Does a water filter do any good?

Question

Does filtering water before drinking it actually do anything to it? According to the water quality reports, tap water in the US is safe to drink, so I am wondering if the filter serves as mainly a psychological thing. Can anyone point to any studies on this?

Yeah, I know how the charcoal in the filter is supposed to work. I was just wondering if there are really any impurities to begin with.

Answer 1

We use a Pur 3 stage. It makes the water taste better. I wouln't even drink water before the filter. We have TTHM in our water. It takes it out. No it's not psychological.

Answer 2

What people need to realize is that "overall", the tap water in the US is safe. Due to so many different tap water providers, water quality can vary greatly. Many city councils and such rate the occupation of water operator to be the same as dogcatcher. Often the water operator in small towns is also the dogcatcher or night watchman. Other more progressive towns and cities realize the need for professional, well trained and paid operators. After all, the treatment of drinking water is very technical and an operator needs to be well versed in the science behind it in order to provide a quality product. In some areas there is no way I would drink their water.
That being said, an end use filter such as a Britta is a good idea. Tap water can get particulate in the distribution system from line repairs, construction and even simple deterioration of the system.
Operator error can cause excessive amounts of chlorine and other chemicals to be in the system. Don't think that warning bells will go off and the water company will take action. It is usually allowed by law to certain extent and poorly trained operators are likely not to recognize it nor take any action.
Also, the quality of your tap water can vary greatly due to the outside temperature, excessive rainfall, equipment being down or out of service, and even which operators are on duty.

So, as a state licensed water operator with three different licenses and over 300 hours of training, I suggest that a end use water filter is a good thing to have on the faucet from which you draw your drinking water. It will do no harm and may make your tap water a bit safer and more palatable.

Answer 3

Filters remove many things from the water depending on the type of filter. Those on the sink remove many hardwater particles but not the fluoride. But the reverse osmosis sytems remove everything so it is 1/2 of 1% pure water.

People who have a tendency to get kidney stones should get an RO system, rental is best but that is another answer.

And if you haven't heard, most of that bottled water is tap water than is barely filtered.

I live where hard water is HARD so people either have RO systems or water delivered that was RO filtered and placed in huge containers. But even still our water is supposedly safe by Federal stanards, if you belive the Feds.

Answer 4

Water purifiers give u pure good tasting water instead of the bacteria and germ filled water.Although the water is safe to drink it also containing microorganism.yes, it's safe to drink but if u drink it 4 ur whole life time u will get side effect from that.the tap water like the clean river water.It's clean when see with ur naked eyes, but it contains soluble microorganism. It will harm ur health in long time.

Im drinking filtered water almost 5 years, now, I cant drink any other water because it tastes so good.Some water filter adds some minerals for ur normal water.Why can't u try filtered water that tastes good,contain mineral instead of drinking the safe tap water.U hv to try once, it is energiatic than coke

Answer 5

It does do something. The charcoal in the filter grabs impurities in your water through adsorbtion (not absorbtion). This means that all those impurities "stick" to the charcoal. There is a book that goes into more detail about it. It's called "What Einstein told his chef" by Robert Wolke. Try the library and read the chapter on water filters.

Answer 6

Any water traveling through plastic or metal pipes over a long distance is bound to erode the walls minutely and carry those particles.

One time I got brownish water from the faucet and called the water company, who sent someone out. By then my sample bowl was clear, and there was sediment at the bottom.

He saw this and said the sediment is always there but in tiny quantities and barely detectable, and even with the sediment the water is "Safe" to drink. That is, there are no infectious microorganisms.

But that doesn't mean there aren't particles that mess up the taste, chlorine (which basically kills bad organisms in the water) and minerals and metals that alter the taste.

Answer 7

Some filters take out good minerals that are put in the water to help you..........just a couple months I heard on the news that tap water has a mineral that help your teeth stay healty

Answer 8

i actually use a water filter it takes out other impurities that maybe water company's missed it makes the water taste better also

Answer 9

Don't fool with filters if you're not willing to service them on a regular basis. They can be a breeding ground for bacteria!

Answer 10

Yeah, it tasted better filtered.