Bottled Water Versus Water Filters

In today's world, it seems people choose water in bottles instead of water filters. Why is that and what seems to be driving people to water in plastic bottles? Everyone (except the bottlers) will be better off if people will filter their own water and take it with them.

The Readers Digest August 2011 issue has a quote by Pete Gleick, PhD and author of Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water. Dr. Gleick says, "Sales of bottled water have skyrocketed from around a gallon per person per year in the early 1970s to over 30 gallons today." That is amazing yet it is mainly because we don't trust our water sources today.

If you do some basic searching on the Internet, you can turn up some reasons to go along with Dr. Gleick's remarks. If you look for "reasons to drink bottled water" most of the articles are why you should NOT drink bottled water. Yes, you should drink lots of water just not bottled water. Most of these sites are dedicated to the environment and individual's health. For example, the website Barefoot Runner's Life points out that, "Plastic bottled water contains a harmful chemical, BPA. Studies suggest that BPA mimics hormones. Exposure to BPA can cause a wide variety of health issues."

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Another issue Dr. Gleick points out is, "we don't like the taste, and it's become easier to find bottles of water at the same time that it's become harder to find water fountains." It is true that you can buy bottled water in ever gas station and convenience store in America. At the same time, more and more public places do not have water fountains. The water is in a machine somewhere in the building.

On the website Spirit Directors International, there is an article titled "Eight Good Reasons NOT to Drink Bottled Water." In the eight reasons, they list that water is often not regulated, it contains contaminants, and that 90% of the cost of the water is making the bottle! So you really aren't paying for the water, you are paying for the bottle and you throw that away. Item no. "6. North Americans use over 28 billion plastic water bottles per year; over 80% of bottles end up in landfills."

One of the issues listed on the website Mother Nature Network is that of corporate ownership of water. This site lists 5 reasons not to drink bottled water and their no. 5 is, "In the documentary film Thirst, authors Alan Snitow and Deborah Kaufman demonstrated the rapid worldwide privatization of municipal water supplies, and the effect these purchases are having on local economies." This issue has even worked its way into fiction. The author Clive Cussler wrote one of his adventure novels called Blue Gold and this is exactly what is happening. We have to hope that some hero comes forth as they did in the book to save us. The bottled water industry is "an important component in their drive to commoditize what many feel is a basic human right: the access to safe and affordable water."

The simple answer that many of these sites recommend is to get a carbon water filter of some type and a stainless steel container. If you don't have a water filter pitcher, faucet water filters, countertop water filters, or under counter water filter, be sure to take the time to get one of these. They are relatively inexpensive and over time will pay you back in better health, fewer trips to a doctor, and less need for medication. For people who want or need to filter larger amounts of water you can buy under counter water filters or even a reverse osmosis water filter.

Information You Need On A Water Filter

A water filter is part of a physical device built for filtering and purifying water of impurities. Water filters cleanse water for drinking. But there are cases in which the intent of chemical process of filtering water goes beyond filtering for drinking. Water may also be filtered for irrigation, aquariums and swimming pools.

There are three types of filters. These are the Water treatment plant filters, Point-of-use filters, and portable water filters. Water treatment filters may include media filters, screen filters, disk filters, slow sand filter beds, rapid sand filters, and cloth filters.

The Point-of-use filters are more commonly used at home and may include the granular activated carbon filters or GAC for carbon filtering, microporous ceramic filters, and metallic alloy filters. Also included are carbon block resin or CBR and ultrafiltration membranes. There is a water filter that uses several filtration methods like the multi-barrier system.

The Portable water filters are exclusively used for portable water purification.

In water treatment filters, the slow sand filtration system consists of a housing, water layer, filter bed, drainage system, and flow control. Normally there are manufacturers of this type of water filtration located in some areas in the United States. They are also exclusive providers of filtering parts.

For reverse osmosis under water treatment, you may consider GE Merlin tankless system. It has 4 stages of filtration and its filter is replaced every 6 months. The Pentek RO-3500 has three stages and its water filter is replaced every three months. The PuROTwist 4000 Gold series easy change system has 4 stages and its filter is replaced every 6 months.

Under sink water filter systems include many brands. There is CUNO Water Factory FM-2 LeadPlus which includes filter, bracket, and faucet. Another brand is Watts WQCFU-T-KIT triple system that also comes with a bracket, faucet, and filters.

For Point-of-use filters, there are inline water filters, bath water filters, and water filter pitchers. In inline water filters, the selections are Pentek IC-101L which has ¼" connections and it is compatible with Culligan IC-102 and Culligan C-101. The Whirlpool 4378411 has ¼" quick-connect fittings.

Water filter pitchers include GE GXPL03D/GCPL03H, PUR CR-6000C and Brita OB11, which is very slim. If you want the whole house water filters, the choices are hundreds. Water Filters is a good brand to consider for point-of-entry water filtration. Its goal is to ensure quality water throughout your home.

