Reverse Osmosis Filter

I am glad that you have decided to do some research about water quality. This simply shows how much concerned you are for your family's health. If you want to know what factors affect water quality, here they are:

1. Natural contaminants

When it comes to discussing what factors affect water quality, natural contaminants are the ones which are completely outside our control. This includes contamination caused due to dried leaves, dead insects, bird droppings, animal feces reaching the natural sources of water.

2. Agricultural contaminants

These are the factors like agricultural runoffs, fertilizers, cleansers which reach the natural source of water and pollute it. Pesticides used on the crops also eventually seep down and contaminate the ground water.

3. Industrial contaminants

The list of what factors affect water quality will be incomplete without mentioning about industrial wastes being dumped directly in rivers. There are various hazardous chemicals which also pollute the ground water by seeping in along with rain water.

4. Microbial contaminants

These are the contaminants like bacteria, viruses, cysts which comfortably dwell in the old and rusty industrial pipes and when water travels through these pipes to reach your home, they get added to it. There are other contaminants like algae and traces of rust which also get added in similar manner.

5. Human added contaminants

Though this may sound strange but yes we too knowingly/unknowingly pollute the water. One way is what water companies do - add chlorine in water to prevent microbes but this is how knowingly chlorine gets added to the water. Later chlorine reacts with other organic contaminants to produce toxic by-products.

Another way by which we get counted amongst what factors affect water quality is by the unknowing addition of pharmaceutical drugs. When people on medication consume drugs, whatever their bodies cannot absorb, is thrown out of the body by excretion and reaches the sewer and contaminates it. This water though is treated by water companies, many drugs are still left undetected.

Now that you know what factors affect water quality, make sure that the water reaching your home is free from these contaminants. This can be easily assured by using an effective water purifier for your home. The ones that are the best, employ multiple stages of filtration.

The first stage uses carbon filtration technique to filter out chlorine and other chemicals. It also enhances the pH balance of the water. The second stage uses ion exchange to replace harmful lead and copper ions with useful sodium and potassium ones. It also uses sub micron filtration to remove all microbes from water.

These filters know exactly what factors affect water quality and take the utmost care to remove them from the water. If you would like to know more about these purifiers, visit my website listed below.

The smoke of burning plastic contains toxic particles; these toxic particles can cause cancer when inhaled. When these burnt particles fall back to the ground, they contaminate the soil for many years and may render vegetables and fruit harvested from gardens in these areas unsafe to eat.

Separate plastic from other rubbish that is to be burnt and dispose of safely. Pigs, goats and chickens eating grass or food scraps contaminated with dioxins from the burnt plastic will pass it on to humans when these animals are then eaten.

Open burning of plastic waste is simply dangerous to your health and the health of the environment. Plastic such as PVC (polyvinylchloride) is common in such products as: bottles, jugs, plastic packaging and plastic bags from the supermarket. When these plastics are burnt, carbon monoxide, dioxins and furans are released into the air. Studies have linked dioxins and furans to cancer and respiratory diseases, most especially in children as their respiratory systems may not be fully developed. It also causes birth defects in the respiratory and cardiovascular systems when inhaled by a pregnant mother.

Dioxin is a toxic organic chemical that contains chlorine and is produced when chlorine and hydrocarbons are heated to high temperature.

TO INHALE DIOXIN OR TO BE EXPOSED TO THE FUMES CAN CAUSE DEADLY DISEASES.

These toxic components inhaled with smoke from burning plastic materials can cause hormonal and sex behavioral orientation problems with your newborn child, as a result, the child could begin exhibiting behavior in total contrast to his or her sex - a male acting female or vice versa.

Researchers have established that inhaling burnt plastic materials have altered sexual characters of some birds (from male to female). They have also revealed the same defects can easily occur in human beings. Plastics should never be burnt in the open air, there are recycling options available for disposal of these waste products.

Dioxins and furans can also cause impotence, asthma and a myriad of other allergies in humans. Medical reports show exceptionally low sperm counts in young men in comparison to previous generations. Testicular cancer has increased by 55 % between 1979 and 1991 and fewer boys are being born in areas where burning plastic is practiced. Some girls are achieving puberty earlier than earlier generations, this can also be a result of inhaling dioxin and furans.

DO THE WORLD AND YOURSELF A FAVOUR.

STOP BURNING PLASTIC NOW! If your neighbour is burning plastic, report them to your health department.

With the ever increasing use of technology and industries flourishing the amount of pollution in our environment is increasing at a rapid pace. Keeping our environment clean is a very important part of our lives in these days. It is important to focus on this as we have to make sure that the environment is preserved for future generations. Water pollution and litter are considered to be two of the main cause of the environment being dirty.

In order to clean the environment there are 5 steps that we can follow:

The 3Rs are considered to be the most important and easiest way to keep our environment clean and refrain it from pollution. Reduce, recycle and reuse are the famous 3 Rs that can keep our environment clean. By reducing the usage of harmful materials, and recycling items such as paper and glass and at the same time reusing goods that can be reused will reduce the pollution levels in the air and keep the environment clean.
Planting more trees increase the oxygen level in the atmosphere. This way there is an increase in the total oxygen level thus resulting in cleaner air to breathe and keeping environment clean.
Many people tend to litter. This is a bad habit as littering causes a rapid increase in pollution levels. Instead of throwing garbage on the roads, there should be recycling bins on every corner of the road so that people do not litter. This will help in keeping the environment clean.
Cigarettes are another harmful item that increases the air pollution as well as the well known health benefits.
By using eco friendly and biodegradable cleaning items the environment will be a better and cleaner place for humans to live in and by the continuous use of these products the environment will improve for future generation.
These tips are helpful in keeping our environment clean.

