Why Home Water Purifiers And Filters Are Important To You

With an aging water infrastructure and breakdowns becoming more common, home water purifiers and filters are increasing in importance. You are the last line of defense against contaminated water. Even "safe" municipal systems contain escalating levels of chlorine, which can make you sick, and may contain contaminants that, while safe, have an unpleasant odor and/or taste. If you start using a home water purifier, however, you can spare yourself the worry about problematic water supplies and start supplying your home with inexpensive bottled-quality water.

 Great home water purifiers and filters can save you from all the other problems in municipal water supplies. Infrastructure is slowly being replaced, but it is underfunded; meanwhile, under many of our cities lead pipes and otherwise contaminated water supply carriers are decaying.

These problems are not dramatic, like collapsing bridges or breaking levees, but over time they can be just as devastating, compromising water supplies for millions of people who don't even know it. How can you tell your water supply is contaminated? Your water may smell more strongly of chlorine than it once did. Or you may notice it's a little cloudier. Both these are signs of a decaying water infrastructure - but in most cases, you will see no signs at all.

 Contaminants in your water supply, either added on purpose or because the municipal system can no longer remove them, are a health risk. Your home water purifiers and filters can remove all of them, and that's a good thing. Chlorine, the most common added contaminant, is a poison; it's added to water because it kills bacteria. In large concentrations, chlorine can literally melt skin; it is an acid.

While the small amount in your water won't harm you immediately, there may be dangers over time; because chlorine is naturally a gas, for instance, you inhale it during showers. It dries out your skin and hair; if it's used at too high a level in your city water, it can damage your hair, change the color of your dye job, and even make you sick. Chlorine is only one of several possible dangers found in our water systems.

Older street supplies are sometimes still lined with lead, and while water at the treatment plant measures clean, you may still have lead entering your house through the delivery system. The old lead piping in most cities is being replaced, but older homes and neighborhoods often still have hidden lead in their water delivery system.

This and other heavy metals can be removed with a good home water purifier. If you're starting to wonder about your own water supply, do some testing. You can get a test kit online or, sometimes, from your city water company to check your household water.

Even if you don't find a problem, test annually. Our deteriorating systems, fine today, may not be so fine tomorrow. If you discover your water supply is borderline, it might be time to buy a home water filtration system to eliminate contaminants. You'll be able to stop worrying, and you'll save a fortune on bottled water.