For Ultraviolet filtration, two brands are worth mentioning for the second time, namely the Pentek and Culligan. There is also the Ahdorma for providing excellent water filter products for ultraviolet systems.

A water filter needs replacement every three or 6 months. There are also filters that are replaced yearly. Still, others need monthly replacement. No matter what the frequency of replacement, it is best to know the duration of the filter for continued safe water drinking.

India: Land of many cell phones, fewer toilets
MUMBAI, India -- The Mumbai slum of Rafiq Nagar has no clean water for its shacks made of ripped tarp and bamboo. No garbage pickup along the rocky, pocked earth that serves as a road. No power except from haphazard cables strung overhead illegally. And not a single toilet or latrine for its 10,000 people. Yet nearly every destitute family in the slum has a cell phone. Some have three.
Read more on Las Vegas Review-Journal

The importance of water for human existence can be estimated from the fact that a major portion of a human body is constituted of water. But have you ever thought about what may be lurking in the water that you and your family members drink every day? Well, it may be bacteria, fungi and other toxic metals that may prove to be extremely harmful for humans in the long run. If you are considerate about the safety and health of your family, then it is the wisest thing to invest in a reliable and effective water filters purifier. It is significant to provide safety to your family and this can be adequately done by giving them safe water to drink.
How to find a water purifier system: As far as drinking water purification systems are concerned, you may be lost in the ocean of options available in the market. While searching for a water purifier for your home, it is wise to carry out a thorough research of all the models available in the market and make a list of ones that you would like to buy. It is a fact that all drinking water purifier systems are not that successful in removing the unsafe chemicals and if you invest in a wrong model of water purifier, then you will just end up wasting your money in a useless piece of equipment. These reviews can be found in different places including newspapers, magazines and classifieds, but the fastest way to find the one is over the Internet. There are literally thousands of sites over the net that offer reviews of models manufactured by different companies. If you are interested to buy a purifier of a particular brand, then you can visit the company's site and find the one that best suits your requirements, preferences and budget. Comments left by people on such sites may prove to be extremely helpful in choosing the best water purifier system for your household. If you can't completely rely upon these sources of information, you can ask for referrals from your relatives and friends. These people may suggest you which one to buy and which one not to buy depending upon their experience. If you find that one of your friends is satisfied with a particular model of water purifier, then buying that same model will be wise for you.
Types of drinking water purification systems: While purchasing a water purifier system, you need to give attention to the amount of water you need to purify everyday. The more water you purify, the faster the machine will wear out. There are several companies in Honululu, Hawaii and Oahu that are manufacturing purifiers for different quantities of usage. You can purchase a water purifier not only for your household but also for the time when you are traveling or on a camping trip. Bottle purifiers are portable and can be carried anywhere you go. Other purification systems may include electric water purifiers, water filters, water filter pitchers, water dispensers, single clear purifiers, pure bottle-less water coolers, UV water purification model and reverse osmosis purification models.
Before purchasing a water purifier, make sure to taste the water it produces. This is important because taste of water changes after purifying and you should check whether you are comfortable with that taste or not.

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The best water filtration?

Im looking for the best water filtration system. Ones that you can pick up at stores. Is it that pur, brita or what. Which one works the best. any price or anything. Just tell me which store bought filters that you can pick up at stores are the best. The ones that dont need to be installed through the pipes and stuff. Either the ones on the sink or those pitchers. Which ones the best

I personally use brita and you can get them at walmart, target. I have used it for years same with my parents.

Water Filter Pitchers – 3 Things You Need To Know Before You Buy

If you are reading this, you’ve probably already come to the realization that many others have: Using a home water filtration system will save you time and money! One of the cheapest, easiest ways to filter your drinking water at home is to use a water filter pitcher in your refrigerator.  With so many different models and makers available to you, you have your work cut out for you when choosing one to buy.  But before you buy one, here are 3 things you need to know about them to make a smart, economical pick.

1. Chlorine Level: This is number one for a reason! Chlorine is what gives tap water its bad taste and odor, which is probably the reason you are looking at water filtration in the first place.  Water filter pitchers remove most of the chlorine in your water, giving it its clean, pure taste.  Most filter pitchers remove between 92-99% of the chlorine in the water.  You can find out the exact amount that a filter removes by looking at the specifications on it’s box or webpage.  Remember, the more chlorine it filters, the cleaner the water will taste!

2. Fluoride Retention: Although you want to filter out most of the chemicals from the tap water, there is actually one that you want to keep –fluoride.  Fluoride is vital to the health of your teeth, and water utility companies add it into the tap water so that you and I don’t have to take fluoride supplements.  Many water filter pitchers will filter out the harmful chemicals from tap water but keep the useful fluoride in the water for you to drink.  Check it out on the specs where you found the chlorine level count.

