How to select the right drinking water system for your home or business

01. Only purchase systems certified by a third party under industry standards

Drinking Water Industry Standards: NSF International & American National Standard (NSF/ANSI) develop joint standards that manage the existing and development of new standards. These joint industry standards undergo stakeholder review from the industry before finalizing a standard. After this, manufacturers can present products to various approved NSF/ANSI testing agencies/facilities to test them for these standards. All such testing is voluntary and not mandated by federal law. These standards can be confusing, so please review the Waterline Fact Sheet for an explanation of the standards and the testing agencies.

02. Review Treatment Technology

Filtration – Definition: A mechanical barrier that traps particulates. The measurement yardstick is a micron. (One micron = 1/25,000ths of an inch.) Therefore, a one-micron filter is capable of filtering 1/25,000ths of an inch if it is designed to prevent water from bypassing it. When analyzing filters, look for the reduction percentage after the micron rating, especially for health-related items such as lead and cysts.

Adsorption – Definition: It is a physical and mechanical process that traps the dissolved organic contaminants in channels and pores of activated carbon. Most of the inorganic minerals are not removed through adsorption. These natural minerals give water its taste and flavor.

Activated carbon comes in a wide variety of designs and carbon-based materials. Only a properly designed activated carbon filter can ensure it removes health-related contaminants.

Charged Membrane Filtration / Electro-adsorptive technology for water purification and filtration – Definition: The 0.8mm thick pleated media construction offers a torturous flow path and far more surface area than competitive. The positive surface charge around each alumina fiber resists the dumping or shedding of captured micro-organisms, even if the media becomes compromised. These charged membrane products have unmatched micro-organism retention capacity and filter life.

Specialized Media Filtration – Definition: We produce a variety of media blends to neutralize, raise pH, alkalize, and soften for point-of-use drinking water requirements. Please call our office to discuss your needs.

Reverse Osmosis R/O – Definition: Reversal of the natural osmosis process that plants use to remove nutrients from the soil with the addition of pressure. This process uses membrane technology with pressure placed on the untreated water side of the membrane. This creates a rejection (average of 90%+) of the microscopic dissolved contaminants (minerals & heavy metals), which are then flushed into a waste drain.

The ratio of water going to drain to produced drinking water is typically 3:1. Production is rated in gallons per day.

Removal of these inorganic minerals lowers the pH and requires that the R/O-treated water be plumbed with non-metallic piping/tubing to prevent the leaching of heavy metals. We suggest post-treatment to raise the pH after treatment with Reverse Osmosis! Water with low or no minerals can deplete the body’s electrolytes and cause health-related issues. So please never drink distilled or very low-mineral water.

03. Select the product that best meets your concerns and water quality issues

This fact sheet explains the most Common Water Quality Issues & Solutions are further explained on this fact sheet. It also recommends which of our Alwaysfresh models is the best solution.

Note:
Some systems accomplish fine filtration and adsorption with powder-activated carbon or block carbon with one cartridge. Refer to the Performance Data Sheet for detailed performance information on the system you are considering. This will ensure that you are getting certified performance information.

Whole House Treatment:
As a general rule, water softeners, iron filters, dirt/sediment filters, and taste/odor filters (installed to service your entire house) are not designed or capable of the performance achieved with a certified drinking water system. These systems protect the plumbing and appliances in your home, while a drinking water system protects the plumbing in your body!

Terms & Definitions

PFAS: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are artificial chemicals that include PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and many others. PFOA and PFOS have been the most extensively produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are persistent in the environment and the human body, meaning they don’t break down and can accumulate over time.

Select Units with the Model HFC-1000 cartridge, including single, dual, reverse osmosis, and purification systems that use this cartridge!

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE): Gasoline additive found to be leaking into groundwater. Taste and odor are primary issues. Use the HFC-1000 Drinking Water System for reduction.

Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs): They include gasoline, solvents, industrial and household cleaners, pesticides, and other chemicals that can leach into our water supply. Use the HFC-1000.

Disinfection by Products (DBPs): When aesthetic chlorine or aesthetic chloramines are added as a disinfectant in water, other chemicals are produced as a byproduct. These include Trihalomethanes (THMs) and VOCs. Use the HFC-1000.

Lead is a heavy metal that causes mental retardation and congenital disabilities. It was introduced from lead-based plumbing and service lines. All of our filtration products reduce this item.

Fluoride: An additive for reducing cavities in children and bone loss in adults. Many cities add this to their water supplies. Our filtration products leave in this additive.

Cysts: Giardia and Cryptosporidium are parasites that develop a hard protective shell when they leave their host and can cause intestinal illness, including cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea. They are found in 97% of all surface water supplies. All of our filtration products reduce these cysts, which are very resistant to chlorination.

Bacteria and BioFilm: All water supplies contain bacteria that can cause a short cartridge life due to a biofilm buildup on the filtration system’s surface. The HFC-1000 and SF-1000 have silver zeolite technology blended through the cartridge to protect the filter. Silver Zeolite Ions are slowly released during the cartridge’s life and are NSF/EPA/FDA approved for use in potable water systems.

Micron: A unit of measurement equal to one-millionth of a meter, 1/25,000 of an inch.

Sub-Micron Filtration: A fine filter reduces particles to less than one micron in size.

Contaminants: Have a question on a specific contaminant? Use this link to search the National Tap Water Database for the definition and possible source. https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

National Water Quality: National Tap Water Database of contaminants in our drinking water. https://www.ewg.org/research/ewgs-healthy-living-tips/ewgs-guide-safe-drinking-water