0 What is reverse osmosis and how it works
What is reverse osmosis and how does it work? Reverse osmosis technology uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove up to 99% of contaminants found in water. The membrane acts as a barrier and only pure water molecules can pass through, leaving contaminants behind. Reverse osmosis is a tried and tested way to ensure you have access to clean and pure drinking water. While reverse osmosis systems can be a powerful and beneficial water purification method to remove impurities, contaminants and potentially harmful bacteria it’s only suitable for very specific requirements such as: Managing health conditions where medical advice is to remove as much from the water as possible. Tropical fish tanks. Where there is no other way of accessing potable water such as private water supplies. Reducing elevated sodium levels in softened water. This article explores what reverse osmosis is, how it works and why reverse osmosis may or may not be the right choice for your circumstances. So, what is reverse osmosis and how does reverse osmosis work? Understanding reverse osmosis: what it is and how it functions At the heart of any reverse osmosis water filter is the semi-permeable membrane. (add image) Before water reaches the all-important membrane, it flows through pre-filtration where spun polypropylene or pleated sediment cartridges capture larger particles that may be present in the water such as dirt and rust. This helps protect the membrane from clogging and damage and is a crucial step in any reverse osmosis system. Water then passes through a 5 micron carbon filter cartridge which removes chlorine and other chemicals. Removing these further protects the reverse osmosis membrane. Chlorine can be highly damaging to the thin film composite (TFC) membranes commonly used in reverse osmosis systems. The taste and smell of the water is improved when carbon block filtration is used. And then it’s time for the semi-permeable reverse osmosis membrane to work it’s magic. Water is pushed through the membrane, which acts as a barrier, allowing only water molecules to pass while rejecting contaminants. The membrane is designed to remove up to 99% of dissolved salts, heavy metals, and other impurities. Water pressure plays a key role in the membrane, as it forces water molecules through the tiny pores of the membrane while leaving contaminants behind. The purified water is then stored in a holding tank, ready for use, while the rejected contaminants are flushed away as wastewater. *TOP TIP* The general rule of thumb is that if your water pressure is below 3 bar, you’ll need a pumped reverse osmosis water filter. If your water pressure is 3 bar or above, you can choose an unpumped reverse osmosis system. Finally, water passes through reverse osmosis post-filtration using an inline carbon filter. This is often described as a polishing stage to ensure that the water coming out of your tap is as crisp and as clean as possible. Some reverse osmosis systems have a 6th remineralisation stage which re-introduces important minerals back into the water such as calcium carbonate. The key stages of the reverse osmosis filtration process Reverse osmosis technology comprises of three main stages. Pre-filtration: the removal of particles, dirt, rust, sediment, chlorine and chemicals. Membrane: separates dissolved solids, salt and other impurities from water. Post-filtration: the polishing stage where the taste and odour of the water is further improved. Some reverse osmosis water filters also have a remineralisation cartridge which adds calcium carbonate back into the water. It’s important to talk about the wastewater, highlighted on the above image as ‘impurities out to drain’. All the contaminants, which do not pass through the semi-permeable membrane go down the drain. Yes, you’re literally throwing water away! A reverse osmosis water filter wastes more water than the amount of clean water produced. What impurities does reverse osmosis remove from water? A reverse osmosis water filter is highly effective at removing many impurities that may be present in water such as those found in the table below. Category Examples of impurities removed by RO Dissolved Solids (TDS) Minerals: Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium Salts: Chloride, Sulphates, Nitrates Organic matter: plant or animal matter Heavy Metals Lead, Arsenic, Copper, Manganese, Mercury, Cadmium, Chromium Chlorine & Chloramines Chlorine, Chloramines Pesticides & Herbicides Agricultural chemicals (weed killers, pest control agents) Bacteria & Viruses Bacteria: E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, Cholera, Legionella Viruses: Norovirus, Rotavirus, Hepatitis A, Adenovirus, Enteroviruses Fluoride Naturally occurring mineral or artificially added to water in areas of England that have a water fluoridation scheme. Pharmaceutical residues Hormones, Anti-biotics Asbestos Asbestos fibres from asbestos cement pipes, landfills containing asbestos waste, industrial waste, demolished buildings. Forever Chemicals Persistent “forever chemicals” used in manufacturing and consumer products. Particulate Matter Sediment, silt & other suspended solids Radiological Elements Radium, Uranium Microplastics Plastic particles from household and environmental sources. You can enjoy further reading below about some of the contaminants we’ve mentioned in the table above. Water Fluoridation in the UK How to remove fluoride in UK water How to remove forever chemicals in UK tap water How to filter microplastics from water There is no 100% removal with any water filtration method. For example, reverse osmosis systems don’t remove the chemical element boron, so if boron is present in your water you may end up with an artificially increased boron level. Benefits and drawbacks of reverse osmosis filtration How does reverse osmosis work in terms of its benefits and drawbacks? Because a reverse osmosis removes up to 99% of contaminants in water, let’s look at some of the benefits. Pros Cons Removes up to 99% of contaminants. Wastes more water than it produces. Not suitable for whole house. Produces clean and safe water that tastes and smells good. Removes healthy minerals resulting in bland tasting water. Reduces the need for bottled water. Higher upfront cost than other water filters. Useful for certain health conditions and aquariums. Needs regular cartridge/membrane changes. Effective as a final purification stage after other filtration methods. Takes up valuable under-sink space. How reverse osmosis compares to other water filtration methods Reverse osmosis is a bit of an ‘eliminate everything’ approach to water filtration and we can see why many people think it’s an effective way to filter tap water. But if you’ve perused the drawbacks above, you’ll probably be considering if reverse osmosis is overkill and what other water filtration methods there are that you could consider. It all boils down to what you want to change about your water. This is one of the first questions we ask people when they get in touch with us. This table helps compare reverse osmosis to other water filtration methods. Filtration Method What it removes Cost range Maintenance Best suited for Reverse Osmosis (RO) Dissolved salts, heavy metals, fluoride, PFAS, microplastics, pesticides, bacteria & viruses (with pre / post stage) Upfront cost £300+ Replacement cartridges from £75 for a 5 stage system. Cartridge change every 6-12 months. Membrane change every 2-3 years. Maximum purification, aquariums, medical/food uses. Activated Carbon Chlorine, Pesticides, herbicides, trace pharmaceuticals, PFAS, hormones, particulate lead, and more. Basic system including tap from £100. Replacement cartridges vary in price depending on system. Cartridge changes every 6-12 months. Suitable for multiple filtration problems. Improves taste and smell of drinking water. Ultraviolet (UV) Filtration Kills bacteria, viruses, protozoa. Systems from £400 UV lamp must be changed every 12 months. Quartz sleeve change every 3 years (depending on condition) Private water supplies (wells, boreholes, springs). Ion Exchange (Water Softener) Hard water minerals (calcium, magnesium), iron, manganese. Systems from £700 Regular salt refills, resin top-ups. Households in hard water areas wanting limescale reduction. Private water supplies with high iron/manganese. Ceramic Filters Bacteria, cysts, moulds, sediment. From £100. Replace cartridges every 6-12 months. Off-grid setups, emergency filtration. Distillation Heavy metals, salts, bacteria, parasites, viruses. From £100 for countertop units. Regular descaling. Small scale laboratory, or emergency use. Conditioners Scale and chemical treatment. Systems from £100. Media cartridge renewals every 6-12 months. Domestic water. Surface / Depth Particles, metals, sediment, colloids. Systems from £80. Cartridge renewals every 6-12 months. All water applications. There is no denying that reverse osmosis water has gone through a comprehensive purification process, but is it right for you? We’ll look at this in more detail later. Practical uses of reverse osmosis in homes and businesses Reverse osmosis systems can be installed in homes and across a wide range of industries and sectors in a commercial set up. Reverse Osmosis – in homes? A reverse osmosis system is normally installed under the kitchen sink as a point of use system. Other locations for a reverse osmosis water filter could be under a bathroom sink, to a refrigerator, in a garage, or basement. Additionally, a reverse osmosis water filter is often installed on a fish tank as it helps control the balance of minerals present in the water. Some fish are very particular about the water they live in. If you’re looking for a whole house water filter, then we wouldn’t normally recommend installing a reverse osmosis system as it wouldn’t provide a good enough flow rate. In this instance it would be better to treat your water using one of the alternative water filtration methods mentioned above and install a reverse osmosis water filter at point of use. Chatting to a water filtration specialist would ensure you get a system that’s fit for purpose. Reverse Osmosis – in commercial settings? Reverse osmosis water filtration is also used in commercial and industrial settings. Food and beverage – reverse osmosis systems help maintain consistent water quality. This ensures the quality and safety of products. Food processing – produce can be soaked and rinsed in reverse osmosis water to ensure it is free of contaminants. Medical & Pharmaceutical – purified water is used for sterilisation of equipment in hospitals and clinics, dialysis machines, and in scientific laboratories where testing equipment needs to be free on any impurities that may impact on results. Water treatment & purification – in large industrial settings such as power plants, metal finishing, and semi-conductor manufacturing; reverse osmosis is used to produce purified water for cooling and steam generation and reduce limescale build-up that will eventually corrode equipment. Reverse osmosis also helps recover and recycle water in water treatment plants. Lifespan and replacement schedule for reverse osmosis filters Water quality across the country varies, as does water usage and this will have an impact on the lifespan and replacement of reverse osmosis filter cartridges. As a rule of thumb, the filters in a reverse osmosis water filter should be changed as follows: Pre-filtration cartridges: the spun polypropylene (melt blown) or pleated cartridge and the carbon block cartridge should be changed a minimum of every 12 months. These cartridges are responsible for the removal of particles, dirt, rust, sediment, chlorine and chemicals. Membrane: the semi-permeable membrane should be changed every 2-3 years. This cartridge separates dissolved solids, salt and other impurities from the water. Post-filtration: the inline carbon cartridge and remineralisation cartridge (if there is one) should be changed a minimum of every 12 months. These cartridges further improve the taste and odour of the water and if remineralising, calcium carbonate is added back into the water. Replacement cartridges for reverse osmosis systems are normally sold in packs which means you get everything you need in one go. Maintenance tips for efficient reverse osmosis performance Here are our top two maintenance tips for your reverse osmosis system. Tip One – Change the cartridges It goes without saying but the first maintenance tip for ensuring your reverse osmosis system is running efficiently and effectively is to replace the cartridges when you need to. If you don’t do this the performance of your system over time will diminish. For example, you may notice a drop in water flow, or a change in the taste and smell of you water. We encourage you to make a note in your diary or set a reminder on your phone, so you don’t forget. Our customers love that we send them a cartridge reminder email every six months. Tip Two – Sanitise your system You should also sanitise your system by cleaning out the filter housings every now and again to prevent mould and bacterial growth. We recommend you use something like Milton Sterilising Fluid to do this. If it’s good enough for babies bottles, it’s good enough for your reverse osmosis water filter. This process involves disassembling the system, cleaning each component, and rinsing thoroughly before reassembly. Be sure to read the detailed instructions in the systems instruction manual! Is reverse osmosis the right choice for your water needs? There are several factors to consider when determining if purchasing a reverse osmosis water filter is going to be right for you. Or, whether another type of water filtration system is going to work just as well. Reverse osmosis may be right for you if: You need to remove a broad range of contaminants in one go. For example, heavy metals, fluoride, PFAS, bacteria, microplastics. You have specific health requirements or a weakened immune system and need the purest drinking water possible. You keep tropical fish or have an aquarium that needs controlled water quality. You’re on a private water supply (well, spring, or borehole) where other filtration methods alone aren’t enough. You already use a water softener and want to reduce sodium levels in your drinking water. You want an alternative to buying bottled water for taste, safety, and environmental reasons. Reverse osmosis may not be the best option if: You only want to improve taste and remove chlorine. A carbon filter would be sufficient for this. Water scarcity is a concern, as RO systems waste more water than they produce. You prefer mineral-rich, naturally balanced drinking water. You want a whole house solution. RO is usually recommended for point-of-use, not entire households. You’re looking for the cheapest or simplest water filtration option. How Fountain Filters can help you with Reverse Osmosis systems At Fountain Filters we are passionate about equipping you with useful information when it comes to water filtration methods. We hope that this article has helped you understand reverse osmosis; what it is and how it works. If you believe that installing a reverse osmosis system is going to be the best system for you, but you have questions; please chat your project through with us as we are expert problem solvers when it comes to water filtration. Contacting us is easy, either by calling us on 01352 838 281 or sending us a message via our contact page. FAQs What is the point of reverse osmosis water? The point of reverse osmosis water is the ability to remove a high percentage of contaminants from drinking water. Is it healthy to drink reverse osmosis water? It’s safe to drink reverse osmosis water but as to it being healthy or natural; that’s open to debate. Removing good minerals such as calcium and magnesium may not make the water as healthy as unfiltered tap water. Reverse osmosis water is often not the only option when it comes to water filtration. What is the disadvantage of reverse osmosis water? Some disadvantages of reverse osmosis water include the bland taste of the water and that the process wastes more water than is produced. It’s important to learn about the reverse osmosis process before determining if installing a reverse osmosis system is going to be right for you. Is reverse osmosis water the same as distilled water? No, reverse osmosis water is not the same as distilled water. The two methods are entirely different. Both methods remove a high percentage of contaminants, but distillation involves boiling the water to create steam and then turning it back into liquid. Reverse osmosis does not. Can I use reverse osmosis water for coffee/tea? No, reverse osmosis water is not recommended for brewing coffee or tea. The lack of minerals in reverse osmosis water can give hot drinks a bland taste with no depth of flavour. Is reverse osmosis water good for plants? Yes, reverse osmosis water can be good for plants, but depending on the type of plant you may need to ensure you are feeding your plants at regular intervals with nutrients to ensure healthy growth. Reverse osmosis vs bottled water: which is better? From an environmental, cost and health perspective reverse osmosis water is better than bottled water. Bottled water should only be bought and consumed if you have no other options available.