If you have ever been exposed to black mold then you already know how dangerous it can be. That nasty little fungus can do some serious damage and make you very sick. Yet there's very little information on treating your body after an attack. So what do you do?

Well, the obvious first step should be to visit your doctor. He or she can then confirm whether or not you have been exposed to the toxic stuff and how badly your symptoms are. Your doctor may then want to put you on a medication depending on the severity of the symptoms.

You may also want to drink plenty of water since it can help flush out any toxins that have entered your system. You should drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water a day. This is also a great way to keep your skin looking healthy instead of dull.

If you're not already doing so, you should also consider adding some exercise to your daily schedule. Working out can make you bring up a sweat, which can actually help you get rid of toxins through your skin's pores. But if you're really sick, you should get your doctor's permission before starting an exercise program.

Depending on your exact symptoms there are many supplements that may be able to help. Just remember that natural is better and stick to supplements that aren't loaded with chemicals, which could make your situation even worse. An excellent herb to look for is Echinacea since it can help building up your immune system.

If you're a lover of all things natural, you may find that a detox program is right for you. However, you should consult with your doctor before using any form of detox since it can cause serious health problems for some.

When you've tried everything else, rest may be the best option if nothing else seems to be working. When you're not getting enough sleep your immune system slowly breaks down and you tire easily and become more susceptible to the toxins that are all around us.

Once you can identify your symptoms and can begin treating them however, your body should begin to heal from the black mold attack and become strong once again. Rest easy and stay healthy!

Microfiltration is a purification procedure which eliminates pollutants from a fluid (liquid & gas) by passage via a microporous membrane layer. A common microfiltration membrane pore dimension range is 0.1 to 10 micrometres (µm). Microfiltration is essentially different from reverse osmosis and nanofiltration because those techniques use pressure as a means of forcing water to go from low pressure to high pressure. Microfiltration can use a pressurised process but it does not require to include pressure.

Engineered by Professor Richard Adolf Zsigmondy at the University of Göttingen, Germany, in 1935, membrane layer filters were first commercially developed by Sartorius GmbH a few years later. Membrane layer filters found instant application in the area of microbiology and in particular in evaluation of safe drinking water.

Additional progress of microfilters in the mid-1970s led by the United States Food and Drug Administration requirement for non-fibre delivering filters to be employed in the manufacturing of injectable solutions. Microporous membranes are utilized by the micro-electronics business as an essential component of water production. Membrane filters are extensively applied in biotechnology and food and beverage programs where sterile merchandise is required.

Progressively used in drinking water treatment, it efficiently eliminates major pathogens and pollutants such as Giardia lamblia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts, and substantial bacteria. For this application the filter has to be rated for 0.2 µm or less. For mineral and drinking water bottlers, the most generally employed format is pleated cartridges typically created from polyethersulfone (PES) media. This media is asymmetric with bigger pores being on the exterior and smaller pores being on the inside of the filter media.

Microfiltration membranes were first released to the municipal water treatment market in 1987 and used primarily to waters that were fairly easy to handle. These were cold, clear source waters that were vulnerable to microbial contamination. Low pressure membranes were chosen to get rid of turbidity spikes and pathogens without chemical conditioning.

As low pressure membranes improved in approval and acceptance, customers started to use the technology to more difficult waters which contained more solids and higher levels of mixed organic substances. A few of these waters required chemical pretreatment, such as pre-chlorination. These changes in water quality induced change in low pressure membrane technology. New solutions and processes were released to deal with higher solids and chemical compatibility.

Process: Microfiltration is the procedure of filtration with a micrometre sized filter. The filter systems can be in a submerged configuration or a pressure vessel configuration. They can be worthless fibres, flat sheet, tubular, spiral wound, hollow fine fiber or track etched. These filters are permeable and permit water, monovalent varieties (Na+, Cl-), blended organic matter, small colloids and viruses through but do not permit particles, deposit, algae or large bacteria through.

Pollution levels across India are some of the highest anywhere in the world. And on top of this pile of polluted places sits Kolkata. A once beautiful city has been reduced to a huge garbage yard with tons of plastic waste strewn on every square inch of the city. Along with the number of aging buses and trucks spewing smoke - the various coal fires and dusty construction sites, have made the landscape a wasteland. But what has conspired to create this situation? Why has the West Bengal government turned a blind eye to the transport contractors?

Politics has always been a prominent part of the Kolkata culture. However the excessive politicizing of every issue has made it extremely difficult for legislation to be formed. The government in its quandary chooses to sleep over the various bills in the interest of protecting the environment - rather than irk the contractors who pay for the party funds. This has led to an unhealthy environment of government apathy and general callousness, especially in taking care of the living conditions. In its mandate to "provide rights to the poor" they have totally neglected the harm being caused to the environment by the millions of poor in the city.

The classic case of rampant pollution in the city of Kolkata are the buses and trucks plying the roads. In a recent move, a number of NGOs had petitioned that the pollution norms be strictly applied to the errant bus contractors. However the ministry decided to make the announcement with a rider that "people with genuine reasons can get a reprieve from the pollution control measures"!! This kind of obvious molly coddling of the transport contractors have further emboldened them, making it impossible for the police on the ground to fine the law breakers.

