Water purifiers: Everything you need to know!
Do you know that water covers about 71% of the earth’s surface? That is why our planet is also known as the ‘blue planet’. Even then there is a shortage of water for drinking. Why? Here’s why –
97% of the earth's water is found in the oceans and hence is too salty for drinking
Only 3% of the earth's water is fresh
2.5% of the earth's freshwater is unavailable as it is locked up in glaciers, polar ice caps.
Only 0.5% of fresh water is available for drinking.
Now, due to various human activities, this freshwater is no more fit for drinking. Water pollution is increasing at an alarming rate and hence degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans and the environment. Hence, we need water purifiers to purify the contaminated water making it fit for drinking purposes.
What is a water purifier?
A water purifier is a device that removes undesirable chemicals, biological contaminants, suspended solids, and gases from water to make it fit for drinking purposes. A water purifier makes use of water filtration processes like Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration (RO), Ultra Filtration (UF), and Ultra Violet disinfection (UV). It is designed to remove protozoa, bacteria, and viruses present in water to provide a high level of defense.
Availability of clean water is a necessity for the survival of human beings. We need clean water for drinking, cooking, and other day-to-day activities like bathing, brushing, etc. Hence, access to clean water is fundamental to our health and well-being. Groundwater, rivers, etc are our sources of fresh water. Water from these bodies is supplied to our homes by municipal corporations. But, in present times, industrialization and urbanization have made water in these bodies unfit for human consumption.
Contaminated water can cause various water-borne diseases like typhoid, cholera, diarrhea, etc. In severe cases, it can also lead to cancer. A water purifier ensures to provide germs-free water by removing chlorine and other harmful substances from it. Also, purified water tastes better, provides glowing skin, and reduces the risk of medical conditions. This makes it crucial to have a water purifier installed at your place.
Types of water purifiers –
Reverse osmosis (RO) water purifier:
RO water purifiers use a semi-permeable membrane to purify water. A water pump is used that pressurizes the raw hard water to pass through the RO membrane in which contaminants like heavy metals, fluoride, arsenic, and other toxic impurities are trapped and water is purified. It converts hard water to soft water. Also, it is important to ensure that a RO water purifier has a TDS controller so that essential minerals are not removed from the water.
Ultraviolet (UV) water purifier:
UV water purifiers have a UV lamp tube through which water is passed for purification. In the UV lamp tube, water is exposed to UV light which kills germs like bacteria, viruses, and other water-borne germs. It is an environmentally friendly process that does not use chemicals in the purification process. However, it can’t remove dissolved impurities from water.
Ultra filtration (UF) water purifier:
This is a gravity-based water purifier that uses the force of gravity along with a filter to purify water. UF water purifiers use thin layers of various membranes that are capable of separating water from other large particles like sand. They do not require electricity to operate and also do not use chemicals to purify water. One major disadvantage of UF water purifiers is that they cannot remove chemicals present in water and do not work on hard water.
Activated Carbon Water Purifier:
Activated carbon water purifiers use activated carbon (a form of carbon made from coconut shells, nut shells, etc) to remove impurities from water. It uses the ‘adsorption’ property to purify water. It removes pesticides and other heavy metals from water. It is most effective to remove chlorine from water. A disadvantage of these filters is that they do not remove bacteria and viruses from water. Also, it does not remove dissolved salts from water.
Sediment Cartridge Filter:
Most of the sediment filters are made from cotton, polyester fibers. Sediment filters are used with other filters like UV or RO. They are placed before other filters (UV or UF) When water is passed through it, water gets separated from contaminants such as dirt and dust particles. However, it does not remove dissolved solids, heavy metals, and germs like bacteria and viruses.
Which water purifier should you consider?
Now as we know the meaning, need, and types of water purifiers, the next question which arises is – ‘which is the best water purifier?’ a better question would be – ‘which is the most suitable water purifier for me?’ Water purifier suitability depends on the type of water supplied in your area. For example –
Reverse osmosis (RO) water purifiers are suitable for areas that have high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids).
Ultra Filtration (UF) water purifiers are ideal for purifying water having low TDS, i.e. presence of chemical contamination is low.
Ultraviolet (UV) water purifiers are suitable for purifying tap and municipal corporation water.
Sediment filters should be used in combination with UV or RO filters because by removing sand particles sediment filter protects RO, UV purifiers from getting damaged and it increases RO, UV lifespan.
You may also consider the most advanced water purifiers that use RO+UV+UF membranes for the filtration process.
Besides these factors, you may consider other factors like storage capacity, certifications by NSF, ISI, WQA, and CE, maintenance and after-sale services, budget, etc.
When we talk about water purifiers in India, the first name that comes into our mind is KENT water purifiers. KENT has a brand name and value in the water purifier market in India. You may consider KENT New Grand RO + UV + UF + TDS Water Purifier, which has a capacity of 8 liters. You may also consider other brand models like Havells Max 7-Litres RO UV Water Purifier with a capacity of 7 liters. Other brands like Mi, Pure it may also be considered.
