Water Filtration Systems

[ExNewMex]

Kind of curious. Missus just let me buy her a house and we are about to move in. I've been drinking bottled water all this time, but since we have our own domicile, I am less hesitant to make upgrades and experiement a bit.

We've always darnk bottled water, but for both reasons economic and rumors regarding Thai water bottlers, I'm interested in investigating installing a system.

A trip to HomePro revealed many styles and manufacturers. Any real reason anyoen knows of I should not use one of these systems (as in not working) or any favorites that you can recommend?

Under the counter with a spigot installed top-side? Those were the see-through sorts. They also had these huge meral looking versions with several spigots as well. Is the difference cosmetic and volume or what?

I've seen Mazuma, Claret and others I can't quite remember.

Sorry for the dumb questions, but I'm alwys open to more seasoned advice.

Thanks in advance

ExNewMex

[lopburi3]

It would probably help if we knew what your water source is. Here in Bangkok the tap water should be fit for drinking in most districts but because of low pressure problems it is best to still use some kind of filter. I have used ceramic type filter for the last 10 years myself. Next step up would be to add UV to it and if you really want to be sure the RO type systems. I would look for a filter that has silver in it as these are much better against virus size nasties.

[griser]

It would probably help if we knew what your water source is.  Here in Bangkok the tap water should be fit for drinking in most districts but because of low pressure problems it is best to still use some kind of filter.  I have used ceramic type filter for the last 10 years myself.  Next step up would be to add UV to it and if you really want to be sure the RO type systems.  I would look for a filter that has silver in it as these are much better against virus size nasties.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing I might add, if you get the transparent ones, be carefull not to let it get any light, green stuff will start to grow inside your filter after a while.

Greg

[Rinrada]

It would probably help if we knew what your water source is.  Here in Bangkok the tap water should be fit for drinking in most districts but because of low pressure problems it is best to still use some kind of filter.  I have used ceramic type filter for the last 10 years myself.  Next step up would be to add UV to it and if you really want to be sure the RO type systems.  I would look for a filter that has silver in it as these are much better against virus size nasties.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One thing I might add, if you get the transparent ones, be carefull not to let it get any light, green stuff will start to grow inside your filter after a while.

Greg

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And it makes yer Tea taste funny

[ExNewMex]

We are in Bangkok, out Ram Indra way. Thanks for the replies thus far.

ExNewMex

[breeze1701]

Dear All,

I am from Singapore and been involved in water filtration for many years. The Singapore Govt is really serious about water as it affects everyone daily. I have also been involved in product safety and performance testing for many years and my conclusion is that there is a lot of rubbish in the market....all marketing & image stuff, so little substance. You are lucky if there is no misrepresentation.

Here are some facts.

Good filtration systems should be simple. The more compunents you use (eg activated carbon, RO etc...creates more difficulties and cross contamination. Use only additional component if you really need it.

Best technology today is Ultrafiltration.

It basically filters off all bacteria and most virus. It filters down to ).01 micron (hair is 100 micron thick). This is the simplest and most reliable method of getting good potable water from your mains or tap in your house. You don't need to boil the water...you can drink it straight after filtration.

Forget activated carbon, unless you want to remove colour or odour from the water. It is often not required. If you can see slight yellow in the water or you do smell somethig, that this add on is useful. Remember activated carbon, deactivates very fast...so there is a replacement cost.

Forget Reversed Osmosis (RO) unless you need to remove dissolved minerals (eg salt etc) from your water. For the filtration of water form Govt potable water supply, this is absolutely unnecessary!! Only if you filter water from the sea, rivers or wells do you need RO. Even then, you should do a chemical analysis first.

Ultrafiltration is is still expensive but affordable. This is now the big thing in Malaysia because in some areas of Kuala Lumpur, the Govt water supplies to the homes is poor. Water coming out of the taps has brown sediments etc.

Steven

[email protected]

Kind of curious. Missus just let me buy her a house    and we are about to move in. I've been drinking bottled water all this time, but since we have our own domicile, I am less hesitant to make upgrades and experiement a bit.

