The Best Way to Filter Water

The quest for pure water, free of diseases and contaminates, is a matter of urgency in many parts of the world. The soaring use of bottled water in the U.S. indicates public unease about the quality of drinking water that is mostly unwarranted. Municipal water systems maintain quality filtration standards and test constantly. However, many types of home water filters are available.

Instructions

Personal Water Supply

• 1

  Be safety conscious with water from a well or other source not part of a municipal system. It should be tested for elements and organisms such as chlorine, lead, arsenic or other specific contaminants needing removal. The best home system is a filtration unit installed in the water line that removes undesirable minerals and other contaminants before water passes through the house.

• 2

  Recognize that the best and most effective filtration methods are highly dependent on what needs to be removed, the ability of the intended user to operate the filtration system and its relative cost and availability. Having a good water filer on hand does no good if the owner can't operate it.

• 3

  Always filter natural water.

  Assume that water from streams, lakes and ponds needs filtration (by a portable water filter, by using iodine tablets or by boiling water before using). A portable water filter should carry an approved label from a recognized laboratory and have an absolute pore size of 0.2 microns. Filtering devices should have a minimum of 99.99 percent rate of disinfection. Outdoor supply stores are a good source of information.

Public Water Filtration

• 4

  Check the standards for filtration effectiveness if there is doubt about water quality. They were established by public and private organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, Environmental Protection Agency and the National Sanitation Foundation. Your local health department is a source for information.

• 5

  Expect tap water passing through a U.S. municipal system to be safe to drink, but learn what filtration methods are used in your area. Tampa, Florida, makes salt water potable with a reverse osmosis process that removes salt and purifies water. Chicago, Illinois, provides up to 2 billion gallons of Lake Michigan water a day by filtering through beds of layered sand and gravel. New York City filters only for particulate matter because its water source stays below minimum levels for contaminates requiring further filtering.

• 6

  Be prepared to act if the filtration infrastructure is disrupted by natural disasters or terrorist activity. The Haiti earthquake contaminated virtually all water sources and created a pressing need for filters that were simple to set up and use, inexpensive and easy to distribute. The firm Hydration Technology Innovations sent thousands of single-use water filtration pouches that could produce 12 ounces of drinkable water from any source.

• 7

  Boil where water quality is in doubt. As a last resort, punch holes in the bottom of a can, put a layer of gravel in the bottom topped by several inches of sand. Strain water through a cloth filter into the can and collect filtered water in a container below.