| You've read enough about the contaminants in your | | | | range from $100 to $175. |
| tap water, or at least in tap water in general, that | | | | Reverse Osmosis or Carbon Filtration? |
| you've decided to look into tap water filtration | | | | Reverse osmosis systems push water through a |
| systems. | | | | membrane with very fine pores, which just let water |
| If you're just starting to dig into it, you may be | | | | molecules through but filter out most everything else. |
| overwhelmed and confused, as I was. There are | | | | In fact, they even filter out the minerals our bodies |
| hundreds of tap water filtration systems of several | | | | need, like calcium and magnesium and potassium, |
| different kinds from dozens of manufacturers. | | | | which also leaves the water tasting flat. Carbon filters |
| They all claim to be the best. Which system, of | | | | don't filter out the minerals. |
| which type, from which manufacturer is really the | | | | Only about 10 to 30 per cent of the water actually |
| best? | | | | gets through the membrane, so depending on the |
| Point of Use vs. Whole-House | | | | system, about 3-10 gallons of water are wasted for |
| First, let's talk about "point of use" systems (at the | | | | every gallon purified. Carbon filtration systems waste |
| sink), compared to "whole-house" systems (outside, | | | | no water. |
| or in the garage.) | | | | Because the membranes and filters are more |
| Whole-house systems are more expensive, but they | | | | expensive, reverse osmosis systems cost about |
| give you clean, pure water not just at the kitchen | | | | $.25-$.35 per gallon to operate, compared to about |
| sink, but in the shower, and at every faucet. Getting | | | | $.10 for carbon filter systems. |
| the chlorine out of your shower water has real health | | | | Because the filtering process is slow, reverse osmosis |
| benefits. That's a story for a different article, but the | | | | systems, unlike carbon filtration systems, require a |
| benefits are substantial, and if you can afford the | | | | storage tank, which takes up a significant amount of |
| initial cost, you should strongly consider a | | | | room under the sink. |
| whole-house system. | | | | All-in-all, as you can probably tell, I prefer the carbon |
| The leading U.S. manufacturer of tap water filtration | | | | filtration type of system. That's what I installed in my |
| systems sells their whole house system for about | | | | home to protect my family. |
| $800, as compared to their at-the-sink models which | | | | |