We all need to drink clean and safe water to maintain good health. The usual source of water in the household is the tap water which has to pass some strict quality standards set by the community we belong to. However, since tap waters are sourced out from other sources like water tanks, dams, reservoirs and other natural resources, the quality and the safety of drinking water right from our faucets is somehow at risk. There are practical methods to make tap water safe, and this is through filtration of water.

Water filtration is a process of straining and taking out unwanted and harmful impurities in the water from a water source. The size and quality of the filter element should be applicable to both big particles and the tiniest particles that have to be taken out from the water.

In filtration, you can make use of ceramic elements which can filter out microorganisms and its very tiny particles. It has the tiniest pore size, it is durable, easily maintained and widely used internationally. However, this is one of the very expensive kinds, and the downside part of it is that it cannot filter out chemicals, pollutants and bad odors from the water.

The next kind of filtration is using glass fiber elements and compressed surgical paper, which also has very tiny pores and is similar to ceramic element filter. They are less expensive and can be used at home if you want at a lesser cost. The disadvantage of using glass fiber filter is that they are harder to clean and not good for prolonged use.

Hard-block carbon elements are used as absorption filter and can help reduce bad odors, bad tastes and other pollutants of water. It is used mostly as a second or third stage of filtration, because it is not very effective in filtering out harmful microorganisms.

There is cheaper and convenient filtration, one of which is the use of faucet mount fillers, and these are easily attached to the faucet tap. It can be easily taken out if not needed. The cost is cheap but there are complaints about its slowness in filtering water out.

The pitcher water filters are also inexpensive ways to get filtered water and they fit conveniently under the faucet taps and can be stored in the refrigerator.

The dispenser water filters hold more water and is an advantage for large families. These rectangle containers dispense water from a spout located in its front portion. The use of line-by-pass water filters commonly located under the sink help filter water from the pipes.

Then, there are water filtration systems which are commercially available. These are highly recommended because they deal with more comprehensive methods of filtering water. These systems are usually used for the exact kind of protection you want, that’s why they are more costly compared to other filtration methods. These systems are more self-cleaning, and these are programmed to systematically monitor and diagnosis filtration problems that may occur in the process.

So, is it safe to drink tap water filtered from your home? The answer is yes, it is safe because you made the choice to take the necessary precautions like those mentioned above in ensuring safe and clean water for your family.

Jonathan Pitts

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