0 How to Install a Water Softener
How to install a water softener: a complete guide Our complete guide to installing a water softener will help you take practical steps towards transforming your home's water quality, from selecting the correct water softener system to the actual installation process. Hard water is a common problem in many UK households, and it can be difficult to treat. Limescale, the noticeable sign of hard water appears on fixtures, taps, glassware, and shower heads. It can scale up pipes and decrease water flow, damaging your plumbing system. Limescale makes cleaning difficult and frustrating, and it reduces the lifespan of your household appliances. Don't let the effects of hard water in your home irritate you any longer. Let Fountain Filters break down how to transform your household's water from hard to soft with a water softener today. Types of water softeners Before we go into detail about water softener installation it's important to introduce the two most common types of water softener available. These are ion-exchange water softeners and salt-free water conditioners. Ion-exchange water softeners Ion-exchange water softeners remove the hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) from water, replacing them with sodium ions. The ion exchange process works in a resin tank, and the system periodically regenerates by flushing the resin with a brine solution. Ion-exchange water softeners require regular maintenance and the addition of water softener salt. Salt-free water softeners A salt-free water softener alters the chemical structure of the calcium and magnesium to prevent them from sticking to household surfaces. These systems use template-assisted crystallisation to neutralise the hardness minerals, making it easier for them to flow through plumbing without causing hard scale build-up. Salt-free systems are becoming increasingly popular because they are low-maintenance and environmentally friendly. No salt is needed, and no wastewater is produced. For the purposes of this water softener installation guide, we're going to concentrate solely on ion-exchange water softeners. Tools and materials required for installation There are some necessary tools and materials required for water softener installation. Most people choose to employ the skills of a local plumber, so don't worry if you don't have everything required for installing a water softener. The specific tools and materials you'll need will vary depending on the type of water softener you choose to install. A water softener system that is appropriately sized for your home. An ion-exchange water softener will normally contain a resin tank, brine tank and control valve. Plumbing supplies such as copper or plastic piping, pipe cutters, wrenches, PTFE tape, and fittings. You may need a torch and soldering equipment if you have copper pipes, or primer and solvent cement if you have plastic pipes. Selecting the ideal location for your water softener Whichever type of water softener you choose, the question of where to install a water softener in your home is going to arise. There are a few prerequisites about where to install a water softener: Adequate flow rate - at least 20 l/pm for a whole house system. Sufficient space. Easy access. Ion-exchange water softeners need access to a drain which could be a floor drain or utility room sink. Ion-exchange water softeners need an electricity supply. Realistically, you'll probably be installing a water softener in an under-sink kitchen cupboard, utility room, cellar, or in your garage. The general rule of thumb is that the water softener needs to be installed as close as possible to the entry point for water coming into your home. That means you'll have plenty of space to work, but also easy access for water softener salt to be added, and any maintenance that needs to be done. However, installing a water softener in the UK often means that the water supply comes in under the kitchen sink where there’s not much room. In that instance, you may need to put a loop from the incoming water pipe, through the under-sink cupboard walls, and into a space that’s bigger. You then take the softener outlet pipe back to join up with the main water pipe again. It’s also possible to punch through the kitchen external wall and install the water softener outside. However, it will need to be protected from frost and sunlight to ensure it doesn’t get damaged. You can do that by boxing it in, suitably lagged, in a small enclosure like a garden storage enclosure. As people prefer not to drink softened water, you can fit a dedicated cold water supply up to the kitchen tap so the softened water isn't dispensed from there. Steps for installing a water softener Installing a water softener can seem like a daunting task, but with the right guidance and preparation it's a project that many homeowners can tackle themselves. We're going to share step-by-step instructions for two different types of salt-based water softeners; one with a separate brine tank and one with a built-in brine tank. Water softener installation for a salt-based water softener with a separate brine tank Step 1: Choose the installation location Select a suitable location for your water softener, typically near the main water supply line and close to a drain for the discharge line. Ensure there is adequate space for the unit and easy access for maintenance. It’s also important to choose a location that is protected from extreme temperatures and direct sunlight. Step 2: Turn off the water supply Before you begin any plumbing work, shut off the main water supply to your home. Open both the hot and cold tap to relieve the pressure in the pipes and drain any remaining water. This will prevent water from flowing while you work on the installation. Step 3: Install the bypass valve Most water softeners come with a bypass valve that allows you to easily divert water around the unit for maintenance or repair. Attach the bypass valve to the control valve on the water softener, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Secure the connections with PTFE tape to prevent leaks. Step 4: Connect the water inlet and outlet pipes Using the appropriate fittings and piping, connect the inlet and outlet pipes to the bypass valve. The inlet pipe carries hard water into the water softener, while the outlet pipe carries softened water to your home’s plumbing system. Ensure all connections are secure to prevent leaks. Step 5: Set up the drain line Connect a drain hose or tubing to the water softener’s discharge line and route it to a suitable drain or standpipe. The drain line should have a downward slope and be securely fastened to prevent dislodging. Step 6: Install the brine tank Position the brine tank next to the resin tank and connect the brine line to the control valve. Fill the brine tank with water and add the appropriate amount of water softener salt. The brine tank is responsible for regenerating the resin beads in the water softener and should be refilled regularly to maintain effectiveness. Step 7: Turn on the water supply and test With all connections secure, carefully turn on the main water supply and check for leaks. Open the bypass valve to allow water to flow through the system and flush any air or debris from the pipes. Plug the control unit to its electricity supply and switch it on. Follow the start up guide in the water softener installation instructions which will include setting the backwash timer. Step 8: Initiate a back wash cycle This will help clear out any residual air and allow the resin beads to settle in. Remember to check all the connections for leaks and open the water supply isolator fully. Water softener installation for a salt-based cabinet water softener Cabinet softeners are simpler to install because they don’t have a separate brine tank. This makes them more suitable where there’s limited space, although they may have limited flow rate. Step 1: Turn off the water supply Turn off the mains water supply and drain the pipes by opening the hot and cold kitchen taps. Step 2: Cut a section out of your mains water pipe Following the water softener installation instructions that came with your water softener system cut an appropriate section out of the main water pipe using a copper pipe cutter or PVC cutter. It’s important to use the right tool to ensure a clean cut. Step 3: Connect the water inlet and outlet pipes Connect the water inlet and outlet pipes to the correct side – you may need to have obtained rigid or flexible pipes to do this. These are likely to have 22mm or 15mm compression or speed fit connectors. Ensure you have the correct sizes for your pipes and the connectors for the water softener ports. Step 4: Set up the drain line Connect the tubes to the drain and overflow if it has one. This is for the waste brine that’s generated during the backwash cycle. Step 5: Add salt to the internal brine tank Usually about half full. Add 5 to 10 litres of water into the brine well. Then plug in the control unit to its electricity supply, switch it on and press the “regen” button. Leave it for 2 to 3 hours. Step 6: Set timer and switch the water softener on Set the timer or meter on, and when the ‘regen cycle’ has completed slowly turn the water back on. Check for leaks on all the new pipes and connections. Common installation issues and how to fix them There are a few common mistakes that people are prone to making when it comes to installing a water softener. Choosing the incorrect water softener capacity – each water softener has a capacity before a ‘regeneration’ is needed. Regeneration is where the resin inside the water softener is cleaned, refreshing its capacity and ability to soften water. If water ‘regenerates’ too often the system is too small for your home. If regeneration is infrequent, it’s too big. Choosing an inappropriate place to install your water softener - It’s important to choose a location that is easily accessible so that you can carry out maintenance easily. For ion-exchange water softeners the system needs to be located close to a drain for the discharge line. Installing a water softener in an area prone to freezing temperatures or direct sunlight – freezing temperatures and direct sunlight can damage a water softener and reduce its efficiency. You must ensure your water softener is sited in a space with proper ventilation and protected from direct sunlight. Using incorrect plumbing connections - it’s essential that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully and use the appropriate fittings and materials for your specific setup. Failing to secure connections tightly or using incompatible materials can lead to leaks and water damage. Missing out the bypass valve - not installing a bypass valve can make maintenance and repairs more difficult, so be sure to include one in your installation. Maintenance tips to keep your water softener working efficiently If you are going to invest in a water softener you are also investing ongoing time (or somebody else’s time!) in regular maintenance to ensure your water softener system is operating efficiently and effectively. Taking care of your water softener will extend the lifespan of your system and prevention is better than cure when it comes to common issues arising. Some of the most important maintenance tasks are: Regularly checking and replenishing the water softener salt in the brine tank. How often you do this will depend on your water usage and the hardness of your water, but it’s generally recommended to check the levels at least once a month. Keeping the brine tank adequately filled ensures that the resin beads in the water softener can regenerate properly and continue to remove calcium and magnesium (the hardness minerals) from your water. Cleaning the brine tank periodically to prevent the buildup of salt bridges and sludge. A salt bridge is a hard crust that forms in the brine tank and can prevent the salt from dissolving properly. To clean the brine tank, turn off the water supply, empty the tank, and remove any residue buildup. Rinse the tank thoroughly before refilling it with fresh water and salt. This maintenance task should be done at least once a year or more frequently if you notice any issues with the system’s performance. Taking an interest in and understanding your water softener system by looking out for any signs of wear or damage. Check the control valve, resin tank, and plumbing connections for leaks or other issues. If you notice any problems, address them quickly to prevent further damage and ensure the continued effectiveness of your water softener. Regular maintenance and timely repairs can help you get the most out of your investment and enjoy the benefits of softened water for years to come. Even with regular maintenance, you may encounter occasional issues with your water softener. We've written a handy article called 'troubleshooting common water softener issues' which guides you through common water softener problems and how to fix them. How much does it cost to install a water softener? Investing in and installing a water softener involves several cost considerations, from the initial purchase and installation to ongoing maintenance and operation. Understanding these costs can help you budget effectively and make an informed decision about the best water softener system for your home. The initial cost of a water softener can vary widely depending on the type and capacity of the system but think £500 upwards. Then you’ve got the professional installation costs, which will be heavily influenced by the availability of plumbers in your local area and the complexity of the installation. You must weigh up all these upfront costs versus the long-term benefits that a water softener can give you. How Fountain Filters can help you As experts in water filtration we hope you’ve found this guide useful. You now have some knowledge and confidence about installing a water softener. We are here to help guide you through the process of determining if a water softener is the right product to install in your home. If a water softener turns out to be the best option, then we can supply the system and deliver it to you free of charge to any UK address. We're also on hand to help with any issues that arise both during the installation and afterwards. We're renowned for our high level of customer service and won't ever leave you in the lurch. Contacting us is easy, either by calling us on 01352 838 281, or sending us a message through our contact page. FAQs Can I install a water softener myself? Water softener installation is not usually something that many DIYers would consider and, realistically, it is something for the more confident person. If you have any doubts about cutting into your mains water supply, which will be required for any water softener installation, then we really do recommend contacting a local plumber. Does a water softener use a lot of electricity? No, water softeners are like small household appliances, using minimal power. Are water softeners worth it in the UK? If you’re fortunate to live in an area that doesn’t have hard water, then you don’t need to install a softener. If you do have hard water, you’ll know about it because you’ll almost certainly be sick of scale build up on your taps. How much does it cost to install a water softener in the UK? The initial cost of a water softener can vary widely depending on the type and capacity of the system but think £500 upwards. If you’re not installing it yourself, you’ve also got the professional installation costs, which will be heavily influenced by the availability of plumbers in your local area and the complexity of the installation.
