Filtered Drinking Water

Four Key Benefits of Filtered Drinking Water

1. Clean and mineral-rich water

A good quality, whole house water filter will remove the worst contaminants from your source water (tap or well) without removing the naturally occurring minerals, which are critical for optimal health.

The type of water filter you choose (such as whole house, counter-top, under sink, or pitcher) will, however, determine how effective your water is filtered.

In other words, most drinking water filters that employ more than one type of filtration are going to produce much cleaner water than a filter pitcher, for example. Check out our water filter reviews page, which explains how to choose a water filter.

2. Convenient and easy to use

Most tap water filters, such as a countertop or faucet filter, can be set up within minutes and do not require a plumber.

After that, you just turn on the tap and run the water through your filter for drinking or cooking or brushing your teeth.

No trips to the store, no carrying cases of bottled water, no returning and filling 3-gallon bottles, no dealing with water delivery services, no trips to the recycling bins to get rid of plastic bottles, and so forth.

The only thing you do have to do is maintain your water filter by changing filters and cleaning the system per the manufacturer’s guidelines.

3. Control of your water quality

One of the biggest issues I have with bottled water is that no matter what it says on the label, you never really know what you’re getting.Another good portion of bottled waters are purified by reverse osmosis or distillation. These de-mineralized waters are considered to be unhealthy for long-term use.When you invest in a point-of-use water filter, such as a counter top, faucet, or under sink water filter, you can get your local water quality report and know what contaminants are being filtered by your home filter.

Most manufacturers also offer pre-filters or specialty filters that can be added, if needed, to remove specific water contaminants from your source water.

4. Cost effective.

According to the Food and Water Watch Organization, the average home pitcher filter costs $0.10 to $.20 per gallon compared to bottled water which ranges from $0.89 to $8.26 per gallon.

At the mid-range for both, a water pitcher filter will cost about $55 yearly compared to $1669 yearly for bottled water.


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Water Dispenser disadvantages

What is a water dispenser?

Basically, any system which dispenses water for drinking can be called a water dispenser. What image actually comes up in your mind would depend on your upbringing, where you work/study, and how actively the water dispenser manufacturers/sellers are in advertising their wares in your locality.

Generally, if you are still studying in a college, or working in a large company, your image of a water dispenser is that of a free-standing water cooler connected to a water pipe. In a small shop, a clinic or the reception area, a water is probably dispensed from a large 5-gallon water bottle. In many small offices, water dispensers could even be a simple "air pot", constantly topped up with water from the toilet tap, which keeps water heated for making coffee.

Besides dispensing water, most systems also heat or chill the water. Tap-fed water dispensers may also include various filters to purify the water of contaminants, or may have some means of disinfecting their water supply.

Their disadvantages:

• If there is a heater or cooler, you still need a nearby electrical socket to plug in the bottled water dispenser.
• If you run out of water bottles, there is a delay and extra charge to deliver more bottles.
• You need space to store the bottles (both the filled bottles as well as the empty bottles).
• Lugging a 5-gallon water bottle into its correct position on the water dispenser is no joking matter. This type of water dispenser is NOT a good choice for an office full of nerdy computer programmers. Neither is it a good choice for an office full of elderly clerks.
• An expensive choice if you live in a rural area away from the usual delivery routes.
• If you choose to be supplied with mineral water, there is a possibility of contamination. In the past few years, there have been reports of groundwater contamination in the artesian wells which usually supply the cheaper brands of mineral water. The contamination comes from industrial areas, farms and oil/gas drilling activities near the wells used by the water supplier.
• Pure water treated using distillation or reverse osmosis have all their essential minerals stripped away.

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Water Bottles

7 Reasons To Never Drink Bottled Water Again

1. Plastic water bottles are not sustainable, no matter what we've been told.

Using vast quantities of fossil fuels and water, these bottles are manufactured, filled, and shipped around the globe. (Not a good carbon footprint!) Neither are bottles biodegradable in any meaningful way: what you drink in a few minutes can stick around for a thousand years.

Even with recycling efforts, 6 out of 7 plastic bottles consumed in the U.S. are “downcycled”—sent somewhere out of sight and out of mind where, for the next millennia, toxins from degrading plastic containers can leach into watersheds and soil. That’s just not something we need to give to global neighbors and future generations.

2. Most water bottled water is glorified tap water at 10,000 times the cost.

The label on your bottled water may depict a peaceful mountain stream, but that doesn't mean the water inside is pure and pristine.

Only some bottled water comes from springs or groundwater sources. It turns out that approximately 25% of bottled water is sourced from ... the tap. Sure, some companies filter or radiate the tap water with ultraviolet light before selling it to you at several thousand times the cost of municipal tap water. (Examples include Aquafina, Dasani, and many other brands.)