We've always darnk bottled water, but for both reasons economic and rumors    regarding Thai water bottlers, I'm interested in investigating installing a system.

A trip to HomePro revealed many styles and manufacturers. Any real reason anyoen knows of I should not use one of these systems (as in not working) or any favorites that you can recommend?

Under the counter with a spigot installed top-side? Those were the see-through sorts. They also had these huge meral looking versions with several spigots as well. Is the difference cosmetic and volume or what?

I've seen Mazuma, Claret and others I can't quite remember.

Sorry for the dumb questions, but I'm alwys open to more seasoned advice.

Thanks in advance

ExNewMex

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[GuestHouse]

The advice given by Breeze is spot on.

I discussed this very subject with a water specialist who I work with (I work for a engineering company that works in areas of infrastructure).

Many water filters in Thailand include Activated Carbon which, if not well maintained, will act as a perfect growing ground for some very nasty bacteria.

Many Thai water filters also include Deionizing Resin, these remove all the minerals in the water and leave the water 'ion hungry'. The user is effectively drinking water that will leach minerals out of the food they eat and out of their bones etc. Deionized water is not healthy and can give rise to damage to teath and bones.

Micro filtering is all you need.

[lopburi3]

3. Resin Filters — Resin filters consist of a module that contains resins that can remove contaminants such as lead and other heavy metals, as well as minerals that cause deposits in kettles and coffee makers. These contaminants have an electrical charge and are removed by attaching to an opposite charge found on the resin. Resin filters can be combined with activated carbon filters to remove a wide range of particles and dissolved substances.

Source

[samran]

A couple of questions then, what is a good micro filter brand, or are we simply talking anything which fliters down to 0.1 Micron.

Also, I've got a 0.3 Micron filter (the first module) and a activated carbon modual. Is 0.3 enough? And how often should the activated carbon be replaced?

[chownah]

The advice given by Breeze is spot on.

I discussed this very subject with a water specialist who I work with (I work for a engineering company that works in areas of infrastructure).

Many water filters in Thailand include Activated Carbon which, if not well maintained, will act as a perfect growing ground for some very nasty bacteria.

Many Thai water filters also include Deionizing Resin, these remove all the minerals in the water and leave the water 'ion hungry'. The user is effectively drinking water that will leach minerals out of the food they eat and out of their bones etc. Deionized water is not healthy and can give rise to damage to teath and bones.

Micro filtering is all you need.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have never heard from a reliable source that drinking deionized water is harmful. Do you have a reliable source that explains this? I would really like to see it since this has been something that I have heard often but never found verification. If you consider the extremely small amount of minerals that you ingest in the water you drink every day and then consider the relataively huge amount of minerals that you ingest in your food each day then it is difficult to believe that missing the tiny amount in the water would make any difference.

[Thetyim]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but all the experts seem to be here and I need some help.

I tried to backflush my house water filter yesterday, and I think I might have made a big c@ck up of it.

It is a big thing about 2 metres high, no idea what type.

A load of orange water came out, so I ran it until it went clear.

Then I saw that the waste water was full of tiny granules.

I presume that this is the filter medium.

Have I done it wrong ?

[chownah]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic but all the experts seem to be here and I need some help.

I tried to backflush my house water filter yesterday, and I think I might have made a big c@ck up of it.

It is a big thing about 2 metres high, no idea what type.

A load of orange water came out, so I ran it until it went clear.

Then I saw that the waste water was full of tiny granules.

I presume that this is the filter medium.

Have I done it wrong ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If your filter is a concrete cylinder about 1 metre in diameter and 2 metres tall then it might be a 'slow sand filter'. Are the tiny granules that came out sand? Is it open on top with a float actuated switch up there on top?

Edited November 20, 2005 by chownah

[lopburi3]

It sounds as if you back flushed a resin filter (normally tiny orange granules) and they don't need cleaning that I am aware of.

But now would be a good time to replace the filter material.

Edited November 20, 2005 by lopburi3

[patrickq]

Chownah, interested in this as well, I have read a lot about water filtration and there seem to be opposing camps; those that say de-ionised (as in distilled) water leaches minerals from your body and others who claim it doesn't.