0 How to Remove Fluoride in Water in the UK
How to remove fluoride from tap water in the UK The addition of fluoride in tap water is a controversial topic in the UK. There are some individuals who agree with fluoride being added to the public water supply, and those that are venomously opposed to it. As trusted water filtration specialists we have our own individual views, but we took the decision a long time ago to avoid embroiling ourselves in the debate as an online retailer of water filters. Our purpose in this article is to present information about fluoride in tap water, clarify with the use of a UK water fluoridation map whether fluoride is being introduced into tap water in your area, and should you so wish, easy solutions on how to remove fluoride from water. The decision to remove or not fluoride from tap water is ultimately yours and we want to give you the information you need to make an informed decision. Let’s start! What is water fluoridation? Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral found in soil, rocks, and water sources. Relating fluoride specifically to the public water supply to avoid going massively off topic, hexafluorosilicic acid and it’s salt sodium hexafluorosilicate is added to some of the public water supply network in the UK to increase the fluoride level up to 1mg of fluoride per litre of water. The reason why some and not all the public water supplies have added fluoride, is due to fluoride being a naturally occurring mineral and, in some parts of the UK, the level of naturally occurring fluoride is already at the 1mg/l target concentration. The World Health Organisation recommends a maximum level of 1.5mg/l of fluoride. You can read the recommendation here. Water fluoridation in the UK has been going on for many years. The first UK water fluoridation scheme was set up in Birmingham in 1964. Is there fluoride in water in the UK? With what we’ve said already in this article, the answer to ‘is there fluoride in UK tap water?’ is a resounding yes. Since 2013, individual local authorities in the UK have made their own decisions about whether to fluoridate water. This may change in the future if the transfer of responsibility for water fluoridation moves from local authorities to the Secretary of State. The following areas of the UK currently add fluoride in tap water: the West Midlands the Northeast the East Midlands Eastern England the Northwest Yorkshire and Humber There is no artificial fluoridation of water in Wales or Scotland. No new water fluoridation schemes have been set up in the UK for over 40 years. However, a recent BBC News article published on the 7th March 2025 indicated that the Department for Health and Social Care said that another 1.6 million households in the North East of England will have their water supply artificially fluoridated. The new areas will include Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, South Tyneside, Stockton, Sunderland, and areas not currently fluoridated in Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, and North Tyneside. You can read the full article here. Fluoride in water by postcode (UK) The following is a list of fluoride in water by UK postcode. This is where the local authority artificially adds fluoride to tap water. Berkshire: RG1, 4-6, 40-41 Birmingham: B6-11, 13-21, 23-34, 37, 40, 42, 45, 60-62, 65-71; parts of Central Birmingham and B36, 38, 43-44, 46-47, 63-64, 90, 92, 97 Buckinghamshire: parts of SG18-19 Chelmsford: CM1 Coventry: CV1-6, 10, 11; parts of CV7-9, 12, 13 Crewe: parts of CW1, 2, 5-7, 12, 17 Cumbria: CA24, 25, 27, 28 Dartford: DA1 Derby: DE13-15 Doncaster: DN15-16, 18-21, 38-40; parts of DN9-10, 17, 22, 31, 37 Dudley: parts of DY9, 10 Durham: DH2, 7-9; parts of DH15 Lancaster: parts of LA19 Leicestershire: parts of LE10, and 18 Lincolnshire: LN1-2, 4-7 Milton Keynes: MK17, 43-46 Nottinghamshire: NG18-20, parts of NG17, 21-24, 31, 32, 34 Oxfordshire: part of OX9 Sheffield: parts of S80 Shrewsbury: parts of SY13, 14 Stoke: parts of ST7-8 Tonbridge: TN26 Tyneside: NE1 to 6, 8, 12, 15-18, 21, 23, 25-27, 39, 42, 43, 45, 46; parts of NE9-11, 13, 19, 20, 24, 28, 44, 46-48, 65 Walsall Wolverhampton: WV2, 3, 13, 14; parts of WV6-8 Worcestershire: part of WR7, 9-11 If you want a more detailed result, just pop your postcode into our fluoride in water UK map and you’ll receive information on whether fluoride has been artificially added to your tap water and how to remove fluoride from water if you don’t want it in there. *Postcode finder coming soon.* Why is fluoride in water? Fluoride is added to tap water to reduce oral health inequalities and tooth decay rates, particularly among children. Tooth decay in children is a cause for concern in the UK. The levels of tooth decay vary from nearly 32% of 5 year olds in the northwest to 18% in the southeast of England. There were approximately 37,000 hospital admissions for children aged 0 to 19 in 2019 to 2020 to have decayed teeth extracted. You can read more about the role of fluoride in water and its use to reduce dental decay in this independent report by the department of health. When scouring the internet to find the answer to your burning question ‘why is fluoride in water’? you will come across reported links to osteosarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer), Down’s syndrome, kidney problems, and developmental neurological effects. Authoritative expert evaluations have suggested that there is not enough evidence to support these adverse effects. Dental fluorosis It’s important to highlight dental fluorosis. Drinking water that has a higher level of fluoride present may lead to dental fluorosis. Dental fluorosis in children can appear as mild discolouration of the tooth enamel to a severe pitting of the tooth structure. While not detrimental to health, it can be emotionally debilitating from an aesthetic perspective to those that suffer from it. Once the adult teeth are fully formed there does not tend to be further deterioration of the dental fluorosis. Something to bear in mind if you have young children. Does boiling water remove fluoride? Very often, our very first thought when it comes to removing impurities from water is to boil it. This may work for some bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, but does boiling water remove fluoride? NO, boiling tap water does not get rid of fluoride. If you boiled water in the hope of removing fluoride, you’d be left with the same amount of fluoride but in a smaller quantity of water, due to evaporation. Does fluoride evaporate? If you think that leaving a glass of water out overnight will miraculously remove the fluoride, think again! Fluoride does not evaporate if you leave it exposed to the air. Does a water softener give you fluoride free water? No, a water softener will not have any impact on the fluoride levels in your tap water. This is because fluoride is a negatively charged ion and water softeners only exchange positively charged ions. How Fountain Filters can help you remove fluoride from your tap water Fluoride is naturally occurring so you will have some fluoride in there. But you may want to find out if fluoride has been introduced to bump the levels up as part of a public heath measure. Once you’ve checked whether you have fluoride free water using our ‘is my water fluoridated postcode UK finder’, you’re now able to decide whether you want to remove it, if it is in there. The question is how to remove fluoride from water. We’ve already established that boiling your tap water does not remove fluoride. So, what does? How to remove fluoride from water? Let’s look at some highly effective water filters that remove fluoride that are easy to install and maintain. Activated Alumina – *Fountain Filters recommends* Activated Alumina is a very popular water filter for removing fluoride. A granular activated alumina water filter will remove up to 93% of fluoride in tap water. Filtering fluoride from tap water using activated alumina is the most cost effective and efficient method there is. You can choose to treat your drinking water only with our two stage Oyster Fluoride water filter. This is one of our bestselling units to filter fluoride from tap water as it also improves the taste and odour of your water by removing chlorine, tackles volatile organic compounds and pesticides, as well as reducing fluoride. Alternatively, you can opt for the reduction of fluoride in tap water across your whole house. This can be easily achieved with a mains water filter for home. Either our Moby taste and fluoride mains water filter or Doby taste and fluoride filter are highly effective water filters that remove fluoride. Reverse Osmosis Our second recommendation on how to remove fluoride from water is to install either a pumped or unpumped reverse osmosis system. Reverse osmosis, although more expensive to initially install and maintain, is another popular water filter for removing fluoride. The water passes through a variety cartridges before being pushed against a semi-permeable membrane. The impurities bounce off the membrane and are then drained out of the reverse osmosis system as wastewater. Reverse osmosis system cartridges remove contaminants such as chlorine, bacteria, viruses, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, pesticides, and fluoride. These systems seem to take out everything but the water and can be quite expensive to run as they throw up to 70-80% of your ‘paid for’ water down the drain. You would choose a pumped reverse osmosis system if your water pressure was poor and an unpumped system if you had good water pressure. Further reading on fluoride in tap water Here are some useful links for further reading on fluoride in tap water. Statement on water fluoridation from the UK Chief Medical Officers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Article from the Drinking Water Inspectorate Health and Care Bill: water fluoridation – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) We hope that this article has given you some insight into fluoride in tap water, answered the question of why there is fluoride in water, and given you options of the different and sensible options for water filters that remove fluoride. As water quality specialists, we aim to present information in a simple and easy to understand way. Where practical we will give generic solutions to water filtration, but it’s important to understand that sometimes it’s not a ‘one solution fits all’ scenario. That’s why we are always answering questions on our helpdesk and taking calls about a whole range of water filtration problems. You can call us on 01352838281. We’d be delighted to help you remove fluoride from your water if that’s what you want to do. FAQ When was fluoride added to water in the UK? Fluoride has been added to water in some parts of the UK since 2013. Only 10% of England's population has fluoride added to drinking water. There are no fluoridation schemes in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Is water fluoridated? Yes, water is fluoridated in some parts of England. The West Midlands and the Northeast of England are the most extensively fluoridated areas. Water fluoridation affects about 6 million people in the UK. How to get rid of fluoride in water? A water filter containing activated alumina is the most popular way to get rid of fluoride in water. A fluoride filter containing activated alumina will remove up to 93% of fluoride in water.