Plastic bags is another area where the West Bengal government has failed to check pollution. Elsewhere in all other major cities of India, plastic bags are banned as they cause widespread pollution which is difficult to remove. But not in Kolkata - where the "poor" have to carry their daily bread in plastic bags! The result is that the drainage system is choked in the city and the roads look like an unending garbage yard. Filth and disease accumulate in this waste causing diseases and generally making the whole city an unhealthy place to live in.

The present CPIM government is on its way out. They lost in all the by-polls. Here is hoping that the new government when it arrives, will be able to get rid pf the lethargy and inaction. If the laws are not implemented soon this city is going to become uninhabitable in the next few years! It is time the West Bengal government understood that "giving rights to the poor" does not mean that the environment can be abused!

The ingredients in tap water should be H2O and trace minerals or electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium. In some areas, the mineral content includes calcium and magnesium. In others, elements like lithium and manganese are present.

Those are all naturally occurring substances, as is the heavy metal lead and poisonous metal arsenic. Lead is found in surface and groundwater, because it is present in the earth and stones. Arsenic is found in some well-water, because, it too is present in the ground.

When the ingredients in tap water are things like lead, arsenic and even lithium, they are referred to as contaminants. Standards for purity vary, of course, and some people think that only de-mineralized waters are "pure".

But, most health experts agree that a trace mineral-content is best, since that is what the human body was naturally designed to drink. There is no naturally occurring water on the planet that does not have at least a slight trace of minerals.

So, my standard of purity is H2O with a trace mineral content that is free of chemical contaminants and the heavy metal lead. Also, I prefer not to drink cysts (parasites that cause gastrointestinal illnesses ranging from minor to fatal).

Regretfully, nearly every publicly treated supply, including the one that supplies my home, has numerous chemical contaminants, as well as traces of lead and from time to time cysts are present, although the "count" is typically not high. So, those would be the ingredients in tap water in my home, if I had not installed effective purifiers.

At one time, it was believed that exposure to small amounts of lead was "safe". Now, doctors have seen that lead stays in the body for many years. It builds up in the organs and can be measured in the blood stream. In people who have traces of lead in their blood, various health and behavioral problems are seen.

In teenagers, they have seen aggressive and anti-social behaviors, as well as learning problems. In adults, they have seen high blood pressure and heart disease. They believe that there may be a link to Alzheimer's, as well.

At one time, it was believed that exposure to small amounts of chemical contaminants, in the parts per billion, was "safe". Now, researchers have shown that those chemicals also build up in our bodies over time. Many of the chemical ingredients in tap water are cancer-causing and exposure to them increases the individual's lifetime risk of cancer.

You don't need an expensive reverse osmosis system to purify your home's water. You need a device with a submicron filter to remove cysts, an ion exchange step to remove lead and a dual stage carbon and multi-media block to remove chemical contaminants.

Ion exchange also helps to balance the mineral content and improve the taste, as well as the pH level. You don't have to worry about the ingredients in tap water, if you have an effective home filtration system like mine. You can drink till your heart's content, with no worries.

Since the advent of cellphones in the 1990s, communication has become a lot easier and portable. In fact it has become impossible to imagine a world without them. Business transactions have increased exponentially in decision-making now takes place in a much quicker pace. In Africa, cellular technology has become the primary means of communication as telephone companies no longer have to spend billions of dollars building up telecommunication infrastructure.

Radio frequencies and magnetic fields have been controversial topics since the 1960s and 70s, and with the introduction of cellular phones, the controversy has exacerbated. As in every debate, there are two schools of thought surrounding the impact of radio waves and the danger they pose. On the one side, there are those who believe that radio frequencies have little effect on consumers and the environment at large. On the other side, there are those who believe that we are in serious danger from radio waves and the telecommunication companies that dupe us into believing that we are safe.

Radio frequencies or radio waves, as they are more commonly known, are emitted by wireless and other electronic devices. They are not a new occurrence in the modern world. In fact, apart from natural occurrences, radio waves have been around since radio and television. Basically anything that has an antenna or a transmitter emits radio waves. The rate at which the body absorbs radio waves is measured as the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).

Controversy surrounding cell phone radiation is focused on whether radio frequencies emitted from cellphones are safe for humans and the environment, or whether we are all put at risk by the continuing omission of these waves as well as electromagnetic fields. When radio frequencies are high enough, they can break down the tissue in the human body and can interfere with the DNA. However, it is claimed that emissions from cellphones are so small that they pose no danger. This has been the mantra of the FCC for many years. There has been much confusion and concern recently as the same organization now claims that further research is needed to determine the effects of radio frequencies, as well as whether they are dangerous to humans.

Complaints have surfaced in the United States and other countries like South Africa where base stations are located in urban areas and even built in gardens where agreement is reached between cellphone networks and home owners. People living in close proximity to base stations have complained of headaches and other health problems. Home owner associations and health researchers have claimed that living too close to base stations or heavy use of cellphones may instigate brain tumors and cancers.

With no official conclusions drawn on the dangers of cellphones, and with more people complaining about the effects, one has to ask the following questions; how dangerous is radio frequencies and what are the risks to human health and the environment? Can constant exposure to radio waves cause free radicals to occur and if so, is there any way to protect ourselves? Are we slowly killing ourselves with the pollution of modern technology? Makes you think, doesn't it?