Moreover, studies show that bottled water samples can contain phthalates, mold, microbes, benzene, trihalomethanes, even arsenic. And only recently did the FDA start regulating bottled water for E. Coli, thanks to advocacy by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Upshot: bottled water markup is extreme. Health standards are often a wash and may even favor tap water. (If you’re concerned about municipal water supply and want to know more, check out this helpful resource, which can help you learn about your municipal water supply and decide if filtration or purification is right for you.)

3. Many water bottled waters contain toxins, even if they've nixed BPA.

Plastic isn't just bad for the planet (see #1). It’s not good for you, either.

Bottled water companies increasingly use BPA-free plastic, but laced into plastic bottles are other chemicals that can seep out if bottles are exposed to heat or sit around for a long time. Some of these chemicals are possible endocrine disruptors. No one knows for sure what the health outcomes are. Do you really want your body to undergo that experiment?

4. Fashion, foodies, and sustainable cities are taking back the tap.

New York City’s Fashion Week, Chez Panisse, the city of San Francisco and Grand Canyon National Park have all reduced or eliminated bottled water! AVEDA teamed up with New York’s Department of Environmental Protection during Fashion Week 2010 to provide free drinking fountains on the streets of New York.

5. Local water is the new complement to local, organic food.

Local food is everywhere these days: CSAs, farmers markets, farm-to-table dining. That local food is grown and cooked with … local water! It’s the invisible part of the sustainable, healthy food you eat.

So, locavores, it’s time to get your hydrophilia on and appreciate your water supply just as much as you do your CSA. Shouldn’t we care for and support our water sources like we support healthy, organic, local farms?

6. There ARE gorgeous alternatives for on-the-go hydrophiles!

Choose a durable, re-useable water bottle (BPA-free or, even better, stainless steel) in whatever size or shape and design you like. I think of it as an accessory: at my most recent job interview, a team member commented on my green, reusable water bottle. (I got the job.)

For home, try the new, limited edition Soma water carafe and filter. It’s a sleek, glass carafe with the first-ever fully biodegradable filter (made from coconut shells—stupendously cool), with a new filter sent automatically every 60 days. As a working professional and parent with an eye for design, I love this. For those who want an in-sink filtration system, check out this helpful resource from Food & Water Watch. And for sparkling water addicts (like myself), I highly recommend Soda Stream.

7. Change is simple—and makes a real difference!

When you ditch disposable bottled water, you save money, live healthier, and join a movement for global sustainability. Plus, it’s easy. And you’ll save money.

Yes, you’ll need to take that first step of buying your re-usable bottle, and then remember it when you jog out the door. But if “keys, wallet, yoga mat” are on your mental checklist anyway, what’s one more item that saves you money and protects the planet?

If after six months, you still crave water from Fiji, then I suggest the following: take the money you’ve saved by sipping strategically. Treat yourself to a vacation in, well, Fiji—where you can hydrate, surf, relax, and celebrate the fact that you are an awesome part of the solution!

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The Importance of Water Filtration

water pollution

Water is a part of everyday life. From the lakes to the skies to the glasses of it we drink every day, it is easy to say that water makes up a huge part of human existence. With that in mind, there is a growing need for proper water filtration in the world, regardless of where you may live or what you may do. If you have not looked into filtration options yet, now may be a perfect time to start. There are plenty of ways to filter your water, and they all hold some kind of importance for your well being. Here are just a few reasons why you may want filtered water.

Unless you are going to boil the water you use in cooking, you may not fully get rid of the harmful chemicals and toxins that could be coming from your sink. While every country's government does regulate that some kind of water filtration is in use for tap water, the fact is that there are still problems in the pipes that you may not work well with. These chemicals could cause health problems and disorders over time if they are not taken care of, so it may be best just to filter from the start.

Water filtration also makes water taste better. When water tastes better, people are more likely to drink it. The average adult is supposed to drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day, depending on his or her activity levels. You may need far more than that for your body. Regardless of the situation, filtration can encourage you to hydrate your body on a regular basis, giving you energy and strength when you need it most. You can drink with confidence in the future.

Investing in water filtration for your home could save you a ton of money in bottled water in the long run. You can minimize the amount of waste you create and still enjoy a healthy beverage throughout the day. Filtered water can get your dishes cleaner and keep your laundry smelling as fresh as it can. The money that you spend on the filter will easily be made up for in the benefits you receive from it. Look into your water filtration options as soon as you can so you may be able to enjoy the fresh taste and health benefits that come right out of your faucet.

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