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The Water Purifier

Thursday, October 4th, 2007 by Tim

You should be mindful that the human body is made of more than 75 percent water. Given this little fact, you also must be aware that forty-eight hours without water can kill a person, while the same individual b can last up to three weeks without food. Water is the elixir of life. Without it there would be no life on the Earth, no humans, no nothing.

As priceless as it is, it can also be deadly. Some well known killer water born diseases are cholera, dysentery, typhoid and diarrhea. These are infections that are capable of wiping out a whole city in a matter of days. Look up the epidemics that swept across Europe, America and other continents from time to time. Even today, when modern science is at its zenith, such killer diseases can create havoc whenever they raise their ugly heads.

How do you prevent such disasters from happening? Easy – ensure that the drinking is pure at all times. A good way to ensure this is to install water purifier machines in all places where water is used for drinking. The administration of most cities applies stringent tests to check the potability of the water supplied to residential areas. However, in spite of their best efforts there are always some or other cases of sickness and even fatalities due to unclean drinking water.

This need not happen if there are sufficient water purifier machines installed as a secondary purification process, and thus ensuring that the water you drink is always safe. The water purifier machine is most important when the city or the inhabited area is close to any industrial belt or hospital premises, where the possibility of the contamination of the water table runs high.

Without the water purifier machines in place, humans would be in constant danger of being negatively affected by water borne-diseases, pollutants, metals infiltration and other harmful matter that manages to creep into the water you are drinking.

Water Treatment Methods

Tuesday, August 7th, 2007 by Tim

In areas where tap water is not chlorinated or where sanitation is poor, there are several alternative methods for ensuring water is safe to drink. These include boiling the water, chemically disinfecting it, filtering it, using various combinations of the previously stated methods, or buying bottled water. Remember: if the tap water is not safe to drink in the area you are visiting, do not use it to reconstitute juice or to rinse fresh fruits and vegetables. Also avoid ice made from tap water.

Below we describe ways to make sure water is safe to drink.
Bottled Water

Bottled water from a trusted source is a recommended alternative to tap water. Before drinking, be sure all bottled beverages have fully sealed caps. If seals are not intact, the bottles may have been refilled.
Boiling Water

Boiling water is the best method for making water safe to drink. Boiling water as recommended will kill bacterial, parasitic, and viral causes of diarrhea. Adding a pinch of salt to each quart will improve the taste.
Directions for Boiling Water

* Boil water vigorously for 1 minute and allow it to cool to room temperature (do not add ice).
* At altitudes greater than 6,562 feet (>2,000 m), boil water for 3 minutes or use chemical disinfection after water has been boiled for 1 minute.

Chemical Disinfection

If boiling water is not possible, chemical disinfection with iodine (e.g., Globaline, Potable-Aqua, or Coghlan’s, found in pharmacies and sporting goods stores) is another method for making water safer to drink. Cryptosporidium (a parasite that can cause diarrhea) and other coccidian parasites (e.g., Cyclospora, Toxoplasma) might not be killed by this method. Cloudy water should be strained through a clean cloth into a container to remove any sediment or floating matter, and then the water should be treated with iodine.
Directions for disinfecting water with iodine

Iodine tablets

1. Follow the tablet manufacturers’ instructions.
2. If water is cloudy, double the number of tablets.
3. If water is extremely cold, less than 5° C (41° F), an attempt should be made to warm the water, and the recommended contact time (standing time between adding a chemical disinfectant to the water and drinking the water) should be increased to achieve reliable disinfection.

Note: Be sure the tablet size is correct for a liter of water.

Tincture of Iodine - measure out your dose to water.

1. If using tincture of iodine 2% solution, add 5 drops to a Liter or Quart of clear water. If the water is cloudy, add 10 drops per Liter or Quart. (Note: 20 drops=1 ml.)
2. Allow the water to stand for 30 minutes before drinking when the water temperature is at least 25°C (77°F). Increase the standing time for colder water: (e.g., for each 10° less than 25°C (77°F), allow the water to stand for double the time before drinking it.

Crystalline Iodine (found at some chemical companies and sporting goods stores) First make a saturated solution and then measure your own dose to add to water. The crystalline form stores well indefinitely and new batches of the saturated solution can be made from a small amount of crystals each time you take a trip.

To prepare a stock of Crystalline Iodine saturated solution:

1. Place 4-8 grams of crystalline iodine into a 1-2 oz container and fill with water. Note: 1oz=6 teaspoons.
Warning: crystalline iodine at 4-8 grams is a lethal dose if accidentally swallowed in a single dose. Keep out of the reach of children.
2. Shake the bottle vigorously for 1 minute. Allow several additional minutes for the iodine to maximally dissolve in the available water. Some crystals should always be visible; if they totally dissolve, then more crystals should be added to the container to insure that iodine saturation of the stock solution has been achieved.
3. If the water to be treated is clear, add 13 ml of saturated iodine solution — liquid above the crystals, not the crystals themselves — per Liter or Quart. Note: 5 ml= 1 teaspoon. 13 ml = about 2.5 teaspoons
4. In cloudy water, add 26 ml of saturated solution per Liter or Quart.
Note: Allow the solution to stand 20 minutes before drinking the disinfected water when the water temperature is 20-25°C (68-77°F). Increase the standing time with colder water. For each 10° less than 25°C (77°F), allow the water to stand for double the time before drinking.

Portable Water Filters

Certain types of portable water filters can also remove some types of infectious agents from drinking water. However, most of the portable filters on the market do not effectively remove viruses, thus chemical disinfection of water is needed after filtering with such filters to make the water safer for drinking. Some portable water filters designed to remove parasites (Giardia/Cryptosporidium) have an “absolute” pore sizes of 0.1 to 1-micrometer and, therefore, may also remove most diarrhea-causing bacteria. See the Division of Parasitic Diseases’ Guide to Water Filters and Bottled Water to learn about different filters and those that filter Cryptosporidium. Viruses are smaller than 0.1 micron and will NOT be removed by filters with a pore size of 0.1 or larger. To kill viruses that may pass through these filters, add iodine (as described above) to the filtered water before you drink it.