0 drinking water filtration methods explained
Understanding the different types of drinking water filtration If you’re concerned about the quality of your drinking water, from either a private water supply or mains supply, it’s important to understand the different water filtration methods so that you can decide what the best home water filter system is for you. In this comprehensive guide we’ll explore the various water filtration methods that are used in homes throughout the UK. Which filter is best is always the one that solves the problem you have. At Fountain Filters we know from years of experience that the expansive range of water filtration methods available can leave people who desperately want to find out what the best water filter for tap water is; completely flummoxed. From activated carbon filters to reverse osmosis and beyond, we’ll guide you through the different water filtration techniques and what those water filters filter out of your household water. With our help you’ll be one step closer to improving the tap water in your home. And just as a heads up, the most important part of this article is the section on ‘how to select the best water filter for your needs’. That and the fact we’re always here to help you of course. The importance of filtering your tap water People place a great deal of importance on their health and well-being, and rightly so. As a society we are constantly being told to look after ourselves better, both physically and mentally. Access to high quality drinking water is fundamental to a healthy life. This means that people take it seriously and want to know how they can filter water to remove any risk of contamination and make the water taste and smell better. Some may say that the filtration of drinking water in the UK has become a necessity, not a luxury. Lack of confidence in local water authorities across the UK has further supported people’s desire to learn how water filters work and what problems they can solve. Consumption of contaminated water should be avoided at all costs. A reliable water filter from a trusted supplier will help mitigate any risks both now and in the future. Peace of mind is a powerful tool. Filtering your tap water also supports the environment as there is less reliance on bottled water which contributes to the single use plastic problem. Overview of water filtration technologies When it comes to water filtration techniques there are several methods available including: • Activated carbon filters• Reverse Osmosis (RO)• Ultraviolet (UV) filtration• Ion Exchange filters• Ceramic filters• Distillation Different water filtration methods have distinct advantages and disadvantages depending on where it’s used and what you are trying to improve about your water. Let’s get started. Activated carbon filters Here at Fountain Filters, we call activated carbon filters the ‘magic ingredient of water filtration’. Activated carbon filters are some of the best home water filter systems in the UK. Many people choose to install an activated carbon filter because they want to improve the taste and smell of their water by removing the disinfectant chlorine. Chlorine is added to public water supplies across the UK to ensure household water is free of harmful bacteria and therefore safe to drink. Carbon water filters are phenomenally good at improving the taste and smell of drinking water as well as removing a wide range of contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, trace pharmaceuticals, PFAS, hormones, endocrine disruptors, PAHs, THMs, some heavy metals including particulate lead, some nitrates, some phosphates, some VOCs. Activated carbon filters rely on a bed of activated carbon, which is a highly porous material with a large surface area. As water passes through the carbon filter, impurities are adsorbed onto the carbon, effectively trapping the contaminants that may be present in water. Water filtration methods that incorporate activated carbon are usually affordable and incredibly easy to maintain in comparison to other water filtration techniques out there on the market. Reverse osmosis (RO) Reverse osmosis (RO) is a widely recognised water filtration method that has gained popularity due to its effectiveness in removing a broad spectrum of impurities such as fluoride, chlorine, chloramine, lead, pesticides, nitrates, sulphates and dissolved inorganic solids (such as salts). Your household water pressure pushes the tap water through a semi-permeable membrane that allows only water molecules to pass through, blocking larger molecules such as salts, heavy metals, and pathogens. Reverse osmosis as a water filtration technique provides a high level of purification, so is particularly effective in areas where water quality is continually being compromised. While it’s true that reverse osmosis removes unhealthy contaminants that may be present in your water, it’s important to consider some of the limitations if you’re considering purchasing a reverse osmosis system. We discuss this in the section below on ‘How to select the best water filter for your needs’. UV filtration Ultraviolet (UV) filtration is a favoured water filtration method if you access water from a private water supply such as a well, spring, or borehole. It’s not normally used as a water filtration technique in households on a mains supply as the water has already been treated with chlorine before it reaches your tap. UV filtration is a powerful weapon against microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Water passes through a chamber where it is exposed to ultraviolet light, which plays havoc with the DNA of harmful pathogens, rendering them incapable of reproduction and infection. One of the significant advantages of installing a UV water filter is that it does not introduce any chemicals such as chlorine into the water, making it a safe way to disinfect water. It is also quick and efficient, requiring only a few seconds of exposure to eliminate a wide range of pathogens effectively. Ion exchange filters Ion exchange water filtration methods form the basis of how hard water is turned into soft water. If you live in a hard water area and install a water softener you are effectively buying an ion exchange filter. The hard ions (calcium and magnesium) present in hard water are replaced with sodium ions, in a process called ion exchange. Salt-based ion exchange filters have been around for decades. They are what could be classed as the traditional water softener. An ion exchange filter requires regular maintenance and the addition of water softener salt. Many people believe that an ion exchange filter is the only water filtration technique for treating hard water, but it’s not. It’s important to highlight another way of conditioning hard water and that is with the use of TAC media. Ceramic filters When used as a water filtration method ceramic filters are an effective way of purifying water naturally. The microscopic pores in ceramic filters are particularly effect at filtering out bacteria, moulds, cysts, and sediment. The pores are so minute that microorganisms are trapped while allowing clean water to pass through. The beauty of ceramic filters is that they can be gently scrubbed to prolong the use of the cartridge by a few months, but this doesn’t mean that you never need to change them! Additionally, ceramic filters do not require electricity to operate, making them ideal for use in areas with unreliable power sources. Many ceramic filtration systems also come with additional features, such as activated carbon layers to remove chemicals such as chlorine and forever chemicals. Distillation As far as water filtration methods go, we’re not huge fans of people using distillation to clean up their drinking water or indeed drinking distilled water. Distillation works by boiling water in one vessel and then condensing the steam back into liquid form in a secondary vessel. Distillation removes a wide range of contaminants, including heavy metals, salts, bacteria, parasites and viruses. As the water boils, impurities are left behind, ensuring that the condensed water is of high quality. There is no denying that distillation is one of the most thorough water filtration techniques available but drinking distilled water is not recommended in the long term. Why? Because once water is distilled there are no minerals in it which can seriously mess us your body’s pH, electrolytes, fluid, and mineral levels. The human body is not designed to drink distilled water. We often get people asking for a filter that will give them pure water and we would never recommend distillation unless it was the last water filtration method available on the planet! How to select the best water filter for your needs This is probably the most important section of this article, and one that might throw up more questions for you than answers. Always remember our telephone number 01352 838 281 is clearly visible on our website and we are ready to answer all the questions you have about water filters. Out of the several water filtration methods available, selecting the one that is going to be the best for you involves considering the following points. • What is it that you don’t like about your water? When people call or message us and they’re unsure about what the best home water filter system for their needs is going to be, this is the first question we ask. The answer helps us narrow down the most suitable water filtration method for their needs and enables us to give the best possible advice. • Is there anything specific that you want to remove from your water? You may have had your water analysed and the report highlights some specific issues that need to be resolved. This is more common if you are on a private water supply, and we are happy to help you interpret what that report is telling you. Or, you may have decided that you don’t want a particular contaminant to be present in your water, such as fluoride or are tired of limescale destroying your household appliances and want to find out how to treat your water accordingly.• Are you on a private water supply or mains water? This does make a difference to the type of water filtration method that will be best for your needs.• Do you just want to treat the water coming out of your kitchen tap or every tap in your home? If you want to filter your drinking water only this means going for a much smaller and lower cost unit than if you were treating water from every tap in your house.• How big is the place you live in and how many people live there? You may think this is a bizarre question, but it’s important to determine what the likely demand on your water supply is going to be. This will have a direct impact on the size of water filter that you will need. • How much do you want to spend? Paying more doesn’t always mean better in water filtration. This is where our expert help is invaluable as we never advise you to buy something that you don’t need. Our top priority is that you get something which is going to solve the problem you have with your water. Remember that you’ll have the upfront cost of the water filter system and then the annual cartridge renewal.• Are you committed to the easy maintenance of a water filter? Bear in mind that to ensure the steady supply of filtered water in your home you’ll need to change the water filter cartridge/s every 12 months. The limitations of each water filtration technique We’ve covered how each of the different water filtration methods works and their benefits. Now let’s move on to some limitations of each of the water filtration techniques. The main reason for talking about limitations is that water filtration isn’t a one size fits all. That’s why our purpose is to help guide you towards the best home water filter system for your needs and not the latest wonder product that Joe Bloggs and his celebrity investor has advertised all over social media! Activated Carbon Filters While activated carbon filters are a natural method of filtering water, relatively low cost, and easily maintained they do have some limitations. Ordinary carbon filters are not capable of removing contaminants such as heavy metals, fluoride, or limescale, and therefore need to be used in conjunction with more specialist water filter cartridges. That’s why you’ll see that many of our drinking or mains water filters are twin or triple units. Understanding the specific contaminants present in your water will help you determine whether activated carbon filters are the right solution for your needs. Water must remain in contact with the activated carbon filter long enough to ensure maximum effectiveness. If water flows too quickly through the filter cartridge your water won’t be properly filtered. This is why we help you understand that the size of filter system matters depending on how much of your household’s water you want to treat. Reverse Osmosis (RO) The initial financial outlay of a reverse osmosis system can be quite expensive as they are more complex systems and will normally require professional installation. Ongoing maintenance will also be more costly as there are more parts to replace in an RO system than carbon water filters. RO systems are not normally suited for whole house applications as the filtration process is slower than other water filtration methods. Water is produced in much smaller quantities and a lot of water is wasted during the filtration process. A reverse osmosis filter will also remove the beneficial minerals from your water. This of course can be overcome by adding a remineralisation stage, or ensuring you have a very good diet. UV Filtration UV filtration does have some limitations. It is not effective at removing chemical contaminants or heavy metals, so it is often used in conjunction with other filtration methods to provide comprehensive water purification. Additionally, UV systems require electricity to operate, which may be a consideration for those living in areas prone to power outages. Regular maintenance and annual lamp replacement is vital to ensure optimal performance. Understanding these factors will help you determine if UV disinfection is the right fit for your water quality needs. Ion Exchange Filters While a water softener is excellent at removing calcium and magnesium, the minerals responsible for limescale, they do increase sodium levels in the water due to the exchange process. Hard ions (calcium and magnesium) are replaced by sodium. This is why many people will install an RO system in addition to the water softener to remove the increased salt levels before consuming or cooking with it. The alternative is to have an unsoftened supply of water to the kitchen cold water tap. Ceramic Filters Ceramic filters will produce good clean water for drinking and cooking with but may not effectively remove certain dissolved chemicals, viruses, or heavy metals. As with carbon filters they are often used in conjunction with other water filtration methods to ensure more robust purification. Another drawback of ceramic filters is that they aren’t always suitable for whole house use due to flow rate restrictions. Distillation We’ve already highlighted that we’re not fond of distilling drinking water, and we’re quite taken aback that people out there believe that drinking distilled water is healthy. Distillation is expensive, energy-intensive and slower than other water filtration methods. Beneficial minerals such as calcium and magnesium are lost, which has a massive impact on the nutritional profile of the water as well as the taste. Conclusion Our purpose has been to explain the different water filtration methods available and help you understand that the best home water filter system is the one that solves the problem you have with your water. At Fountain Filters, we want you to have access to clean and safe drinking water that suits you and your budget. It’s important to us that you consider all water filtration methods. Seek professional advice if you are unsure about any aspect of home water filtration. We always provide help free of charge, no matter how many times you call 01352 838 281 or leave messages on our helpdesk. Ultimately, the goal is to find a reliable solution that provides peace of mind while ensuring that you and your loved ones have access to safe, clean drinking water. By taking the time to evaluate your options and consider your specific circumstances, you can confidently choose a water filtration method that will serve you well for years to come. FAQs What is the most effective water filtration method? There is no single best method. The most effective water filtration method is one that solves the problem you have with your water. Which water filter removes the most toxins? This depends on what you consider to be a toxin. Toxicity of what’s in water is highly subjective and dependant on concentration and tolerance levels – this is an individual and variable subject. Is there a water filter that removes forever chemicals? Yes, and our top three water filters that removes forever chemicals (PFAS) are the Oyster TC, Moby Cold Water Tap Filter, and the Doby.
