WATER TREATMENTS METHODSACTIVATED CARBON FILTERS: TAP AC FILTERS AND JUG FILTERS

WATER TREATMENTS METHODS\ACTIVATED CARBON FILTERS: TAP AC FILTERS AND JUG FILTERS

Posted on Thursday, April 2nd, 2009 at 6:14 am

Tap AC Filters

AC filters are available which fit on the end of a tap, or which are simple to plumb in to the sink top tap inlet pipe. They provide water on tap, at normal flow-rates. They are cheap, more convenient often than jug filters, and avoid any of the need to be careful about bacterial hygiene that jug filters involve. They are portable and can be taken with you if you go out or away. They cost between £11 and £90. Filters needs replacing every one to four months and cost between £8 and £19. They can be cheaper to run than jug filters. The quality of water is comparable to jug filters, and less pure generally than plumbed-in undersink AC or KDF filters.

Jug Filters

Jug filters cost between £10 and £20. A plastic container holding an activated carbon filter cartridge sits on a glass or plastic jug. You pour water through the tap container and it collects in the jug below.

Jug filters reduce the level of chemicals and metals in tapwater. They do not remove them completely, but people using them say that they do make a real difference.

You need to change the filter cartridge frequently – every 60-110 litres (13-24 gallons), or every month or so. If you live in a hard-water area, it will last less long than if you live in a soft-water area. Some jugs have a change-filter indicator to remind you when to change. The replacement cartridges cost between £2.50 and £3.50 (at 1992 prices). This can mean an annual running cost of £30-40, which is much cheaper than buying bottled water.

You need to take care not to allow bacteria to grow in the jug. Jugs and reservoirs are best cleaned weekly; filtered water should be kept in a fridge (best decanted into a bottle to save space). If water has stood in a jug for some time, it should not be used or it should be boiled before use.

The advantages of jug filters are their low initial cost and their flexibility – you can take them with you to work or if you visit or travel. You can buy filter systems with glass jugs if you are sensitive to plastic, and some filters will reduce nitrates significantly, although, again, not completely.

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