| There are several important things you need to | | | | These compounds, called trihalomethanes, are |
| know about home water treatment systems, if | | | | thought to be carcinogenic, and the heat from the |
| you're thinking about buying one. For one thing, you | | | | distiller can vaporize them, which will let them seep |
| need to know what you want to treat in your water. | | | | over into the supposedly "pure" water side. |
| Also, you need to have in mind how much you want | | | | Other types of water treatment products that work |
| to spend. Armed with this information, you can make | | | | better with chlorine would be reverse osmosis and |
| an intelligent decision about which water treatment | | | | carbon and ceramic filters. We'll talk about the filters |
| products are right for you and your family. | | | | in a moment. Let's focus on reverse osmosis. |
| There are many types of home water treatment | | | | Reverse osmosis works by pressuring the water |
| systems on the market. Some of the most popular | | | | through a micro-porous membrane, which separates |
| are distillation, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light, and | | | | the pure water from the contaminants. The problem |
| carbon and ceramic filtration. Each of these has its | | | | with reverse osmosis is it demineralizes the water. |
| pros and cons. | | | | That is, it takes out the trace minerals like potassium, |
| Although distillers are popular home water treatment | | | | magnesium, and calcium. We need those trace |
| systems, they are expensive and also have other | | | | minerals for proper health. Both carbon and ceramic |
| drawbacks. As far as cost, you can buy a counter | | | | filters would be better home water treatment |
| top distillation system for anywhere from $1,000 to | | | | systems. |
| $3,000. What makes the difference in price is the | | | | Ultraviolet light works well for organic impurities only. |
| manufacturer and also the volume of water the | | | | It can do nothing for contaminants like lead and |
| distiller can handle. | | | | prescription drugs. |
| Distillers work great, unless you're trying to distill | | | | As far as the best water treatment products on the |
| water that's been chlorinated. (Virtually all water | | | | market, most are made with carbon or ceramic filters |
| that's been through a municipal treatment plant is | | | | in a two-step process that can get out all the organic |
| chlorinated.) The problem with distilling chlorinated | | | | and inorganic impurities, while leaving in the trace |
| water is you can inadvertently vaporize some of the | | | | minerals. If you're in the market for a water filter, |
| compounds chlorine creates while it's in your water. | | | | then these are the types you need to be looking for. |