0 how long does bottled water last
Does bottled water go bad? If you’re a regular consumer of water from plastic bottles, and you’re storing those plastic bottles correctly and drinking them within a couple of years, the water won’t go bad, but the bottle will eventually start to degrade. The whole concept of ‘can water expire’ is probably something that hasn’t even crossed your mind and we’ve probably peaked your interest on whether water can go out of date. Some of the topics we’ll cover in this article will focus on how long bottled water lasts if it remains unopened, bottled water expiration dates, the possible contaminants when plastic bottles start to break down, and the best alternatives to buying and drinking water in plastic bottles. You’ll notice that our concentration is on water bought in plastic bottles. Water can of course be purchased in glass bottles and aluminium cans. How long does bottled water last unopened? While undertaking some research for this article the consensus appears to be that unopened bottles of water should be kept for NO longer than two years. There is a caveat to this and that is how you store your bottles of water. We cover this in more depth later, but unopened bottles of water should be stored away from direct sunlight. Preferably in a cool, dark cupboard, and not outside. Water in bottles that are kept in direct sunlight could impair the taste and smell of the water and this could be construed as water that has gone off. Why do bottled waters have expiration dates? Bottled water has an expiry date, but it’s normally stamped on plastic bottles of water as a ‘best before’ date rather than a ‘use by’ date. The ‘best before’ date is more concerned with the possible degradation in the plastic which could affect the quality of the water. When we looked at different brands of bottled water on our local supermarket shelves it confirmed the two year ‘best before’ date that we’d read while doing our research. Manufacturers of bottled water in the UK have already had to prove their bottled water is safe to drink and complies with permissible levels for chemical, pesticide, microbiological, and radioactive substances. The water must have been tested at a UKAS accredited laboratory that uses recognised scientific methods for testing bottled water. We didn’t find a brand of bottled water that didn’t have a ‘best before’ date stamped on it. We haven’t been able to find any UK regulations on whether bottled water companies are legally required to display expiry dates on bottled water. The requirement does not appear in The Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water (England) Regulations 2007. We can surmise from this that there is no legal requirement for bottled water to have an expiry date and it’s the brands who choose to put one on because they feel they should. Expiry dates on products are incredibly useful for stock rotation. We’d be happy to be corrected on the legality of expiry dates on bottled water if you think we are wrong. The expiry date on bottled water is very subjective as it depends on how the plastic bottles are stored. Storage conditions will have a direct impact on the ultimate quality of the water inside the bottle. Do you even take notice of expiration dates on bottles of water? Unless you’re a prepper, we can’t imagine why people would store unopened bottles of water for years, so this debate around ‘how long does bottled water last’ probably isn’t a topic of conversation that comes up for you very often. How bottled water can become unsafe to drink We consider that there are two main risks that could potentially make bottled water unsafe to drink. The risks are microplastics and how the plastic bottles are stored. Microplastics is our most serious concern. Let’s look at microplastics first. Microplastics are pieces of plastic 5mm or smaller in size. To give a bit of context, a red blood cell is just over 5µm, that's 0.005mm. There are MORE microplastics in bottled water than tap water. A study by researchers at Colombia and Rutgers universities in the USA found that bottled water can contain up to 100 times more tiny pieces of plastic than previously thought. The average litre of bottled water contains almost a quarter of a million nano-plastic fragments. You can read more in this BBC article. You may want to read our detailed blog post ‘How to filter and remove microplastics from drinking water effectively’ as that article will give you lots of useful information about how to remove microplastics with one of our drinking water filter systems. The second risk is the plastic bottle that could render bottled water unpalatable. Water is normally bottled in polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Over time, the plastic breaks down which may affect the taste and smell of the water, so you’d probably discard it after one mouthful as it wouldn’t taste very nice. PET itself does not contain chemicals that are harmful to health, such as phthalates or BPA. There are also no carcinogens in PET plastic. We’re more concerned with how the plastic bottles are being stored. If plastic bottles are stored in excessive heat, exposed to sunlight, stored beside strong smelling chemicals or cleaning agents the quality of the plastic may degrade more quickly and taint the water inside. Potential health risks of drinking expired bottled water It’s up to you to consider the potential health risks of drinking bottled water, whether it’s expired or not. We have highlighted the risk of microplastics in bottled water and how bottled water is stored. It is up to you to make a considered choice when it comes to the bottled water you are purchasing. We have read some horror stories out there on the internet about bottled water and we will never scaremonger people into believing they are true. Best practices for storing and preserving bottled water We’ve briefly touched on the importance of how bottled water is stored. If you do want to continue buying bottled water, then here are some useful tips (amongst other things!) on how to store water if you buy it in plastic bottles. Transfer the water from your plastic bottle into a reuseable aluminium bottle. This seems a sensible choice for when you’re out and about or prone to leaving plastic bottles of water rolling around on the back seat of your car. Don’t buy too much bottled water at a time. That way they’ll be no danger of those bottles of water going out of date. Only store sealed tamper evident plastic bottles of water. We don’t understand why people would store opened bottles of water, but people do some weird and wonderful things. Treat your bottles of water as you would any other food product. Store your plastic bottles of water in a cool, dust-free environment, away from direct sunlight and potential sources of contamination, such as strong smelling chemicals or diesel fumes. Never store bottled water outside or where it could be exposed to heat sources. Try not to leave bottles of water in your car, where it can heat up. There’s nothing worse than warm bottled water. This is especially important if you live in a warmer climate as water stored in your car is going to be exposed to excessive heat. If your bottles of water are stored correctly the water should not deteriorate. What are the best alternatives to bottled water? Fountain Filters considers the best alternatives to bottled water are filtering your own kitchen tap water with a Water to Go bottle OR installing one of our under sink drinking water filters such as our Pearl T chlorine and taste filter. The Pearl T is a good starter drinking water filter and will remove chlorine, sediments, microplastics (to 5 microns), forever chemicals (PFAS), and much more. You can of course opt for a 0.5 micron carbon block if you want to filter down to the sub-micron level. Fountain Filters urges you to stop buying water in plastic bottles as there are better, cheaper ways to gain access to filtered drinking water and then you don’t ever need to stress about whether bottled water expires or not. You can even help other people when they ask you questions like ‘can bottled water go bad’? or ‘does bottled water expire’? After what will be the best investment you can make for your home, your drinking water filter will save you money in the long term. Why? Because drinking water filters are much cheaper than buying bottled water. If you’re now left wondering whether a water filter actually works, you’d be crazy not to read this article. How Fountain Filters can help you move away from bottled water Fountain Filters can help you in so many ways. We are passionate about helping people understand that there are better alternatives to filtered drinking water than continually buying water in single use plastic bottles. Curiosity is a marvellous trait to have and we’re open to as many questions as you have when it comes to installing a drinking water filter in your home. We say, who cares how long bottled water lasts, because after you invest in a drinking water filter, you’ll no longer have to worry about it. FAQs Is bottled water still good after 5 years? If the bottles have been stored correctly, bottled water could still be good enough to drink after 5 years. But we’d question why you’re keeping a bottle of water for five years in the first place. How to tell if bottled water is bad? We know this is subjective, but if the bottled water has a strange taste or smell, don’t drink it. Are old bottles of water safe to drink? Potentially yes, old bottles of water are safe to drink if they have been stored correctly and have remained unopened.
Is tap water safe to drink? 4 ways to make tap water drinkable Throughout the course of your life, the subject of ‘is tap water safe to drink’ is going to come up and be talked about. Whether that’s with people who normally live in the UK or those just visiting. Tap water is a very subjective topic with some people telling you it is safe to drink tap water and some people telling you to avoid it at all costs. We’ve been in the business of water filtration since 2011 and have heard it all! That’s why, as water filter specialists we can help guide you towards making decisions that are right for you about your household drinking water. We are lucky in the UK, in that household tap water is potable. Potable water is a term commonly used to refer to water that is safe to drink, cook with, and wash in. It has normally been treated and tested to ensure its of high enough quality for human consumption. But just because it’s met the strict standards for drinking water set by the relevant authorities in the UK (World Health Organisation (WHO) and the English, Welsh, and Scottish governments) that doesn’t mean you have to like drinking tap water. Those same authorities will happily tell you that you don’t need a water filter or drinking water tap either. It wouldn’t make sense would it, that on one hand these authorities are telling you that tap water in the UK is safe to drink and then on the other hand telling you to filter your water. That’s why we are here! In this article, we’ll take you on your very own UK tap water journey so that you can answer that burning question ‘is UK tap water safe to drink’ and be armed with knowledge on ‘why not to drink tap water in the UK’ without putting it through a water filter first. And at the end you’ll find four ways to make your tap water more drinkable. What’s in UK tap water? If you want to know more about your water, a good starting point is your local water company. If you’re unsure who that is, look at one of your water bills or this handy tool will tell you. The standards for water quality are there to protect you. They cover metals such as lead and copper, micro-organisms, chemicals such as pesticides and nitrates, and the way the water tastes and smells. Your local water company can give you the breakdown of the water that’s supplied to you. Let’s now go through the different kinds of things that may or may not be in UK tap water. Discolouration Have you ever poured a glass of water straight from the tap, without it having gone through a water filter first, and it appears cloudy? We get calls from people who say their water looks ‘milky’, closely followed by ‘is tap water safe to drink?’. It’s really nothing to worry about as it’s nearly always air or small deposits of naturally occurring chalk. You often get the same even if your tap water has been through a water filter, and again it’s just air and absolutely nothing to get worked up about. Try running your tap slowly for a few minutes and the water should clear. In almost all cases, discoloured water may look weird but it’s perfectly safe. Sometimes your tap water can be brown, black, or orange, and this is normally due to harmless deposits if there has been a disturbance in the water mains such as repairs to a leak or burst pipe. Taste and smell You may have travelled throughout the UK and decided that you don’t like the taste and smell of the tap water in different locations and think to yourself is UK tap water safe to drink? Before you go rushing to the supermarket to clear the shelves of bottled water, keep on reading. That tap water you are drinking is safe, but your tastebuds get very used to what you have at home and that makes you very aware of anything that tastes or smells different. Back at home, there are a few reasons why you might occasionally become aware of the changing taste and smell of your tap water. Chlorine Chlorine is used to keep your water supply safe by killing harmful bacteria. The levels of chlorine may fluctuate to ensure your tap water is meeting quality standards, and the closer you live to the treatment works the stronger the smell and taste of chlorine. Water source Where your water comes from can change. For example, some water companies are increasing their use of boreholes so in areas that used to have soft water – people are experiencing more difficulties with limescale. Time of year Seasonal weather changes can alter the way water tastes and smells. Reservoir catchment areas are mainly in rural areas, so winter animal stock movements require increasing the amount of chlorine added to the water to ensure microorganisms don’t contaminate the supply. Your plumbing The materials used in your plumbing system, or a breakdown of components used may cause your tap water to taste and smell differently. Limescale The focus of this article isn’t about the annoying effects of hard water, but we do need to highlight that no matter where you live in the country your water is going to be hard or soft, or somewhere in between. Find out how hard is the water in your area here. The general rule of thumb, working from the top of the UK down, is that tap water becomes harder the further south and east you live. The naturally occurring minerals of calcium and magnesium are the culprits here. Although tap water containing these two minerals is safe to drink, they are also the cause of all the furring and scaling on your kettle and other household appliances. Lead If you have lead lurking in your water that’s a very good reason why not to drink tap water in the UK, and you need to do something about it. Lead can be particularly harmful to young children and pregnant women. However, before you start panicking, you only need to worry about this if you have old lead pipes in your house. We know that ripping out and replacing old lead pipes can be time consuming and costly, so we would always encourage you to start with the simplest and most cost-effective solution first and that would mean filtering it out. It’s very quick and easy to check if you have lead pipes. Find the point where the external water pipe enters your house. It’s usually under your kitchen sink at the stop cock. Lead pipes that haven’t been painted will appear dark grey or black in colour and the joints may appear swollen. With a coin, scrape the metal and if it’s lead it will leave a shiny silver strip. Lead is quite a soft metal. Fluoride Aside from the naturally occurring fluoride in your tap water, if the area you live in hasn’t had the water supply artificially fluoridated then you don’t need to worry about it. We respect people’s decisions on whether they agree or disagree with artificial fluoridation as an aide to reduce tooth decay. If you disagree, then it’s easy to do something about it with our easy to install drinking water solutions. The quality of your water isn’t always the same As with anything in life, stuff happens. And that goes for water too, with incidents that may have a negative effect on the quality of your tap water and make you question is water from the tap safe to drink. The causes of these incidents vary, but may include: Poor weather – significant periods of poor weather can whip river sediment up into a frenzy thereby decreasing the raw water quality. Raw water is untreated water, i.e., the stage before the water treatment works. Mechanical failure – if pumps stop working or the power fails at the treatment works this can have an impact on the water quality. Journey through the mains – leaks and bursts in the water mains can make the water unclear due to the disturbed sediment inside the pipes. Did you know that there are approximately 348,723km of mains water pipes looked after by the various water companies and that 3,031 million litres of water were leaked each day between April 2019 and March 2022. That’s the equivalent of 1,212 Olympic swimming pools per day. Incidents may result in you receiving a ‘boil notice’ from your water company. What is a boil notice and what should I do if I get one? One of the best ways to kill bacteria or viruses in tap water is to boil it. If you get one of these notices it means that your tap water might contain harmful bacteria or viruses and you shouldn’t use your tap water for drinking, cleaning your teeth, making food or ice cubes, or giving it to your pets. You can still shower or have a bath – just don’t drink the bath water! However, think about the following. If you had one of our bacteria water filters with one of our 3-way water filter taps or a drinking water filter with your favourite from our wide selection of drinking water filter taps then you wouldn’t need to boil your water. You also must take some responsibility! It’s probably unlikely, but there is a small possibility that your internal plumbing may be causing some issues and therefore making your tap water unsafe to drink and cook with. If your plumbing hasn’t been fitted or maintained properly this can cause taste issues and water discolouration. While the poor taste and colour of the water may not mean it’s unsafe to drink, a build-up of bacteria and micro-organisms at the tap ends may. So, keep on top of your cleaning! We’ve also had a few customers who’ve had a new water filter tap installed and then had a water analysis done and they find that they have low levels of nickel in their water. That’s because nickel can be leached from the new tap for a short period of time after installation. What’s the difference between kitchen water and bathroom water? Unless you are on a private water supply there is no difference between water that comes out of the bathroom or kitchen tap on a mains supply. So, it’s perfectly safe to drink from either tap as the water quality is the same. I remember as a child hearing conversations about bathroom tap water and is bathroom tap water safe to drink. I spent a lot of years thinking that I couldn’t. Experience has taught me a lot and I now happily drink water from the bathroom tap if I’m thirsty. Drinking warm water or cooking with warm water directly from your kitchen tap is a different thing altogether. Drinking warm tap water It doesn’t sound that appealing, does it? Can you drink warm tap water? The most straightforward answer to this is MAYBE. We would suggest avoiding it depending on the following reasons. When your house was built – in a modern house you’ll probably be ok to drink warm tap water, but in older houses there may be lead pipes or lead solder to hold the pipes together. If there are lead pipes or lead solder, warm water will dissolve the lead more easily causing lead contamination. It is unsafe to drink that. What type of plumbing system you have – with old fashioned, unsealed heating systems there is usually a cold tank in the loft where water is stored. This can become contaminated with bacteria and other microorganisms. You don’t want to drink that. To be quite honest, we would recommend avoiding drinking warm water from any tap. What are the alternatives to drinking tap water in the UK? If you are toying with the idea of whether tap water is safe to drink in the UK, there are a few alternatives that should only be used on a temporary basis due to the financial cost and lack of environmental sustainability. Bottled water – an eye watering 2.51 billion litres of bottled water was consumed in the UK in 2021, worth an estimated 1.64 billion British pounds. Plastic bottles are the most common form of packaging with less than 5% of water being sold in glass bottles. Contrary to popular and misguided belief, bottled water is no safer to drink than tap water in the UK. The UK has some of the highest standards in the world when it comes to water hygiene. Canned water – the supermarket shelves are rapidly filling up with flavoured and non-flavoured canned water. It’s a slightly more sustainable option than plastic bottles, but the major brands all argue over who does it better! How to make tap water taste better Add some fruit such as lemons, strawberries, kiwi fruit, or some cucumber and mint. These will drown out any bad tastes or smells. Allow the tap water to sit for a bit before drinking it. Did you know that chlorine dissipates after 24 hours. Fill a water filter bottle so you have fresh filtered water while on the go. Install one of our stunning water filter taps for home along with one of our drinking water filters and you’ll never have to have that debate ‘is tap water safe to drink’! We’re lucky in the UK to have such good access to predominantly safe and clean water for most of the time. We have robust laws that underpin the expected high standards of the public water supply in the UK so that residents have access to potable water. So, please enjoy the fact that you can turn on the tap and the water isn’t going to harm you. We realise it’s all down to personal preference and you have a multitude of options at your fingertips to treat your water in whichever way you choose. That’s why we are here to help in any way we can, providing solutions to all water related problems. FAQ What is potable water UK? Potable water UK is water that has been treated and tested to ensure it is safe to drink, cook with, and wash in. Can you drink bathroom tap water UK? Yes, bathroom tap water in the UK is safe to drink if you are on mains water. The water is the same whether it comes from the bathroom or kitchen tap. How clean is tap water UK? Tap water is clean in the UK. You are fortunate in that UK water has been treated to some of the most stringent levels in the world, overseen by the Drinking Water Inspectorate.