3. Replacement Filter Value: While the cheapest filter may initially seem to be the best deal, don’t be fooled! Not all replacement filters have the same lifespan.  The lifespan of the replacement filters is usually in the 40-50 gallon range.  To find the actual value of the filter, divide the price of the filter/number of gallons it can filter before replacement.  This will give you an actual cost per gallon of water to effectively compare filter value.

About the Author

Jordan is an Expert Author on home water purification systems.

For more great tips and resources on water purification, check out the "Best Water Filter Blog" here!

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Drinking Water Filters

There is no drinking water filter system that can be called the number one product. There are several filter systems produced by several manufacturers, but the best water filter system is the one that suits your needs the best. There are a few things to consider when looking for a drinking water filter. The first and most obvious reason to get a water filter is that you get pure clean water. The filters also eliminate any smell in the water. The water tastes different too if it is contaminated and the truth is that all the tap water is contaminated even though it goes through a filtration process. Some of the treatments used to purify the water are harmful for our organism, thus further filtering is needed if you want to drink tap water safely.

Each of the models has pros and cons. The water filter pitcher can produce a limited amount of filtered water, the top counter ones occupy space on the counter, and the under counter ones require a little bit of plumbing knowledge or even a plumber. In the process of filtering and purifying the water some of the models use more water than they actually filter while others use electricity. Thus you need to do a little bit of research in your household to see which one fits your needs better and which one turns to be more profitable for you. First of all you need to estimate how much water you need for drinking. Since the recommended amount is 2 liters a day per person, the drinking water usage might turn out to be relatively big in your household. It all depends on how many people you family consists of.

When choosing the filtering technology try to estimate how much your water bill will increase if you use water filter system that uses the reverse osmosis technology or how much your energy bill will increase if you use the ultraviolet technology. Also a good thing to keep in mind before purchasing a filtering system is to check how often you need to change or clean the filters and how much they cost. Often times the system is relatively cheap, but the replacement filters or cartridges are more expensive. Depending on the model you choose the filters from the water filter system have to be change monthly or every trimester or as needed. The advantage of a well known brand in the market is that it usually has filters available in most of the locations, thus changing the filters will not be an impossible thing to do, but rather an easy and pleasant one.

No matter which model or which technology you use in a drinking water filter system, you should be able to observe the differences immediately. Water should have no smell, the taste should be significantly improved and pleasant, the sediment should be removed and the bacteria too. The more filters a system has the better the quality of the water is. Thus water can pass through two, three or even eight filters before it gets in your glass. If you are still undecided which one to buy, you can always start with a carbon filtration system which offers very good quality for the price and does not have very high filter replacement costs.

About the Author:

Find out how you can research and find a clinically tested water filter that will meet your needs by visiting my clean water site. I recently lost over eighty pounds and have been researching health related issues. Go to http://www.clean-filtered-water-site.com and get the additional results of my research. You will find the solutions that you need on clean water there.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Help! I Need To Get A Drinking Water Filter System?

City GM off to the Congo
Richard Forward, the city’s general manager of infrastructure, development and culture, is travelling to the Congo to help install water filters. Forward will be “teaching the teacher” to help each household create and maintain its own clean-water supply.

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How to Install Replacement Water Filters

Water is the basic necessity of every human being. It is the substance which is essential for the survival of the civilization and population. Water is not only used for drinking but also for irrigation, cooking, washing and many more to mention. In short we can say that it is the inseparable part of everyone's life. Since the time people got aware of the water borne diseases the significant increase in water filters has been recorded. Majority of populace have installed best water filter in their houses so that they can get pure and clean drinking water. And those who want to be extra cautious simply go in for the installation of whole house water filters. This makes them get the pure water not only for drinking but also for washing, cooking and even bathing.

But they are replacement water filters which have certainly stirred the market. They have become the hot property and the most proud possession. Replacement water filters are another type of filters which can be either attached or removed at any point of time. They are very flexible that they can be attached on the pitcher and also to the tap. Replacement water filters are very compact and powerful despite being of small size. They are simply attached on to the pitcher or tap and you get the instant clean and pure drinking water. This water filter is equipped with very powerful filter which not only eliminates the impurities but also the bacteria and germs. These replacement water filter cartridges should be periodically changed so that there is prevailing of bacteria and impurities.

Replacement water filters are very inexpensive and are easily available in the market as they have gained sudden popularity and hype. Majority of the companies have started emphasizing more on replacement water filters as people have started depending more on them as they are easy to install and are very handy too. Nowadays many companies have started offering extra filters with replacement water filters so that people buy more of these. Being so handy they can be attached anywhere you want whether it is tap, pitcher or even faucet. In short from wherever you can get water you can attach it.

So if you are health freak and want the safety for your whole family then simply installs this replacement water filter in your house and gets pure and safe drinking water anytime.

For more information about replacement water filters, please visit: http://www.aquasana.us

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Bog gardens add interest, biodiversity to landscape
Bog gardens are making a big splash with people wanting to create unusual pockets of interest near their homes. Few wetlands contain as many different life forms.

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