There are basically two ways to remove chlorine from water. One is a better alternative than the other. But, if you are concerned about removing chlorine from water, you should know that any time a chemical is used for disinfection, hazardous byproducts are released. So, in addition to learning how to remove chlorine from water, you also need to learn how to remove those hazardous byproducts.

Chlorination is the method of choice to kill bacteria and keep the pipes clear of algae for treatment centers around the world and even for some well-owners. There are many drawbacks to chemical disinfection.

The chemicals cause stomach upset and digestive disorders. Depending on the levels, the chemicals can cause anemia in children. Inhaling the fumes aggravates respiratory ailments and triggers asthma attacks.

Showering in chlorinated water aggravates skin conditions such as eczema. It also causes itching and excessive dryness in people with otherwise normal skin. It dries out the hair. It can cause rashes and many people are simply allergic to the chemical.

So, it is important to remove chlorine from water, but there are other important steps to take. The byproducts of chlorination increase our lifetime risk for cancer of the bladder and the colon.

The more we are exposed to the byproducts, the greater our risk becomes. When you were a child, your parents may have been concerned about removing chlorine from water. But, the health risks of exposure to the by products was unknown.

It was not until the Freedom of Information Act that Americans began to learn more about what exactly is in the public supplies around the country. Although some scientists and physicians tried to publish papers concern the risks of chlorination, respected journals would not publish the results.

Some researchers published their own books, in order to get the word out. But, the books were largely ignored. It has only been within the last five years that we knew, for a certainty that disinfection by-products cause cancer.

We know how to remove chlorine from water. All it takes is carbon. The two methods that I mentioned at the beginning of this article are granulated active carbon or GAC and carbon blocks.

GAC cannot remove THMs, which are the primary chlorination by products. Carbon blocks can be constructed to remove THMs. They can also remove volatile organic compounds, which are present in many water supplies, but facilities don't test for them, since there is no requirement to do so.

If properly constructed, a carbon block can remove chlorine from water, along with THMs and microscopic cysts. The EPA has warned that cysts may be present in any public or private supply at any time. Without constant testing, there is no way to determine whether or not you are at risk.

If consumed, cysts cause illnesses similar to food poisoning, but the infection can be lethal. A carbon block with a submicron porous structure can remove cysts, while removing chlorine from water and reducing your risk of cancer. That's the system you should look for.

The value of reverse osmosis water filter systems for home use has been overstated by manufacturers and marketers. Large facilities typically use reverse osmosis treatment during the initial or secondary stages, but it is a long way from being clean enough to pass government standards for public drinking water. And, as you probably know, those standards are not that high.

There are over 2000 different cancer causing chemicals in tap water. Reverse osmosis water filter systems can block very few of them. They work by forcing water under high pressure through a porous membrane. The size of the pores determines what substances are blocked.

Most chemicals dissolve in water and their molecular size is smaller than that of water. So, when the water passes through, the chemicals go right along with it. Reverse osmosis treatment was never designed to do what most of us need an in-home system to do.

People who can see dirt in their water may be wise to invest in reverse osmosis water filter systems, but additional filters are still needed to make the water "drinkable". Armies use portable units when they are traveling in areas with dirty water, but they also use disinfectants, because the system does not kill or trap bacteria.

Companies that need de-mineralized water often invest in reverse osmosis treatment, because it can reduce the mineral content to practically nothing. People should not drink de-mineralized or distilled water. It's bad for the digestion and can lead to mineral deficiencies.

The compounds that come through the tap are too small to see with the naked eye. Sometimes, you can smell them or taste them, but they are mostly microscopic. That's one reason they are so dangerous. We don't know that they are there.

Several years ago in Milwaukee, over a hundred people died as a result of drinking tap water. The water supply had been infected with a microscopic parasite that may only cause a stomach ache, but can cause serious illness. Water experts commonly refer to the microscopic organisms as cysts.

Reverse osmosis water filter systems can not block cysts. The cysts are resistant to chlorine, which kills most living things in the water and can cause health problems in humans. So, even though the treatment facility in Milwaukee had done everything they were required by law to do, they were unable to protect the public.

Environmental groups would like for the government to do more to protect us. But, they may be doing as much as they can. Years of dumping pollutants on the ground, where it seeps into the water supply and directly into the water, either purposefully or because of run-off can not be corrected over night. It's up to us to protect ourselves.

Reverse osmosis treatment cannot protect us, but there are excellent water filters that can. You should learn more about those and forget about the reverse osmosis water filter systems, at least for now.

Doesn't "GE Reverse Osmosis Water Filters"-sound like a good thing? If GE puts their name on a water filter, it ought to be good, right?

First some background:

You already know there's a problem with our water, or you wouldn't have been looking for information on water filters. One issue is the increasing contamination of our water supplies with pharmaceuticals. Prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs are increasingly being found. We consume, then excrete (or discard without consuming) these substances, and they wind up in our rivers and ground water.

Since our water treatment plants, for the most part at least, weren't designed to filter out these chemicals, they end up in our tap water. Everything from antibiotics to pain killers like ibuprofen and codeine to hormones to sun screen to cancer chemotherapy drugs to anti-depressants-- and anything else you can think of can be found in our water.

Pharmaceuticals are only part of the problem. Studies have found that approximately 2100 chemicals can be found in our water as a result of the 80,000 or so chemicals used by industry, agriculture, and in our homes.

