Water Filter Technologies, Specifications and Alternatives
The performance claims of a particular water purification product can be easily verified by reviewing the product’s Performance Data Sheet, which lists all of the contaminants the system has been certified to remove and to what percentage. It is the law in California and several other states that this information be included as part of the company’s promotional literature, as well as replacement cartridge cost, and that a copy be enclosed with each water filtration device. By comparing each products performance data, initial product cost and ongoing cost per gallon,it is very easy to determine which product is best for you. It is also important to look at the advantages or disadvantages of other products or technologies even though they are not leading brands; such is the case with “reverse osmosis” and “distillation” systems. Although none of the top brands employ these de-mineralizing processes, as their popularity has sharply declined in recent years, there is an ongoing debate over the healthfulness of de-mineralized water vs. filtered water with its natural trace minerals. While there are studies that argue both sides of this debate, the most recent and most credible studies show the benefits of drinking naturally balanced water with its natural trace minerals is the healthiest. From a common sense standpoint, from the fact that nowhere on Earth do we find naturally occurring de-mineralized water, we should realize that we were not meant to have it. In nature, all water contains traces of the Earth’s natural minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which is what our bodies are made to run on. All over the world, wherever you find the most contaminant-free, mineral rich water, you find the healthiest, most vibrant civilizations. From a more scientific viewpoint, there are several very credible studies and books that stress the more recent opinion that long term consumption of de-mineralized water can in fact be dangerous. Dr. Zolton Rona, author of “The Joy of Health”, states that “the longer one consumes distilled water, the more likely the development of mineral deficiencies and an acid state.” Dr. Paavo Airola, cancer expert and author of “How to Get Well” and “Cancer... Causes, Prevention and Healing” also reports that “long term consumption of distilled water eventually results in multiple mineral deficiencies.” A couple of very negative things happen when we consume water that has been stripped of its natural minerals. First, because de-mineralized water contains more hydrogen it is an acid solution, with a pH below seven. Any time we consume an acid substance, our body will pull minerals from our teeth and bones to produce bicarbonate in an effort to neutralize the acid. Second, it has been proven that when body fluids are more acid than alkaline the production of free radicals goes up, increasing cancer risks. Many recent studies suggest that cancer cells can only grow in an acid environment. This theory seems to be supported by the fact that the areas where people live the longest most disease free lives are the areas that have the most alkaline water, water with the highest mineral content. Reverse Osmosis and Distillation were initially developed over 50 years ago for industrial uses, the printing and photo processing industries, which require de-mineralized water. Because of the increased popularity and demand for home water filtration products, many companies began marketing these products as “new” or “state-of-the-art” drinking water systems, which simply is not the case. Often these products are demonstrated using a device that measures the TDS (total dissolved solids) or conductivity of the water, and implies that this measurement shows the systems effectiveness at removing contaminants. TDS meters measure the dissolved minerals in water, primarily calcium and magnesium, and have little or nothing to do with contaminant levels or the water’s purity. The healthiest water is produced by “selective filtration”, products that have the ability to remove contaminants and not minerals. All of the brands shown in the comparison chart on this site use selective filtration methods. |