It’s true, if you have salty or brackish water with a lot of inorganic material in it, you will be pleased with anything that will clean it up and reverse osmosis water units will. But, if you are getting your water from a municipal water system or a chlorinated well; I’ve got good news for you. There are much cheaper selective filtration systems you can get that will do a better job, and produce healthier water, than reverse osmosis systemes. In this article we will look at each system and how they work, and you can decide what’s best for you.
The RO system works by forcing water against what is called a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane’s pores are so tiny that any object larger than a molecule of water will not pass through it. Often, water molecules cannot get through either and, usually, this water is simply discarded along with any minerals or contaminants that have been screened. In general, these systems reject two or three gallons of water for every filtered gallon produced.
Hard water or water with excessive minerals is a problem in many water supplies and the fact that RO systems remove these minerals is another plus for these systems. However, it also has been found to cause another problem.
The fact is we need some minerals left in the water because our bodies need them. The second largest component in our body after water itself is calcium. If we constantly drink water with no minerals we are drinking water that is slightly acidic and it wants to return to its neutral state. One way for it to do that is to swipe some calcium from our cells, bones or teeth to produce calcium carbonate, a neutralizing compound.
Health experts also tell us that cancer cells seem to grow only in a slightly acidic environment and, for that reason, they feels there is a long-term health risk associated with drinking demineralized water.
When it comes to synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs), they usually have a smaller molecular structure than water, and will pass right through the membrane. These are compounds like herbicides, pesticides, etc. In order to get the dirty SOCs out of the water, RO systems must be used in combination with a carbon filter.
If the water pressure in your home is too low, reverse osmosis systemes will require the addition of an inline booster pump in order to operate properly.
You also will need to have a storage tank with these systems. RO systems only filter about one gallon, or less, an hour. At this slow rate the systems need a way to store the water needed for bathing, doing dishes, or laundry, whatever. The solution is a diaphragmed storage tank in order to keep pressure on the line.
As you can see, these systems with their filters, storage tanks, and, perhaps, an additional pump are sizeable and, as you might imagine, they are relatively expensive, somewhat difficult to install and subject to extra operating and maintenance costs.
Anymore, I feel like using a RO system where you could have used selective filtration is like hunting flies with a cannon…they’re clunky, expensive and give a dangerous result.
Now, let’s look at an alternative to reverses osmosis, the selective (or multi-stage) filtration system.
In selective filtration systems, carbon is mixed with a filter resin that has been chemically charged, and this mixture is then compressed into a solid block that has very small, submicron pores. The carbon, or course, removes chemicals and drugs that might be present in the water.
One cubic foot of this activated charcoal that has been so tightly compressed has the adsorption area of five square miles, according to scientists. The tiny pores filter out tiny, chlorine-resistant, cysts like Cryptosporidium and Guardia and the rest of the surface area scrubs up the chemicals and drugs.
What about the filter resin that covers the surface of the adsorption area?
Heavy metals, such as mercury or lead, have positively charged ions. When they pass over the chemically charged resin they are drawn to the resin as if they were magnets. Other metals, like calcium or potassium, pass by unaffected.
You noticed these systems don’t have bulky storage tanks, they don’t need booster pumps or electricity and, if they are correctly installed, they produce good, healthy water (all trace minerals intact) virtually without maintenance.
If you have a really gross water condition to remedy, it is always wise to talk to a technical representative for any filter system you are considering. These techs are great and they almost always have a solution. And, please note, selective filtration is not designed to treat brackish or salty water.
Kombucha Recipes for a Healthier You
Tags: Food, Food