Many of these chemicals we know to be dangerous. Many of them we don't know about, and we especially don't know about the effects of drinking the combinations of chemicals.

So far, most of the pharmaceuticals have been found at very low level, perhaps too low to cause a problem... but we don't know for sure what the long term effects might be, especially on infants and children. Scientists differ, but many are very concerned. For example, what if a strain of bacteria becomes immune to the effect of a particular antibiotic?

OK, so we know there's a problem. How do we solve it?

The best answer is a home filtration unit, of which the GE reverse osmosis water filter is an example. Reverse osmosis filters are one of the two primary types sold in the U.S.

The GE reverse osmosis water filter is probably among the better ones of its type. One problem, though, with all reverse osmosis systems, is that they waste water. For each gallon of filtered water produced, some three to ten gallons is wasted and sent on down the drain, depending on the system, because of the need to wash the trapped chemicals and sediment off the membrane.

Because forcing the raw water through the very fine pores of the membrane used in these systems is a very slow process, reverse osmosis systems require storage tank, typically 2-5 gallons, which takes up a lot of room under the sink.

Even though the membrane has very small holes, most of the pharmaceuticals and other organic chemicals such as pesticides and weed killers in our water are smaller than those holes, so they flow right on through the membrane. To catch them, a carbon filter is used.

So why complicate things? Why not just use a carbon filtration system in the first place?

Reverse osmosis systems also cost more to operate. They typically produce drinking water at a cost of $.25 per gallon or more. By comparison, the best-selling carbon filtration system, the one I installed in my home, does it at a little less than $.10 per gallon.

It should also be noted that any filtration system is much better for the environment than buying bottled water. Sixty million bottles water bottles a day are manufactured in the U.S., and most of them end up in landfills. That's a lot of plastic in the landfills, and a lot of petroleum used to manufacture the bottles in the first place, not to mention the transporting of all those bottles. Huge environmental impact-do your part to not participate!

For my money, the carbon filtration, or "Carbon Block" filter unit is the best answer to contaminated water. They're the least expensive type to operate, don't waste water, and do a better job of filtering out the bad stuff.

If you are looking for a drinking water filtration system there are two main types to consider... a countertop water filter or an undersink water filter system. There are a couple of good ones on the market and the Crystal Clear Reverse Osmosis undersink water filter system is one of the more well known and effective units.

Before you choose your water filter it is important to know what method of filtration the unit uses as well as what pollutants it will remove and the pros and cons of the unit. Below I will go through exactly what you need to know to find out if Crystal Clear is the right filtration system for you.

Method of Filtration

This 5 stage Crystal Clear water filter uses reverse osmosis as a filtration method. There is good and bad to using reverse osmosis to filter your water.

The good:

Reverse osmosis is known to be extremely effective in cleaning out pretty much all contaminants from the water. It works fast and it works very well.

The bad:

Reverse osmosis is also known to strip the water of not only the bad contaminants but also of the important trace minerals that are essential for our health. If you use a reverse osmosis system it is extremely important that you purchase some trace minerals from a health food store to replace in your water every time you drink.

Pollutants Removed...

The Crystal Clear undersink water filter system is for small quantities of water such as for drinking and for cooking. It will clean up to 100 gallons of water per day which is decent but not as good as say the Aquasana system that filters up to 30 gallons per hour.

This unit will remove:

Chlorine
Heavy metals
Barium
Cadmium
Chromium
Lead
Mercury
Sulfate

Important Facts and Features:

The Crystal Clear drinking water filter has some great features which help with its popularity. It has an auto shut-off, a ¼" tank ball valve, easy install pack with feed water adapter, drain saddle, NSF listed storage tank, chrome, long-reach and lead-free faucet spout, high quality filters as well as good installation instructions and a diagram.

The unit dimensions are:

Main Unit: 18"H x 16"W x 6"D
Storage Tank: 11"D X 15"H

This unit comes with a one year warranty on components, excluding the membrane and pre and post filters.

Final Thoughts...

The reason the Crystal Clear water filtration system works so well is because of its five stages of treatment. The water is put through five different filtration stages and the end result is crystal clear water that is clean and healthy.

Pros & Cons

Pro Crystal Clear Reverse Osmosis Undersink Water Filter

Affordable
Cleans water efficiently
Filters quite fast
Auto shut-off helps reduce waste
Compact size
Nice faucet

Against Crystal Clear Reverse Osmosis Undersink Water Filter

The reverse osmosis will strip the water of all the good minerals as well - they will need to be replaced.
Only filters 100 gallons of water per day where as other systems such as Aquasana filter 30 gallons per hour.
The installation instructions have been noted as being poor and hard to understand.

I like this unit but to be honest it wouldn't be my choice. I have used reverse osmosis in the past and have found it to be a little bit tiresome to always have to be adding back in the trace minerals. It is not that big of a deal but given the choice I would choose a unit that uses different a different filtration method. However the Crystal Clear water filtration system is a very good price and is very appealing for many people.

What's the best kitchen faucet filter? Do you want a kitchen faucet with filter attached, a completely enclosed screw on design or a countertop model that uses your own tap? Here's how to choose.

Basically, the difference between a countertop system and an under the counter model that includes a kitchen faucet with filter has to do with the "flow rate". An under the counter model with it's own separate faucet filters the same contaminants, but can produce as much as 30 gallons per hour with a flow rate of pressure similar to what you normally have in your home.