0 when to replace water filter cartridge safe drinking water
When you need to replace your water filter cartridge regularly to ensure safe drinking water To ensure a continuous stream of excellent quality water from your household taps, it’s extremely important to keep on top of when to replace water filter cartridges. When you initially made the decision to invest in a water filter there was a reason behind it. You wanted to remove or reduce certain contaminants or treat pesky limescale. Part of that promise you made to yourself to have access to clean excellent quality water was to know when to change the water filter cartridge and carry out proper maintenance of your system. Changing water filter cartridges isn’t an onerous or necessarily expensive task. You only need to think about it once or twice a year and we even remind you when to replace water filter cartridges. It can’t get easier than that! Before we get into the simple process of when to change water filter cartridges let’s clarify the terms we’re going to use throughout this article. Water filter – refers to the whole unit including the housing, components, and fittings. Water filter cartridge/s – refers to the cartridge or media that gets inserted into the housing. This is the part that requires changing to ensure that your water filter operates efficiently and effectively. We often have some very funny conversations with people who get confused between the two. Can you imagine the cost, not to mention the waste, if you changed the water filter all the time! Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s move on. Signs to look out for of when to change the water filter cartridge ‘How do I know when my water filter needs replacing?’ This is a question we get asked multiple times. And yes, we know they mean water filter cartridge! There are some very clear signs to look out for that will tell you when you need to change your water filter cartridge. Ignoring these common signs will mean that your water filter won’t be effectively filtering your water the way you want it to. Water flow rate drops Invisible microscopic particles block water filter cartridges up over time and this impacts on the flow rate that you get coming out of your taps. It is much harder for water to pass through a clogged up cartridge. It would be like you trying to swim through treacle. This is one of the tell-tale signs of when you need to replace your water filter cartridge. Your water will go from having a good flow rate to a poor flow rate and it will probably annoy you intensely. It will annoy you so much that you’ll be prompted to buy a new water filter cartridge. The taste and smell of your water changes A clear indication that your water is reverting to tasting and smelling like it did before you installed your water filter. It’s amazing what you get used to and when the taste and smell change you notice it immediately. This is a clear indication that you need to change the water filter cartridge of your system. Your water looks different Is your water discoloured, or is there sediment present? If so, you need to replace your water filter cartridge. Or perhaps you’re noticing that there is scale building up again around the ends of your household taps, in the bottom of your kettle, floating on your cup of tea, or scaly deposits on your shower screen door. Water filter system requirements You can often eek a few extra weeks out of water filter cartridges with one exception. The exception is UV water filter systems. UV lamps must be replaced every 12 months to ensure that your water is effectively disinfected and remains free from harmful contaminants. The control panel or ballast on the UV will start alarming and this is how to tell when the water filter needs replacing. You’ll normally have a pre-filter before the UV unit and the pleated sediment water filter cartridges in these will also need to be changed to ensure the UV system works at its best. What happens if you don't replace water filter cartridges? If you choose not to properly maintain your water filter, then you leave yourself and your family wide open to drinking all the contaminants that you initially wanted to remove. Over time the water filter cartridges will cease to work effectively as they’ll be too much of a build-up of impurities and contaminants. To be blunt, your water filter won’t be doing anything useful, and you’ll notice the deterioration in your household water. Being aware of when to change your water filter cartridge is key to you getting the best out of your system and enjoying clean, fresh filtered water each day. Remember, what we said earlier. Replacing a water filter cartridge is not an onerous or necessarily expensive task. You only need to think about it once or twice a year and we even remind you when to replace water filter cartridges. There, we’ve said it again! When to replace the water filter cartridge Most of the information you’ll come across will tell you that you should replace your water filter cartridge every 6-12 months. It’s important to remember that this is a guideline and that you should always bear in mind the signs we’ve talked about above when it comes to changing your water filter cartridge. We think it’s worth getting into the habit of changing water filter cartridges a minimum of every 12 months. But it all depends on the type of water filter cartridge you have. Let’s highlight a few different types of cartridge. Carbon block We recommend replacing a carbon block based cartridge, such as our 2.5 x 10'' replacement cartridge, our 4.5 x 10'' carbon block water filter cartridge, or the 4.5 x 20'' carbon block cartridge a minimum of every 12 months to minimise the risk of possible bacteria colonies forming on the cartridge. Another carbon block based cartridge is the Doulton ultracarb range of water filter cartridges. These ceramic cartridges are impregnated with silver which does reduce bacteria colonies, but as they are carbon block, the manufacturer says they should be changed every 6 months. UV lamps We’ve already touched on this above, but UV lamps must be replaced every 12 months to ensure that your water is effectively disinfected and remains free from harmful contaminants. The control panel or ballast on the UV will start alarming and this is how to tell when the water filter needs replacing. You’ll normally have a pre-filter before the UV unit and the pleated sediment water filter cartridges in these will also need to be changed to ensure the UV system works at its best. A lot of manufacturers will state that you must change your cartridges every 6 months, but we feel it’s somewhere between 6 and 12 months. You are the best judge as you’re drinking the water that you’re filtering and using the information that we’ve shared so far, you’ll know when it’s time. Just try not to go past 12 months. The size of cartridge is also a determining factor. The larger cartridges such as the 2.5 x 10” Pearl H water filter cartridge will last twice as long as a smaller inline water filter cartridge because they’ve got a larger surface area and a greater volume of media. Where can I find the right cartridge for my water filter? It can be a bit daunting, trying to find the correct cartridge to go into your water filter. We hear from many people who didn’t buy their original water filter from us and have gone back to the company they bought it from, or the plumber they bought it through and just like a puff of smoke those companies or people disappear, can’t be contacted, or won’t return calls or emails. That leaves people in a right pickle and in need of a bit of help. We also have people who have moved into a property that has an existing water filter and haven’t a clue where to start because the previous owner has left no clue as to what the water filter is supposed to be filtering out or where to buy replacement water filter cartridges. If you were fortunate enough to deal with us from the start, we make the whole ‘when to replace water filter cartridges’ scenario as simple as it can be. We send you a 6 monthly reminder email with links directly to the products that you need to ensure your water filter remains operating efficiently and effectively. This email doesn’t mean you HAVE to buy replacements, it just jogs your memory to think about when to change the water filter cartridge. Our customers find this email incredibly useful, and it takes the guess work out of them trying to remember what they have. If at any point you want to re-purpose your existing water filter you can. Because of the versatility of our water filters, you can change your mind about what you want to filter out of your water. For example, you may start off just wanting to remove chlorine and chemicals but then feel that fluoride is becoming a concern to you. Changing your mind is never a problem for us. It’s about what you want to change about your water, not what we think we can sell you. How to replace a water filter cartridge Changing a water filter cartridge should never be difficult and there is really no need to call a plumber to do it for you unless you have difficulty with mobility or strength in your hands. We covered how to easily change your water filter cartridge in a blog post so take a look at it and don’t become nervous about giving it a go. Water filters are sturdy pieces of kit and not easy to break. O-rings It’s important here to talk about o-rings. This is the little rubber seal that sits at the top of the housing. The profile of the o-ring changes over time and can become flattened because of prolonged time under compression. If they become too out of shape it may be more difficult to get a good seal between the housing bowl and the housing cap. This is when you’ll get leaks. People then become tempted to tighten the housing bowl excessively to try and get it to seal. And then when it comes to replacing the water filter cartridge they can’t unscrew the housing. So, to save the headaches for the sake of a few quid we recommend that you replace the o-rings every two to three years just to be on the safe side. Don’t forget to recycle your water filter cartridges Recycling is always at the forefront of people’s minds and when it comes to water filter cartridges, if you can recycle them, we encourage you to do this. This was a topic we recently covered in a blog post called ‘How to recycle water filter cartridges correctly’. It’s a good read with lots of valuable information on how you can contribute to reducing your carbon footprint. A reminder of the service we offer at Fountain Filters If you need help on any aspect of water filtration or when to replace your water filter cartridge in your existing water filter, then we are here to help you. We offer free UK delivery on all water filter cartridges. Your items will be sent by either a Royal Mail tracked service or Parcelforce. We have trusted and long lasting relationships with our suppliers and have done since we started in 2011. You can be assured that if anything goes wrong, we are be contacted either by calling 01352838281or sending us a message on our helpdesk. FAQ How to replace a water filter cartridge? Replacing a water filter cartridge is easy. It's a task you can do yourself unless you have mobility or strength limitations. Turn off the water supply, open the tap to release pressure, unscrew the bowl from the cap, empty any water and remove the old cartridge, rinse and wipe the bowl, check the o-ring, unwrap the new cartridge and drop into the bowl, screw the bowl back onto the cap, turn the water back on and allow the system to refill, close the tap, check for leaks, open the tap, run the water for 5-10 minutes. Where can I recycle water filters near me? Determine where you can recycle water filters near you by finding out what your local council's recycling guidelines are. Please do not wish-cycle by throwing water filter cartridges into your kerbside recycling bin and hoping for the best. How long do water filter cartridges last? The life of a water filter cartridge is determined by how much water runs through it. This is normally 6-12 months. Fountain Filters recommends changing water filter cartridge a minimum of every 12 months to minimise the risk of bacteria building up on the cartridge.
