light to destroy pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. The advantages of this type of water treatment are that its installation and maintenance are easy. Plus, it’s energy efficient and doesn’t use chemicals such as chlorine. One con is that the ease of its installation and upkeep is offset by a high upfront cost, though the system pays for itself quickly. It also doesn’t remove contaminants, such as heavy metals and chlorine.
Activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal filters, also called carbon filters, are also good at removing contaminants from water as contaminants bind to the activated carbon. This process is called absorption and is very efficient, though this system won’t remove pathogens, sediment or heavy metals. The charcoal itself is environmentally friendly as it’s made of ground-up coconut shells or other natural products. The filters also need to be replaced fairly frequently.
Call Us for Water Treatment Installation
Having fresh, clean, crystal clear water right out of your tap is both a pleasure and good for your health. If you need water filtration services in Reno, Nevada, don’t hesitate to call our plumbers at Dirty Plumber Reno.