Drinking Water Filters

Direct from mains filtration

Designed to be fitted under your kitchen counter, drinking water filters will remove 90-100% of contaminants from your tap water. Contaminants could include traces of heavy metal, fluoride, bacteria, pesticides, viruses and even certain hormones; ingesting a large amount of any of these could have an adverse effect on your body. Even if the water coming into your property is relatively clean the chances are that the carry the water have been in place since the property was originally constructed. Build of debris and bacteria inside these pipes can be lead to potentially harmful side effects when consumed in your water.

With two systems available both an electric and a non-electric version there are models to suit everyone and every fitting requirement. The difference between the two is that the electric one has a booster pump which allows it to increase the amount of water that flows through the system. This is particularly useful for properties with a low water pressure; the electric model will be able to fill your water storage tank in a much shorter space of time, despite the poor water pressure.

Both systems work using reverse osmosis whereby an applied pressure is used to overcome osmotic pressure. The water is pumped into the storage tank and filtered through a semipermeable membrane. The resulting water is then stored ready for use leaving behind any unwanted particles.

The general guideline that differentiates between which model would best suit you would be your water pressure. An average pressure for the UK would be 40-90psi or 3-6 Bar, if your water level is below this then it is highly recommended that you opt for the electrical water filter over the non-electrical version. Of course many people do not know what the water pressure in their property is or have no means of measuring this. If you do not know your water pressure get in touch with your water company and request the average water pressure for your area, this will be vital in determining which pump you need.

Some of the benefits of a built in water filter are:

• An reduction in purchases of bottled water, reducing both cost and plastic usage
• Filtered water tastes and smell better when compared to standard tap water
• It provides the convenience of filtered water direct from your tap
• It remove 90 – 100% of potentially harmful contaminants

Filter Jugs

If you’re looking for a cheaper, more portable option there are now a wide range of filter jugs available. Again they are going to remove all of the unwanted impurities from the tap water but they cost a fraction of what a permanent fitting would and of course can be taken with you. If for example you want filtered water readily available on your desk or dining table then of course a jug makes this possible; it also means that you can keep the jug in the fridge for cold, fresh water whenever you want.

Jugs generally range from 1 to 3 litres and start filtering from the moment that you fill them up. The filters are cheap and easy to replace and will vary in lifespan dependant on how hard the water in your area is. The majority of jugs, including even some of the cheapest ones, have an LED display to indicate things like whether the filter is running out or if it’s time for a change.