Saving money with water filters

Do you filter your water? Are you interested in saving hundreds of dollars every year? Water filter is one way to remove the grains, the grit, and the elements from your water making it safer and healthier to drink. Purchasing a water filter is a less obvious way to many of us to save money and decrease our living expenses. If you can’t stand the taste of your tap water, you may have already decided to purchase bottled water, as a better alternative. But there’s a more cost-effective way to obtain fresher, better tasting and healthier water.

Bottled Versus Filtered Water: Cost Comparison

Bottled water comes from many sources, including tap water. Regardless of the water’s source, the bottling company processes, bottles and distributes it, increasing its cost. Depending on the brand and type of water filter you purchase, the cost of filtered water averages around $0.30 (or less) per gallon. Bottled water (with prices ranging from $0.89 to $8.26 per gallon), on average, costs twelve times as much per gallon.

Water Filter Types

Several types of water filtration systems are available. Some types, like the whole house water filter, aren’t feasible for apartment dwellers. Instead, choose a filtration system based on the contaminant types you’re trying to remove from the water. For apartment dwellers, countertop, pitcher and faucet-mounted filters are the easiest to install. They’re more limited than under-sink filters because they’re visible and usually can’t filter contaminants besides tastes, smells and lead. Under-sink filters are hidden from view. Some only remove bad tastes and odors, while others may remove lead, bacteria and sediment by using multiple cartridges, designed to filter out a particular type of contaminant. Unlike the countertop models, under-sink filters must be attached directly to the pipes below your sink. If you’re unfamiliar with plumbing, hiring a plumber for the installation may be necessary.

How Water Filtration Works Your water filtration system should produce water that tastes and smells good by removing undissolved impurities such as silt, sediment, rust and sand, without removing beneficial elements, like fluoride. Examples of dissolved impurities include pesticides, chlorine, and heavy metals. Consider buying a filter that removes cysts, like cryptosporidium and giardia, along with viruses and bacteria which can cause illnesses. Reverse osmosis, another common type of water filter, is very effective, especially when combined with a carbon filter. Reverse osmosis forces water that is under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane to remove many contaminants from the water. This type of system is more expensive to operate, so you’ll have to determine whether the additional filtering ability is worth the extra cost. To save money, start by evaluating the quality of your water. Then, determine your filtering needs, set a budget, and purchase the water filter best suited to your own situation. You know, its only one time investment!