Water Treatment

Whether water is your go-to drink or you want to improve your water-drinking habits, there’s no better way to keep you hydrated than having a water treatment system in your home. If you’re looking for better-quality water in your home, you may have seen water purifiers and filters online, but what’s the difference?

At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’ve installed water purification and filtration systems throughout the Los Angeles area since 2007. We’ve accumulated years of knowledge in both systems and understand their differences well.

This article will examine how water filtration and water purification differ in the following categories.

  • Water Treatment
  • What do they remove?
  • Effectiveness
  • Technology

Once you review the differences between water purification and water filtration, you’ll be able to differentiate between these two systems and decide which one is more befitting for your home. Let’s dive right in.

 

What Is the Difference Between Water Filtration and Purification?

Understanding the differences between filters and purifiers can get confusing because companies use these terms interchangeably. Water purification and filtration aim to remove unwanted contaminants and impurities from a water source. Filtration systems only filter out physical contaminants, while purifiers completely filter out plus purify water of impurities.

One way to help you decide which system is suitable for your home is to ask yourself what you want out of your home water supply at home?

In Los Angeles, where most tap water is very hard, some people may prefer a water treatment system that combats hard water. Others may prefer treated water that is better suited for drinking.

You can view annual water quality reports to see what possible contaminants are present in your area’s tap water. Water tests are also available to determine what impurities may be flowing into your home’s water supply.

After discovering what your water may be contaminated with, you can decide which water treatment can remove these contaminants.

 

Water Treatment

The difference between purification and filtration ultimately comes down to how they treat water. Systems that purify water aim to eliminate contaminants using various methods. Water filtration uses physical barriers with pores that allow water through but captures physical and biological contaminants.

Water filters use a special material that traps sediment or contains activated carbon, which relies on a process called adsorption. Adsorption is a process in which the contaminants in water are attracted to the filter’s inner surface area that is covered by activated carbon.

Water purification systems use various methods to eliminate impurities and kill biological contaminants. Purifying water treatment can involve using iodine or chlorine to disinfect water. Other standard water purification treatment methods include.

  • Distillation: Water is evaporated to separate the chemicals from the water. The steam is collected and condensed into a liquid. This method also kills bacteria and viruses.
  • Ultra Violet (UV) Treatment: These purification methods use UV radiation to kill any biological organisms found in water.
  • Deionization: This chemical process uses ion exchange to remove minerals and all dissolved solids.

Reverse Osmosis (RO): Whereas filters use media to trap contaminants, reverse osmosis purification

  • forces water through a membrane with extremely tiny pores that blocks out particles such as metals.

Water can be treated in various ways, whether by filtration or purification, but what are the specific contaminants and impurities targeted?

 

What Do Water Filtration and Purification Remove?

Water purification and water filtration remove contaminants. Both will remove some of the same impurities, while each can specialize in removing contaminants that the other water treatment system can’t.

Here are some of the impurities water filtration removes from the water.

  • Bacteria
  • Microbial cysts
  • Dust
  • Sand
  • Dirt
  • Clay
  • Silt
  • Debris
  • Pesticides
  • Herbicides
  • Chlorine
  • Chloramine
  • Other chemical compounds

Water purifiers are also effective in removing the following contaminants.

  • Hard water minerals (calcium and magnesium)
  • Viruses
  • Lead
  • Mercury
  • Flouride
  • Microorganisms
  • Residual chemicals

Tap water is federally regulated to be safe to drink, but that doesn’t mean it is impurities-free. According to these regulations, the tiny amount of impurities in drinkable water isn’t enough to pose a health risk.

Yet, water filtration and purification provide homeowners peace of mind by removing any lingering contaminants. These water treatment systems are effective at removing them too.

 

Effectiveness

Both water purifiers and water filters are highly effective in removing contaminants. Purifiers are known to remove up to 99% of impurities found in water. Water filters are slightly less effective at around 90% but are still significantly efficient in removing targeted contaminants.

One way to know how effectively a water purifier or filter removes contaminants is to check if it is certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Water filters and purifiers with the NSF mark have been certified to protect against whatever impurities they were tested for. Choosing water treatment that has been certified and tested is recommended, but what are the specific purifiers and filters to look out for?

 

Technology

Water filters and purifiers are used as point-of-use systems, whole-house, or at large industrial water treatment plants. For homeowners, some of the standard water filters include.

  • Sediment filters
  • Water pitcher filters
  • Carbon filters (whole-house and single-use)
  • Built-in filtered showerheads

Typical water purifiers people can have installed at home are,

Regardless of technology and depending on your home’s layout, most of these systems take a few hours to two days to get up and running.

 

Which Water Treatment Is Right for Me?

Trying to understand the different options available for water treatment can get confusing, but now you’ll be able to differentiate between purifiers and water filters easily. Knowing what these terms mean when searching for a water purifier or filter best suited for you and your family will make your research more efficient.

For over 15 years and counting, we’ve installed various water treatment systems in homes of different sizes across Los Angeles County. Our years of experience not only help us install these systems but also answer any questions homeowners may have.

If you have any questions regarding water treatment, book an appointment using our water filtration scheduler or by clicking one of the buttons below.

Whether you decide to go with a water filter or purifier, it’s always worth learning about the costs behind different water treatment systems.

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