10 Common Ways Your Drinking Water Gets Filtered

by Curtis Grossi | Last Updated: March 14, 2024

Water exists naturally pure, made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. But this doesn’t mean it is clean for human consumption.There’re other things which water make up water including organic particles, chemicals, and even pollution from human error.

This means water is bound to have impurities that may contain deadly viruses and bacteria known to cause severe ailments.

Health experts have discovered ways to make undrinkable water palatable and safe for human consumption. Some water filtration techniques are ideal for use at home while other technologies are suitable for large-scale use.

The core purpose of filtration systems is to make contaminated water safe by removing pathogens and other nasty components. The usability of water filtration techniques differ based on your location, the type of filtration technology, and the impurities that need to be eliminated from the water too.

Almost all filtration systems use the same principle, though. If you’re looking for the best ways to filter and purify water, below are common techniques known for cleaning common types of water contaminants to make water clean.

There are several things to keep in mind when choosing a water filtration system. Otherwise, you could end up spending so much on a technology that won’t work for you. Firstly, you have to understand what is in the water.

That way, you’ll get a water filter that can get the job done efficiently and accurately. Whatever the source of your water, you can determine the elements and pathogens in it by getting municipal water test reports, lab reports, or using the DIY home water test kits. Secondly, understand how it is used to ensure that you are maximizing its ability. 

Common Ways Of Filtering Water

1. Activated Carbon

As the name suggests, activated carbon filters are made up of carbon granules. Carbon is known for its high oxidation rate. Owing to the high oxidation level, carbon chemically bonds with other chemicals present in water thereby getting rid of them.

Activated carbon filters work best in filtering chlorinated water with bad odor and taste. Carbon granules are capable of bonding with chlorine so they will filter and clean water, making it ideal for human consumption. However, these filters remove only certain impurities. They cannot remove contaminants such as fluoride, arsenic, and nitrates. You can get quality granulated filters from any filter store.

2. Distillation

Distillation has been used for years on end in purifying water. It applies the technique of heating the water to vaporization after which it is trapped back in liquid form through condensation.

This technique is ideal for removing impurities such as minerals, microorganisms, pathogens, and chemical which require high heating for their bond to break. Note that, volatile organic chemical and chlorine have a high boiling point, hence, cannot be removed through distillation.

Distillation is expensive and may not be applied in large scale, as it consumes a lot of energy and time. Choose the best w​​ater softening portable filters instead to get high-quality and clean water for drinking.

3. Deionization

Deionization is a process where salt is eliminated from your water by the use of ion exchanger or using charged ions electrically. This filter removes the impurities which don’t have an electrical charge.

However, it is not suitable for eliminating pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. The method is useful when applied to remove impurities like salt. Dimerization is the common term, which refers to filters which remove impurities such as minerals like chloride and fluoride.

It’s a safe and accessible technology that’s widely used in most modern water filters. If you would rather use deionization as your means of filtering water, you should lookout for a filtration system with the right features.

4. Ion Exchange

Ion exchange is a new technology where a resin is used to replace ion impurities found in water. It is the best technology to use if you want to soften your hard water, as it can replace minerals such as magnesium and calcium by the use of sodium ions.

Ion exchange filters work best if taken care of, so you must occasionally recharge your resin to give them plenty of these harmless ions. Some people may feel that the sodium add a bit of salty taste, but that shouldn’t be a problem as you can replace the resin with potassium ion, which will add a better flavor to your water.

5. Reserve Osmosis Filters

Reverse osmosis is when your dirty water is filtered by passing it through a semipermeable membrane where the larger molecules than water are trapped back (read more about RO here).

This process helps to retain the molecules from entering into your clean sieved water. As described earlier, this process only traps molecules which are larger than water. Hence, it may not trap small molecules and pathogens such as bacteria and viruses.

However, this filtration method can be a great choice for many since it works better than activated carbon filtration. These filters are best used in home-based purification and may not work for large-scale purposes, as they take a lot of water than they produce.

6. Mechanical Filters

Mechanical filters, as their name suggest, work to remove physical particles leaving the chemical contaminants in water. They work best to remove contaminants such as.

The filters are made up of small holes which sieve the unwanted particles from water. They can be combined with other filtration systems to boost the quality of water. In case you realize that your water is having big particles of impurity, consider getting a quality mechanical water filter or filter pitchers. You may have to find other techniques to get rid of other deadly impurities and make your water purer and cleaner.

7. Ozone Filters

Ozone filters work great when combined with other technologies. They’re suitable for removing deadly pathogens found in drinking water.

Ozone cannot remove chemical particles from the water but still stands out as one of the best ways to get the water filtered and purified. Ozone can treat your water by removing any odor and bad taste.

Ozonated water is free of bacteria, so you can use it as a mouthwash, treating infections from your gut. Also, you can clean your clothes with water purified with ozone to get a great scent. There are currently tons of ozone filters which you can easily buy online or offline. 

8. Carbon Block Filters

These filters are block-shaped and are made up of carbon particles. These block-shaped carbon particles are somehow effective than using carbon-based filters, as they have a large surface area.

They also present a high flow of water which makes them more effective. Fibredyne carbon block filters can hold tons of impurities as they have a more elevated sedimentation capacity. Carbon block filters are also some of the main features of water coolers.

You can do your search to find water coolers with these features rather than trying to find individual carbon block filters, which may not be easy to find.

9. Ultraviolet Disinfection

Using UV for cleaning water is another common way to get water filtered. Ultraviolet disinfection is perfect for filtering water that is low in turbidity. High turbidity leads to UV ineffectiveness. This is due to absorption and shadowing, which result from the solids suspended in the water.

Like Ozone filtration, this disinfection method leaves no traces of residuals in water making it perfect for use with other techniques.

To get the best results with these types of filters, you may need to get the best options. Look out for filters that have good ratings and are verified and confirmed to be suitable for use at home or in business settings. 

10. Water Chlorination

Chlorine disinfection remains one of the most reliable ways to get water filtered, and this helps reduce ailments triggered by water infested with pathogens.

Chlorination is commonly used in cleaning water in the municipal water settings. When used in the recommended amounts, chlorine helps remove unpleasant taste and odor in water.

There are so many types of water filters that use chlorination technology to filter water and make it suitable for drinking. You’ve to check out the features and qualities of different filters, so you get the right one for your home or office.

Check out water filter reviews to find out a water filter you can rely on to get your household drinking water filtered on demand. An extensive research and filter comparison will help you find filters that have the qualities and features needed to remove chlorine in water efficiently.

Conclusion

Water purification is a way of eliminating unwanted chemical or particle contaminants found in drinking water. You can get your water filtered in a variety of ways using different kinds of filters, which have various types of features and qualities.

Water consists of impurities such as chemical, pesticides, industrial pollutants, and solid particles. The most common water filters use mechanical, reverse osmosis, chlorination, ultraviolet, and carbon block filtration technologies.

By filtering water, you lower the concentration of organisms such as viruses and bacteria, and also dissolved solid particles which can be harmful to the body. Knowing what is in the water you drink or use every day is a crucial step you cannot neglect when searching for water filters to buy for your business or home.

Know your state of water now to increase the chances of getting the best water filters for your household or business.

Curtis is the founder and owner of softeningwater.com. He is the lead guy concerning all the water-softening accessories in this site's guides and reviews. If he is not writing a reviews, guides or any other useful tips, you will find him testing them to find out their suitability. He is passionate about softening water. You will find him extremely helpful and always willing to educate the general populace all there is concerning water and its effects on their health and appliances.