0 Brita Water Filter Alternatives
Brita water filter alternatives that can save you ££ If someone mentions Brita to you what is the first thing you think of? For most people, it’s Brita water filter jugs. You can’t deny that Brita is a well-known high street brand with a varied range of consumer products for water filtration including water filter jugs, water filter bottles for travel, water filter carafes, and replacement filters, cartridges, and spare parts. For those looking for a Brita filter alternative or to simply know more about the options out there, our focus in this article is going to be on Brita water filter jugs with the bonus of exploring a range of easy to install and more affordable drinking water filters that do the same job (and more!) than the Brita filters. This is especially important if you already have a Brita filter jug and are considering a Brita filter alternative, or you’re tempted to buy a Brita filter and are just doing your research before parting with your money. We’ll also look at the cartridge replacements for both the Brita and an alternative to the Brita filter. It’s time to consider what the best Brita alternatives are, and if you are considering any form of home water filtration then you’re doing a good thing by not adding to the mountain of single use plastic bottles that are thrown away in the UK every day. Did you know that an average of 35.8 million plastic bottles are used every day in the UK, and approximately 16 million plastic bottles don’t make their way into recycling. We’re going slightly off topic, but that’s scary! What do Brita filter jugs remove? Never mind how the jug looks, it’s all about the filter cartridges that sit inside. Brita has two branded filter cartridges that can be used in all their water filter jugs. These are the Maxtra Pro All-in-1 and the Maxtra Pro Limescale filter cartridges. They both employ very common and basic water filtration techniques, namely carbon block for taste and odour improvement, chlorine, and chemical reduction; and ion-exchange resin for water softening. Let’s look at each Brita Maxtra cartridge in turn. The Brita Maxtra Pro All-in-1 There are four layers to the Brita Maxtra Pro All-in-1 filter cartridge. Layers one and four are constructed of a super fine filter mesh that holds onto any particles preventing them from passing through to the next stage. These layers are vital if you know your water picks up particles from older household pipework. Layer two contains carbon block which is made from coconut shells This filter medium removes/reduces trace impurities such as certain herbicides, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals if they are present in the water. Carbon block is also very effective at reducing chlorine, thereby improving the taste and smell of the tap water. Layer three is where the water conditioning takes place via the ion-exchange pearls used to soften hard water. These pearls are the same as you’d find in a traditional water softener. In the Brita filter cartridges, the carbonate hardness reduction has been tested up to 120 litres. Brita also claims that the filter cartridges reduce lead and copper. The Brita Maxtra Pro Limescale The only difference between the Brita Maxtra Pro Limescale cartridge and the Maxtra All-in-1 is that there is a greater number of ion-exchange pearls which will reduce the hardness of the water. Brita says that this cartridge gives 50% better limescale reduction than the All-in-1. So, once your tap water goes through this filter your kettle and coffee machines should see less limescale build up. What’s good about Brita filter jugs? They are convenient as all you need is the jug and filter cartridge and nothing else. You avoid supermarket drudgery by constantly buying and carrying home lots of water in single use plastic bottles. The filter cartridges can be recycled. They have a subscription service, which if you sign up to you won’t run out of the filter cartridges. They have excellent feedback on review platforms. Easy to clean with some parts being able to go in the dishwasher. What’s not so good about Brita? The filter cartridge must be changed every four weeks. Only a limited number of contaminants can be removed. For example, they don’t filter out fluoride, which for those who don’t want fluoride in their water is a big issue. The ongoing maintenance costs might not seem high, but they are compared to Brita water filter alternatives. The water filter jug takes up valuable space in your fridge. Your water isn’t on demand. You must wait for water to drip through the filter. The jug must be cleaned regularly because you can get a build-up of mould and algae. Are Brita better than the other brands? It’s difficult to determine this through internet research, but we are confident that people will believe Brita to be better than other brands simply because it’s a recognised brand and people often think that branded is best. But, in all honesty the effectiveness of any water filter jug is 100% down to the quality of the filter cartridge that goes inside the unit. You will see a lot of other products out there that claim to be a Brita Maxtra filter alternative, but we encourage you to always do your research and if you’re tempted to give a Brita inline water filter cartridge alternative a try, all we can say is go for it. What are the costs of a Brita filter jug? This is the part that interests us the most and we hope it gives you an idea of the upfront costs and the monthly ongoing costs of the whole range of Brita water filter jugs. Brita product Upfront cost (incl. 1 cartridge) * Monthly cartridge Maxtra Pro All-in-1** Monthly cartridge Maxtra Pro Limescale** Total cost in 1st 12 months*** Annual cost after 12 months Glass Jug £59.99 £5.83 £6.42 £136.98 £76.99 Style eco £42.49 £5.83 £6.42 £119.48 £76.99 Style £36.99 £5.83 £6.42 £113.98 £76.99 Marella £29.99 £5.83 £6.42 £106.98 £76.99 Flow £59.99 £5.83 £6.42 £136.98 £76.99 Aluna £25.79 £5.83 £6.42 £102.78 £76.99 *Prices taken from Brita official website. **If a 12 pack of cartridges are bought at the same time as the jug and cartridge is replaced every month. ***Using Maxtra Pro Limescale cartridge. As we mentioned before in the ‘not so good about Brita’ list, the initial cost of having a Brita filter jug may not seem high, but the ongoing costs of buying the replacement water filter cartridges are. You’re probably now screaming at your screen – ‘show me an alternative to Brita water filters’. Well, that’s exactly what we are going to do so stay tuned. Ready for a Brita water filter alternative? How Fountain Filters can help! We have a wide range of drinking water filters, but let’s stick to those that contain filter cartridges that do a similar job to the Brita filter jug, and you only need to replace the water filter cartridge once every 12 months. Introducing our Pearl T, Oyster Taste and OneFlow, and Pearl Mini inline drinking water filters. Pearl T drinking water filter We have a warm fondness towards our high-performance chlorine and taste filter, the Pearl T drinking water filter, as it was the very first drinking water filter that we put onto our website back in 2011, and it’s still going strong. This filter contains a 5-micron carbon block cartridge that removes up to 99% of chlorine, and because it’s not a huge system (H: 34cm, W: 14cm, D: 13cm) most people install the Pearl T under their kitchen sink. It’s one of the best Brita filter alternatives for those households that don’t have a hard water problem, as you only need to change the cartridge every 12 months instead of every 4 weeks like you do with the Brita water filter pitcher. Oyster Taste and OneFlow When you think about scale reduction you should always be thinking about OneFlow, our best-selling filter media for treating limescale in your water. This neat little drinking water filter (H:34cm, W:26cm, D:13cm) removes chlorine, improves taste and smell, and reduces chemicals and limescale. Pearl Mini inline water filter The Pearl Mini inline water filter is a perfect choice when you’re really struggling for space. The length of the filter is only 10” and width 2”. You have total flexibility as you can choose from four different cartridges that deal with a range of issues including chlorine, sediment, and scale reduction. What’s good is that with all three of these drinking water filters you get to choose from one of several drinking water filter taps. You install these taps separately on your kitchen sink for access to fresh filtered water 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alternatively, if you don’t want a separate tap on your kitchen sink, you can opt for one of our 3-way kitchen water filter taps. We have a large range of luxury 3 way taps to choose from in either chrome or brushed steel finishes. Brita v other water filters – crunching the numbers Fountain Filters product Upfront cost (incl. cartridge, single lever tap, all fittings) * Annual cost after 1st 12 months** Pearl T £96.99 £18.99 (£58 less than Brita) Oyster Taste and OneFlow £161.99 £55.99 (£32 less than Brita) Mini inline water filter £69.99 £25.99 (£51 less than Brita) *Choosing a different tap may increase the price. **Selecting a different cartridge may increase the price. The ongoing maintenance costs of choosing one of our filters as an alternative to Brita is so much lower. You receive a cartridge that will last you 12 months when you purchase any of our filters above. With Brita, each cartridge lasts just four weeks, which means much more waste goes into recycling than an alternative to Brita. Find out more about how to recycle water filters correctly here. There is much greater flexibility with one of our drinking water filters as filter cartridges are interchangeable depending on what you want to remove from your water. As water treatment specialists we’re on hand to answer any questions you may have about filtering your water. In conclusion, we’ve given you a lot to think about and opened your mind up to other, more sustainable options that have a definite cost saving when it comes to filtering your tap water. We strongly believe that there is more to life than Brita and we hope you’ve had an insight into a Brita filter alternative. We’re always on hand to help with any water filter query, just send us a message on our trusty helpdesk. FAQ What do Brita water filters do? Brita water filters utilise common water filtration techniques to improve the taste and smell of your tap water as well as remove contaminants and reduce limescale. Are Brita water filters any good? Brita water filters arre good in the sense that they are convenient, easy to clean, reduce single use plastic, and the filter cartridges can be recycled. What is the best Brita filter alternative? The best Brita filter alternative is a drinking water filter that contains a filter cartridge that does a similar job to a Brita filter, but you only have to change the cartridge every 12 months instead of every month like you have to with a Brita filter. Fountain Filters have three drinking water filters they would recommend as a direct Brita filter alternative. The Pearl T, the Oyster Taste and OneFlow, and the Pearl Mini.