Note: Chlorine in various forms has also been used for chemical disinfection. However, it is not as reliable as iodine for killing disease causing organisms in the wide range of water-quality conditions that travelers might encounter
Warnings

* Crystalline iodine 4-8 grams used in a stock solution constitutes a human lethal dose if accidentally swallowed in a single dose. Keep out of the reach of children.
* Water that has been disinfected with iodine is NOT recommended for pregnant women, people with thyroid problems, those with known hypersensitivity to iodine, or continuous use for more than a few weeks at a time.

Content Source:
Division of Global Migration and Quarantine
National Center for Preparedness, Detection, and Control of Infectious Diseases

To Filter or not to Filter

Wednesday, July 25th, 2007 by Tim

The whole home H2O filter is the most useful and beneficial home appliance you can have. Many of the industry’s water filter systems are made by a handful of manufacturers. Different companies buy these water filters and put their own”marques” on the filters even though the water filtration technology may be one and the same. If you require a more steadfast supply of filtered water, and if you’d like to use filtered water for ice cubes and coffee, a faucet-mounted water filter is the way to go. At the very least, water filters improve the taste of tap water by getting rid of impurities. How to find the right water filter for your home. Household water filters generally fall into one of two categories: point-of-entry units, which treat water before it gets dispersed throughout the house; and point-of-use units, which include countertop filters. A simple faucet mounted unit will do untill you decide which unit will best suit your needs.

Tap Water Purifier

Thursday, March 29th, 2007 by Tim

Tap Water Purifier

Tap Water Purifier – What Are The Benefits – How To Find It

A tap water purifier has become a necessity. A tap water purifier will be able to clean the water of all dissolved minerals, heavy metals and nutrients as well as agricultural, industrial and organic pollutants. There are many different types of water purifiers, functionality based on what substances need to be removed from your water.

Some home units attach in just seconds to your faucet, and will get rid of heavy metals, inorganic ions, organic chemicals, chloramine, chlorine and sediments that come out of tap water.

Where To Look For A Tap Water Purifier

There are many sources where you can find a tap water purifier – but make sure to check their intricate features, technical details, usefulness and price. Be sure to understand what you require your filter to accomplish before you commit yourself to buying. Because if the unit can’t rid your water of your specific contaminants it is unlikely that the product will be able to satisfy you. You can obtain a copy of the latest test done on the water in your area or you can purchase a Water Test Kit inexpensively and test the water yourself.

How do you choose a Water Filter?

Thursday, March 22nd, 2007 by Tim

The selling of water purifiers have become big business and in doing so have put the consumer in a predicament because of the wide selection available. This brings about the difficulty of knowing which one to choose. It is best to do a bit of homework beforehand and thus to know what to look for in a water purifier filter.

Step One: Test the Water

Determine the type of water that you have by determining the type of contaminants in the water. Only then can you start to make a decision on the type of water purifying filter. Your public utility that supplies your water is required to disclose the tests done on the water supply, and the impurities that have already been filtered out. You can get a copy of this test to find out what substances you still need to rid your water of. You can also perform your own test on your water at home, or hire a professional to come in and conduct a test for you

Step Two: Identify the Contaminants

After getting these test results, you can start searching for the correct water purifier filter. If you discover that your drinking water is harboring bacteria, you will want to look for a UV filter that will work directly on bacteria contaminants. Chemicals and sediments on the other hand, require a carbon filter or a reverse osmosis filter.

If you are looking for the cheapest and easiest to install, then carbon filters are the type to choose. These work most effectively on chemicals that primarily affect the taste, odor and color of your water. Reverse osmosis filters actually take out even more contaminants and impurities than the carbon filters. These tend to be a bit pricier, but can be worth the additional peace of mind that they offer.

Step Three: The correct place for your Water Purifier Filter

If you choose a carbon filter, then you have other choices to make. These include the placement of the water puffier filter. These come in various forms, from

1. the pitcher,

2. to the countertop model, and

3. even a system that attaches to the plumbing underneath your sink.

The regular service and upkeep of your system is also of great importance to give you the best results. It may even be necessary to make use of a professional to help you install your water purifier filter.

What’s in your water?

Friday, February 23rd, 2007 by Tim

Get A Water Purifier System And Stay Healthy

Water borne diseases may by more prevelant  than you ever thought possible. According to statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency about 45 million people in the US are exposed to parasite, germ, lead or chemical contamination and various other impurities in their drinking water. Drinking bottled water may make you feel safer but can you really be sure about the quality of bottled water?

 It has been observed by the Harvard School of Public Health that the number of children falling ill from gastrointestinal causes due to drinking unpurified tap water may be up to 10 percent. Numerous different types of water purifier systems utilize granulated activated charcoal or compressed charcoal filters to impurities found in plain tap water. To get rid of metals like iron and other impurities and hard chemicals, one micron filters are needed.

Possibly the only way to be sure you are getting high quality filtered water is to purchase your own filtration system

Filters come in all shapes and sizes, some can be connected below the sink and individual faucets as well. Also you might might want to consider a unit that can be attached to the showerhead, although some might consider this overkill.

Whether the water purifier system you use is a  one or two-stage-filtering system, or a simple add on to the faucet it is your call as to how much money you are willing to spend. It also depends on how good or bad  the water is to start with.

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Credits: Dewald ama-Canuck | Matteo Turchetto | Andreas Viklund
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