A fully enclosed kitchen faucet filter that screws on does not have effective contaminant removal and contains only granular activated carbon. The systems are prone to leak. They have a short lifespan and replacement cartridges cost as much as the units themselves.

They only remove chemicals such as chlorine, but do not stop the flow of THMs, which are cancer causing chlorine byproducts. They are always present whenever chlorination is performed to kill bacteria. They reduce your flow rate and can "leak" carbon granules into your glass.

A kitchen faucet with filter system can be installed in several ways. The most convenient is to replace your sprayer with the separate faucet. Generally speaking, a plumbers help is needed. The "do-it-yourselfer" may be able to complete the installation, but it can be quite frustrating. Improper installation can void your warranty.

A countertop kitchen faucet filter, on the other hand, can be easily installed without the help of a plumber, but the flow rate is quite a bit slower than you would normally get from your tap. As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to each design.

The price you pay for a kitchen faucet with filter depends largely on the number of filtration steps that are included. The most expensive types include a reverse osmosis step and cost nearly $600, direct from the manufacturer.

A kitchen faucet filter that includes submicron filtration, instead of reverse osmosis, costs less than $200 for either below or above counter designs. Systems that include a reverse osmosis step must be installed under the counter and will require a plumber's assistance, primarily for drainage.

With submicron filtration, no wastewater is created, so a separate drain is unnecessary. Reverse osmosis discharges any waters that become too thick to pass through the semi-permeable membrane, so a tube for draining must be attached to your pipes. Often a plumber can tap into the drainage line for your dishwasher.

Most people do not need the reverse osmosis step, since cysts are removed through submicron filtration. Well owners may need the step, but if you have a well, testing should be conducted before you buy any kitchen faucet with filter attachments.

You may need a system that cannot be installed under the sink. You could even need a disinfection step, depending on the depth of your well.

The most economical and most effective kitchen faucet filter, as well as the easiest to install is an above counter design. The rest is a matter of personal need and choice.

I've been reading a lot about the wonders of the reverse osmosis water treatment system. I don't know what you may have heard about these units, but I am here to tell you right now that reverse osmosis water treatment systems are not all that they are made out to be.

The reverse osmosis treatment system is being recommended for use by the average homeowner, but don't pull out your wallet just so fast. The truth is that you probably don't even need this unit. If you are connected to the mainline water system in your city or town then you'd be wise to pass this one up.

The only people who will benefit from the use of reverse osmosis water treatment systems are those that live on the outskirts of society, and draw their water from a well or other water source. Of course you would still need chlorination, and additional filtering to ensure the purity of your water.

So, why would you need additional filtering when you already have a reverse osmosis water treatment system? Because all that this system is going to do for you is clean the sand and silt out of your water. You will still need something that will remove the chlorine, and any remaining parasites from your water.

That is because reverse osmosis treatment systems are not designed in a way that allows them to remove such things as liquids or microscopic organisms. These things pass right through and end up coming out of your tap. These impurities could make you very sick over time.

It is a version of the reverse osmosis water treatment system that is being used at your local water treatment facility. This unit that they use does not even adequately clean your water as well as it should. They call the water safe to drink, but it still carries a large number of impurities.

Reverse osmosis water treatment systems designed for home use are also wasteful, and expensive to use. In order for this unit to produce a single gallon of "clean" water it actually turns an additional five into wastewater. It also runs on electricity, and it will push your utility bill sky high.

In the place of a reverse osmosis water treatment system you should purchase a home water purification system that uses a variety of different filters in order to clean out a large number of different contaminants from your drinking water such as chlorine and other chemicals, surviving parasites, and toxic heavy metals.

This is the kind of purification system that you need, not a wasteful system that doesn't even come close to completing the job that you originally bought it to do. These systems are simply a waste of money for most people despite what the ads about them or the salesman may have said.

There are far better choices designed to clean and purify your water than the reverse osmosis treatment system. Don't let anybody sell you something that you simply don't need.

Those in the market for a water filter often ask, how does reverse osmosis work? RO is the first method to come to mind, because for many years these systems were the number one method for purifying water. Recently, however, research has concluded that this method should not be overused because it can remove healthful and necessary minerals from the water, leading to mineral deficiencies in the human body and pH imbalance.

The explanation for why it does this is answered by the question what is reverse osmosis? Reverse osmosis is, as the name implies, the process of osmosis but with a different goal. In nature, the process of osmosis makes molecules seep from one side to another so that it is evenly distributed on both sides. Imagine a piece of cheesecloth separating two types of liquid. Through osmosis the two types will blend through the filter of the cheesecloth.

Reverse osmosis takes that same piece of cheesecloth and instead sifts out the vegetables and potatoes, which are larger pieces so that the soup now has none of these larger chunks in the broth. If you've asked how does reverse osmosis work, you've just pictured your answer. In water, larger trace minerals and other molecules are "sifted" through a filter, and they get caught in the filter, just like the meat and potatoes did in the cheesecloth. These "impurities" are then removed. The problem is that these minerals are no longer considered impurities. We now know that there are plenty of minerals and even metals in our own bodies, and that to remove them through reverse osmosis would actually detract from the quality of water if it is done too much.

Some reverse osmosis is important in filtration, but no filtering system is complete without the presence of an activated carbon filter. These carbon filters remove synthetic organic contaminants like pesticides, fertilizers from agricultural runoff, and chemicals from household cleansers that have been disposed of improperly. This is not a part of the reverse osmosis solution. So when asking what is reverse osmosis, a person should also be curious about carbon filtration.