As I understand it so far (still researching!) the first thing one has to realise is that there are different types of minerals; organic and inorganic. Minerals found in all the 'mineral waters' are inorganic and actually detrimental to the body, their source is from rock etc and the calcium (for instance) actually ends up deposited in the joints of the body, it cannot be assimilated into the bloodstream. Minerals that are present in vegetables however are organic (even if the veg as such aren't) and the body can use these, absorb into blood stream and benefit your body. Distilled water does indeed 'leach' minerals from the body, but it is removing the inorganic detrimental minerals, so effectively is helping to clear your body of debris. It does not remove the minerals from your bloodstream. My main concern with distilled water is that it is effectively 'dead' as it has been passed through the boiling process and is essentially lifeless, but this is easily rectified by exposure to sunlight in a glass bottle for a few hours. Distilled water is pretty much what rainwater is, before it collects any pollutants on it's way down to us. Reverse Osmosis (RO) which is heavily marketed by a lot of companies has one major drawback, it wastes a huge amount of water in the process. Distilled and RO both provide very comparable potable water, neither is 100% effective in removing every and any potential contaminant, but then probably there is no longer any such water on this planet. I drink water that I have distilled whenever possible, far preferable to bottled water - particularly when in Thailand, after hearing from a friend who for a short time worked at a bottling company (unfortunately never divulged who) where they filled up direct from the mains supply ... reminds me of Coca-Cola, if my memory serves me correctly, who were doing something not much different, with a little filtration, back in the UK.

All the above is as I understand things so far, so any more knowledgeable (but not marketing) comments welcome, dyor and see what you come up with.

[GuestHouse]

Samran. A filter that removes to 3 mircons will remove all bacteria and water born virus', it is therefore perfectly acceptable for potable water filtration.

Patrikq, seems to be confused between Minerals and Chemicals.

All minerals are non organic.

Organic Chemicals are of particular concern when discussing water quality because they are specifically Chlorine/Florine and increasingly pesticides/herbicides.

This statement is absolutely wrong

Minerals found in all the 'mineral waters' are inorganic and actually detrimental to the body

Yes some heavy metals are dangerous, very high salt concentrations are not good, but please remember 'Mineral Waters' - A whole industry exists around the waters high in minerals.

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With respect to Demineralized (De-ionized) water, the issue is not simply that the water removes ions from the body. There is evidence that water which is low in minerals inhibits digestive processes, thereby having an amplified effect on the obstruction to absorbing chemicals.

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We'll all of us have to wait for the WHO to issue its report on drinking water, due out this year. Extracts I have read do not support Demineralized/De-ionized/Water Treated by Reverse Osmosis/Destilled Water as being healthy.

[chownah]

I'm still looking for a reliable source on the health effects of de-ionized water....WHO will it be?

[patrickq]

GuestHouse, don’t think that I am confused, I have done a fair amount of digging into this subject and the following seems to be a concise synopsis of what I have found in numerous references, even though this is from a site promoting water distillers -

( http://www.freshwateruk.com/distilledwaterandyourhealth.html )

Inorganic minerals include carbonate and lime compounds, calcium, iron and magnesium. Since they are of a kind and quality which are incompatible with our cells, the cells resist these minerals, which leaves an accumulation of debris in our bodies. Organic minerals, on the other hand, are found in the vegetables, fruit, seeds, grain, meats and nuts which form our daily diet. They are easily assimilable and are necessary for continuing good health ... Our bodies receive inorganic minerals from the water we drink. They receive organic minerals from the food we eat ...

As for the comment “ 'Mineral Waters' - A whole industry exists around the waters high in minerals” I wholeheartedly agree, however I feel that the industry is based on the myth that mineral water is good for us, when it actual fact it is harmful ... but, better than drinking most tap water! ... it is like grinding up lumps of rock and drinking it, not such a good idea.

As for the WHO report, I think I’d rather look for evidence myself than trust anything emanating from this organisation, which has considerably more to consider than the health of the world when preparing it’s reports!