0 How to filter microplastics drinking water
How to filter and remove microplastics from drinking water effectively! Microplastics have been in the news over the last few years, and social media hysteria seems to peak every now and then with dire warnings about them specially when it comes to finding microplastics in water. But what are microplastics? There is a simple answer: microplastics are pieces of plastic of 5mm or smaller. Or another definition is 5 microns or smaller. Of course, 5 microns is difficult to visualise; it’s about the size of a red blood cell. Under the right conditions a person with extremely good eyesight can discern that, but that’s about the limit of human vision. So, you and I probably can’t see micro plastics at all without the aid of a microscope. That leads to other questions, doesn’t it?! Are there microplastics in water? There are microplastics in rivers, lakes, sea, and oceans. Anywhere plastic waste goes, microplastics can be found. This is a failure of human beings to dispose of plastic waste properly. Because microplastics come from plastic items such as discarded bottles, packaging, and other items breaking down due to the action of sun, wind, and water on the material. That erosion of the plastic reduces the size of the constituent parts, until they are too small to see. But they are still there! And once they are that small, they can get anywhere, including the food we eat and water we drink. What about microplastics in tap water? Yes, microplastics can be found even in drinking water. Not in huge quantities, because the public water supply does filter an awful lot of stuff out – but there are microplastics in tap water. It’s a surprising revelation, isn’t it? There are microplastics in your drinking water! You’re cleverer than that, aren’t you? You drink bottled water. But hang on… Are there microplastics in bottled water? This is going to surprise you. A study reported in 2022 by Sherri Mason, a Penn State researcher in the United States, found that an average of 325 plastic particles were found in a litre of bottled water. This compared to 5.5 particles in tap water. Shockingly, the bottled water turned out to be worse than the public water supply. Okay, so that’s America, what about here in the UK? Are there microplastics in bottled water sold in the UK? A recent report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that “Tap water in the UK contains between zero and 10 microplastics in every litre.” But it can be a few hundred in bottled water. Furthermore, tests showed that 93% of bottled water has some signs of microplastic contamination.You should also note there is not much legislation controlling the quality of bottled water compared to the legal requirements placed on the public water suppliers. How to detect microplastics in water Detecting microplastics in water is simple, but not necessarily easy because you’ll need some method of magnifying a sample of water. Think of it this way, if you have a microscope, you’ll be able to see down to the micro level to view and count microplastics, but the volume of water in the sample will be very small too. If you can only check 1ml of water at a time it will take you a long time to get through 1 litre, which is 1000 times greater than that 1 ml sample. Fortunately, there are scientists and independent organisations who test for these things who you can trust – so take it as read that the microplastics are in water. Beware of information on social media where there’s an agenda to discredit proper scientific researchers and government departments. There are some very convincing and charismatic people talking about microplastics out there – but they are not necessarily correct (even if they’ve got a white paper!). Now that we’ve established that there are more microplastics in bottled water than in tap water you may be rethinking your daily hydration. But there’s still that niggling issue of a small, but worrying, contamination of microplastics in drinking water from your kitchen tap. Can microplastics be removed from water? Yes! Microplastics can be removed from water. That was easy, wasn’t it?! However, there are lots of methods to remove microplastics from water discussed and advised in countless articles and posts across the media and online. However, some of these methods seem to make sense for making water safe from contaminants but may not necessarily work for microplastics. How to filter microplastics from drinking water There are various methods of removing microplastics from drinking water. Treatments such as boiling water and filtration are often recommended, but can drinking water filters remove microplastics from tap water? Some contamination in water is dissolved (such as lead), but microplastics are not soluble in water. They have a physical presence with measurable dimensions. That means that filters that remove sediment can also be used to filter out microplastics too. Essentially, when you pass a liquid containing solids, such as sediment or in this case microplastics, suspended in it through a medium that has pores smaller than the size of the solids then those solids remain trapped while the liquid passes through. That leaves the solids in the filter and the fluid is free of solids larger than can get through the porous filter medium. Here’s where it gets complicated. What size are the microplastics in the drinking water? As microplastics are (mostly) invisible to the naked eye you can’t just look at the water coming out of the tap, or into your water bottle, and decide what filter rating you need on this occasion. And who wants to have multiple filters depending on what may or may not be there. Before we move on to the solution, we’ll cover whether boiling water will remove microplastics. Let’s be totally clear on this one, simply boiling a kettle full of water WILL NOT remove microplastics. The closest you might come is to melt the plastics – but they will still be there. Even if they melted in the boiling water, a soon as it’s cooled to be drinkable the microplastics will solidify again. Having said that, if you boil water and the condense the vapour using a distiller, and then drink the resulting distilled water, that will have no microplastics in it. But filtration is a much simpler method. What is the best water filter to remove microplastics? Any standard water filter should help filter out microplastics from water. There is a caveat to that, though. A 10 micron carbon block, or 20 micron metals filter containing granular activated carbon will certainly make the water taste nicer, but they won’t filter out microplastics of 5 microns or smaller. Here at Fountain Filters our recommendation to remove microplastics from water is to install a filter that has the smallest reasonable pore sized filter system that suits your needs and your pocket. The needs might include the flow rate you want to maintain. Every water filter has an effect on flow rate and will introduce a pressure drop. If you fit a small filter with a 0.2 micron pore size into your mains water supply you’ll be very disappointed next time you have a shower. The water will just dribble out because there’s not enough surface area in the filter cartridge to allow a high volume of water through it. Where pressure and flow rate are concerned bigger is most definitely better. The range of water purifiers that Fountain Filters offers has three applications, covering multiple water quality issues, including filtering microplastics. They each have two stages; the first stage filters out chlorine and other chemicals. The second stage is a 0.2 micron nanofilter that will filter out tiny particles, and even microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses, plus more. For a simple, easy to install, drinking water filter the Oyster Water Purifier is a great, low-cost option. This provides a purified water supply at up to 3 or 4 litres per minute. Or how about our Moby Water Purifier? This will operate at up to 10 litres per minute so is ideal to filter the cold water supply to your kitchen tap – perfect for filling the kettle, pans or water bottles quickly. You may want to filter your entire water supply at the mains. For this application the Doby Water Purifier is big enough for 4 or 5 bedroom houses with two bathrooms. A really great alternative for active people is the Water-to-Go drinking water bottle. You can fill these from virtually any non salt water source, and they filter the water of contaminants including bacteria, cysts, and particles such as microplastics. There are many other alternatives we can suggest for your specific water quality requirements, give us a call on 01352 838282. Or send us a message and we’ll be happy to listen, give you options, and help you make your choice. FAQ How to avoid microplastics in water? The best way to avoid microplastics in water is to remove them. You can do this by installing an under sink water filter system to treat just your drinking water or a system that will treat the water coming out of every tap in your home. This water filter system should contain the smallest micron rated cartridge you can find that won't impact your water pressure or flow rate. Are there microplastics in tap water? Yes, tap water in the UK contains between zero and 10 microplastics per litre. But don't be alarmed because your water company has treated the water before it gets to you, so a lot of microplastics will have been removed along with other contaminants. Are there microplastics in bottled water? Yes, there are substantially more microplastics in bottled water than the water coming out of your taps. This can be a few hundred microplastics per litre of water. The advice from Fountain Filters is to stick to drinking tap water that you have filtered yourself.
0 PFAS or Forever Chemicals in Water
How to remove PFAS or Forever Chemicals in Water in the UK We’re very lucky in the UK! You may not believe it, but we have probably the best public water supply in the world. However, it’s not perfect, and one of the things that detracts from that good record is PFAS in water. In this article you are going to find out what are PFAs in water, also known as forever chemicals, and how to remove pfas chemicals from drinking water. Let’s dive in! PFAS in water The initials PFAS stand for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, difficult just to say which is why they are more memorably referred to as “forever chemicals”. It also gives a clue as to one of the reasons there’s concern about ensuring they are controlled, reduced, and removed from both the environment and drinking water supplies – PFAS in water don’t break down over time. There are thousands of chemical substances that are in the group PFAS and they are incredibly useful in everyday life. This group of chemicals can be found in non-stick coatings, batteries, medical devices, stain resistant fabrics, food packaging, plastic bottles, and lubricants for the equipment that makes them – the list is endless. But as useful and effective as they are in making our modern lives so much better and easier, PFAs chemicals can also have serious effects on human and animal health. The UK government is being lobbied to reduce the permitted levels of forever chemicals or PFAs in water courses (streams and rivers, etc) as well as in the public water supply. Change is certainly on its way due to the results of recent research and the efforts of scientists. But the purpose of this article is not to create a health scare, panic people, or go into all the technical complexities of what PFAS are and what they’re used for. The objective of this article is to provide some practical guidance on what to do about PFAS or forever chemicals in the water supply to your home. Are there PFAs in tap water? Tap water is tightly regulated in the UK, but there probably is a small amount of PFAS or forever chemicals in the water. The water regulations in the UK state that the maximum allowed in water courses is 100 nanograms per litre (ng/L). One nanogram per litre is one billionth of a gram in a litre (1000 grams) of water. Water companies filter and dilute the water they supply to make that dilution even lower – 10 ng/L at most, which is classed as low risk in the UK, EU, and US for the majority of PFAS in water. There are lower levels permitted or for certain PFAS known as PFOA and PFOS. PFAS in plastic water bottles So, you are wondering how to get rid of forever chemicals in water. First, let’s look at the scale of the issue. The ambition is to reduce the amount of PFAS chemicals in drinking water to as low as is practicable. Why is it “as low as is practicable” and not “remove all” the PFAS chemicals from water? The aim is to reduce the levels of forever chemicals to be well within safe limits. Taking it further is where the law of diminishing returns applies, you can spend vast amounts of money and only make small further gains. The term “practicable” can also be interpreted as “affordable but effective”. The concentrations of PFAS in your drinking water are smaller than miniscule. Can forever chemicals be filtered out of water? Water filters can certainly help reduce or remove the levels of PFAS and other things you may not want in your water. Stephanie Metzger, Policy Advisor at the Royal Society of Chemistry says in this article, "We know that PFAS can be filtered from drinking water – the technology exists, so increasing the level of filtration is just a matter of expense and political will." But why wait for politicians to recognise the need when you can take action yourself, now? Particle or sediment filters are unlikely to be of much use, the physical size of the PFAS chemicals means that they will just flow straight through even the finest sub-micron filter medium. On the other hand adsorption, where the molecules of the contaminant are attracted to and “stick” to the molecules of the filter medium in the cartridge, is the most effective and low cost method of filtering out substances like PFAS. Activated carbon is used for this purpose to remove all sorts of contaminants from drinking water. Best water filters to remove PFAS Given that adsorption is likely to be the best water filters to remove PFAS from your water at a reasonable cost it’s worth considering what sort of water filter system is going to suit you. There are three types ofactivated carbon water filters that are suitable to remove forever chemicals in water, two of which are easy to obtain, and another that only a few manufacturers can supply. Granular Activated Carbon Also known as GAC, granular activated carbon filters contain a granulated carbon media, in a filter canister, or sometime loose inside larger vessels. GAC is an effective filter medium, although it can become inefficient if water creates channels in the media which reduces the surface area that is in contact with the water to be filtered. Carbon Block Carbon block water filter cartridges are more efficient at removing contaminants such as PFAS than GAC, though they are very similar in many respects. These filter cartridges are made from GAC by compressing and extruding it into solid blocks (hence the name) which are then wrapped in a protective covering. Channelling is not an issue with a carbon block, and the high-pressure compression used creates a denser filter medium with increased surface are in the same dimensions as a GAC cartridge. This makes carbon block more efficient at removing contaminants than GAC can achieve. NanoCeram PAC NanoCeram PAC filter cartridges are made by Argonide, a highly innovative company from the USA. NanoCeram PAC and PACB are pleated filter cartridges that remove a plethora of particles, microorganisms, and chemicals from water. Using an electropositive technology, and carbon coating, plus carbon block in the larger cartridges the NanoCeram PAC cover all bases. They offer a high flow rate with a 0.2 micron rating, and the carbon coating (plus carbon block) gives a high contact time for the removal of PFAS, chlorine, and other chemicals. Having established that an activated carbon filter is what you need, the next step is to choose the water filter system. Whole House Filters When it comes to whole house water filters, the options here are fairly simple… If you want to filter all the water in your home, then you need to have a filter system big enough to cope with the flow rate demands placed on it. For a single bathroom flat system containing a 4.5’’ x 10’’ carbon block cartridge is a good choice. That will provide water flowing at around 10 litres per minute – enough for most showers. A system with a NanoCeram PACB will give a higher flow rate should you want it. For bigger properties the system you require will contain at least a 4.5’’ x 20’’ carbon filter cartridge, or NanoCeram PACB. These will give you at least 20 litres per minute and will make your water taste and smell much nicer, as well as giving you the peace of mind that you’ve removed most of the unpleasant things from the water that might be there. There are even bigger systems available for very large houses or commercial premises, such as Watts Big Bubba with an activated carbon cartridge. This will provide up to 56 litres per minute of lovely, filtered water. They even offer a 15 litre per minute option to remove the most harmful type of PFAS (PFOS/PFOA). Drinking Water Filters Drinking water filters are another choice to remove forever chemicals from water. You have to consider two options here. Do you want to filter all the water to your kitchen tap or install a dedicated drinking water filter tap? If it’s the first of those then we’re back to that 4.5’’ x 10’’ system mentioned previously. If you want a water filter tap, this is a much smaller filter system that easily fits under the sink and doesn’t take up much room – for example the Oyster Taste and Chemicals Under Sink Water Filter. Or an affordable Pearl T Drinking Water Filter makes removing PFAS very accessible. Other Ways to Get Rid of Forever Chemicals in Water You may have heard that Reverse Osmosis (RO) is the best or only way of removing forever chemicals from water. It’s true that reverse osmosis systems will get rid of PFOS but they do that using multiple stages of carbon block and/or GAC filter cartridges – just the same as the non-RO filter systems. They also strip out good minerals, and then some put minerals back in with a final stage. This makes them cumbersome and expensive, as well as slow to produce the water desires. If you really do want to filter your water for as much as you can then one of our Water Purifiers is a very good option – for whole house, single tap, or just a small drinking water filter. As you can see there’s a lot you can do to reduce your consumption of and exposure to PFAS chemicals – and it needn’t be expensive! Some useful further reading and information for you: BBC News RSC interactive map When it comes to water filtration, everyone has different needs, requirements, and expectations so we really encourage you to contact us here on our helpdesk or call 01352 838281 to talk to us about your individual circumstances. FAQ What are forever chemicals? Forever chemicals are substances found in items such as non-stick coatings on pans, stain resistant fabrics, food packaging, plastic bottles, to name but a few. You may also see them being referred to as PFAS which stands for per and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Forever chemicals do not break down over time which is why they are of such concern. Can PFAS be filtered out of water? Yes, PFAS can be filtered out of water, and you don't have to wait for someone else to do it. You can do it yourself. A water filter system containing an activated carbon water filter cartridge is the most effective and low cost way to remove PFAS from water. How to avoid forever chemicals in the UK? One of the best ways to avoid PFAS and reduce your consumption of forever chemicals in the UK is to install a low cost water purifier from Fountain Filters.
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