Carbon filters use carbon as a binding agent so that when the water passes through it, the organic and synthetic organic chemicals get stuck while the pure water passes through. Chlorine, too, is filtered out by activated carbon systems, which is great, because the use for chlorine ends the minute the water is purified. From then on, chlorine acts to dry skin (just like when you're at the pool) and increase one's chance of getting cancer and suffering from asthma, which is no fun for anybody.

The most up to date filtration systems use a multi stage method for filtering water including carbon filtering. No filtration system is complete without it. What is reverse osmosis without talking about water taste? Honestly, reverse osmosis reduces the tastiness of water, because part of what makes water taste good to us is the minerals in it. Carbon filtration, however, improves the taste of water by filtering out the organic contaminants and leaving the minerals.

The next time somebody asks you how does reverse osmosis work, you can tell them about carbon filtering, too. Both processes have been important advances in water filtration technology, but the activated carbon system is more advanced and has been slowly pushing reverse osmosis into the background.

When reverse osmosis filters were introduced at the turn of the last century, it was to stave off the rash of deaths brought on by the contraction of waterborne diseases.  While reverse osmosis water filters have done an admirable job up to this point, there is more that needs to be done.

Since the advent of the practice of chlorine disinfection back in 1908, water treatment facilities have used reverse osmosis water filters to spare many lives over the years.  The system designed primarily to remove sediment from our drinking water had taken great strides in the combat against biological contaminants in the water supply.

Since then, things have been going steadily downhill where reverse osmosis water filters are concerned.  The industrial revolution in America has given us many appreciable luxuries, but it has cost us the possibility to be able to find drinkable water from any existing natural source.

Reverse osmosis filters must now contend with contaminant such as herbicides, pesticides, petroleum products, cleaning agents, and pharmaceuticals, that the system wasn't designed to be able to stop.  This is the dilemma that we find ourselves in today.

We are reliant on reverse osmosis water filters to do something that they were never intended to have to do.  They were only built to remove particles that were heavier that water molecules.  The system is incapable of slowing down this armada of chemical contaminants.

With the additional help from a multi-stage filtering system that is designed to precisely and effectively block out the individual threats that we now face, reverse osmosis systems could be effective, but only as the first stage in this chain.  Don't however expect to see any large scale changes at the treatment centers.

The water treatment facilities are typically county run, and funded by the state.  There is no possible way for a county or state government being able to come up with enough extra money to be able to make the kinds of renovations that the reverse osmosis water filters need to make.

So, what is to be done in order to make up for the inadequacies of the reverse osmosis filters in order to make our water safe to drink?  It seems that we as individuals are forced into deciding on a personal level whether or not the health threat that the public drinking water poses to our families is great enough to force us into taking steps to protect ourselves.

The answer is a simple one for me, but it might not be for everyone.  People have known about the shortcomings of reverse osmosis water filters for years, and have still done nothing.  The threat to our health is growing greater all of the time.  With new impurities turning up at regular intervals it's only going to get worse.

Now is the time to take action by purchasing a home water purification system.  You can't afford to wait until they discover evidence. With 2100 known carcinogens already in the water supply, we cant depend on reverse osmosis water filters any longer.

Companies producing and selling reverse osmosis units tout the systems abilities as the greatest innovation in filtration history and claim that no home can afford to be without one. As with other "snake oil salesmen" throughout history, the makers of reverse osmosis water filtration systems claims are grossly overstated.

Reverse osmosis units simply do not have a useful place in most homes around the country. Reverse osmosis water filtration systems are beneficial in some industrial applications and the portable units have military and missionary applications.

Army field units and aid giving missionaries can use portable reverse osmosis units to extract and filter water of very poor quality, creating"potable" water. Reverse osmosis water filtration systems will, for the most part, prevent immediate illness from biological contamination. They won't filter out pesticides and other chemical contaminants, but the adverse health effects of those are typically long-term.

That is one of the major drawbacks to reverse osmosis units. Reverse osmosis water filtration systems only do part of the job.

In order to remove chemicals, such as chlorine which must be added to prevent algae from growing on the filter and to kill microscopic bacteria, water must be run through additional filters. Even water treatment facilities do not stop with reverse osmosis units. It's only one step.

Even after chlorination and a run through reverse osmosis water filtration systems, water can still contain tiny parasites (cryptosporidium for example). They are resistant to chlorine disinfection. Only a micron filtration system that effectively removes cysts (a stage in the life of the parasite) can block them.

Treatment facilities use their reverse osmosis units to filter out raw sewage, mud, dirt particles, algae and other larger pollutants. If you have cloudy, dirty water that does not come from a public treatment facility, then you probably need reverse osmosis water filtration systems, other wise, they are a waste...a waste of money, time and water.

Whole house reverse osmosis units cost more than $10,000 and that does not include installation, for which you will need the help of a plumber and an electrician. Extensive and careful maintenance must be performed on a regular basis, or the unit will stop functioning.

The membranes in reverse osmosis water filtration systems are delicate and prone to rot. They tear easily and manufacturer's defects can render them ineffective. If you have reverse osmosis water filtration systems, you can never be 100% confident in the quality of your water, unless you use other filters at the taps around the house.

Most of us need good water filters around our homes. If we have public water, there is chlorine to deal with. Treatment facilities cannot guarantee the absence of cryptosporidium and other illness causing cysts in the public water supply. Lead is a problem in many homes. Well water may have numerous problems.

It's just that reverse osmosis water filtration systems will not address most of those problems. If your water is really bad, portable reverse osmosis units may be a good first step, but they are not the final or only answer.

To purify drinking water there are some things you should consider. The formerly popular reverse osmosis filtering systems can produce nearly pristine and pure water. However, there are problems to consider when you purify drinking water with reverse osmosis that many of us do not know. For example, the water treated by osmosis is completely free of trace minerals and nutrients that makes water truly beneficial for us. So in this sense, one of the problems with pure water is that it is too pure.

Reverse osmosis has some benefits and some disadvantages when you purify drinking water. Cyst spores are tiny, the size of a speck of dust. They are resistant to all large scale disinfection methods. They can only be effectively removed with sub-micron sized particle filter. Ingesting cyst spores can lead to digestive problems. Reverse osmosis systems, when they function properly, can remove cysts. However, the membranes tear easily and you will not know if it happens. Manufacturers of units do not have a regular schedule for maintenance so you never know if you are really being protected. Keep in mind when you purify drinking water, reverse treatments do not remove chlorine or other synthetic chemicals from the water system.

Chlorine is one of the reasons most of us get filter treatment in the first place. Reverse removes all trace minerals from your water. In most cases this is harmful, however, some minerals are radioactive. Knowing if you are in an area that could possibly have radioactive minerals in the water is something you may want to consider.

The reverse osmotic treatment process is an accepted method for the treatment of wastewater. But before you consider applying this form of wastewater treatment, you must know certain points about osmosis and the right pressure that has to be maintained for the proper functioning of osmotic plants. In this article I tell you how to calculate this pressure.

Osmotic Pressure

The osmotic pressure can be defined as the pressure difference found between two solutions at a state of equilibrium, but with different amount of salinity, when the two solutions are kept at the two sides of a semipermeable membrane. The osmotic treatment requires that one of the solution is of high concentration which will absorb water molecules. But in the reverse osmosis commonly employed, this principle is reversed by applying pressure on the concentrated solution which forces the water molecules out to the other side of the membrane and into the diluted solution, thus increasing the purity of the diluted solution. This process yields water with high level of purity.

When the osmotic pressure is defined in relation to water molecules, it is the difference in potential energy existing in the water molecules in two separate solutions.

The formula used to calculated the pressure required for osmotic filtration is as follows:

(RT) (Pa^o)
----In--------- = B
(Va) (Pa)

In this formula,
B represents the osmotic pressure written as "atm",
R represents the value 0.082 (l. Atm / (mo l.k)),
T represents the temperature of the solution written as (k),
Va represents the value - volume/mole of the solvent written as (l/mol). Here Va of water is 0.018 l,
Pa^o represents the pressure of vapor of the solvent in the dilute solution written as atm, and,
Pa represents the pressure of the vapor of the solvent in the concentrated solution written as atm.

To calculate the osmotic pressure of the diluted solutions the formula, B = CRT is used. In this formula, the unit C represents the concentration level of the solute written as mol/l.

The success of the reverse osmotic treatment process depends on how the osmotic pressure and the external pressure is applied to the wastewater solution and the capabilities of the separating membrane. Without the correct pressure the process will not succeed.

A home water filter fulfills the task of separating the unwanted harmful particles from the contaminated water, by various ways. Unfiltered water is can potentially be saddled with bacteria which are the prime causes for diarrhea, cancer, skin irritation, etc.

Chlorine is often found in water supply as chlorine can combat various harmful microbes that are found in the water pipes. Albeit chlorine can do wonders by killing those deadly microbes but when it reaches our body, it can do considerable amount of damage, by giving birth to dry skin, bad hair and other type of diseases. This is where home water filters comes to our rescue by removing the unwanted chlorine from the water.

So how do water filters work? The answer largely depends on the type of purification method used for home water filters. Purification methods primarily consist of reverse osmosis, granular carbon, ion exchange, sub micron filtration and multi media block as a procedure to eliminate all type of contaminants.

A home water filter which utilizes the method of reverse osmosis functions by forcing the water through a layer which is semi porous in nature. Particles which are smaller in size than the semi porous layer will pass out of the same. And larger contaminated particles will get blocked in the layer and prevent it from being by us. The method of granular carbon is based on the theory of absorption. Harmful chemicals like chlorine get attached to the granular carbon and it is one of the most effective ways to combat chlorine through the use of home filters.

Home water filter that uses ion exchange as its purification method relies heavily on the theory of magnetism. Particles like lead are found in the supply water which has the capacity to induce various health problems. So it is imperative to get rid of them. Since metallic substances carry a nominal amount of electrical charge, it can get blocked in an area that contains the opposite electrical charge. And ion exchange works on this theory. Harmful particles such as lead are eradicated by our home water filters.

If you are looking for a cheaper option then home water filter which uses sub micron filtration as its purifying method will perfectly suit your needs. Its function is similar to the reverse osmosis process albeit the cost is much lower. Multi media block attracts chemicals such as trihalomethane and volatile organic compounds, which are one of the causes for cancer. Multi media block used in home filters are made of carbon and other elements so that they can easily attract all the harmful chemicals. For home filters to work effectively it should use all the above mentioned steps so that every type of contaminants can be eliminated from the water.