BROWARD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

 

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The Facts on Home Water Filters

 

What is a home water filter?  A home water filter is a point-of-entry or point-of-use device that is installed on the consumer’s service line or tap to treat water, which already meets the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) drinking water standards.

 

Text Box: Carbon filters will not remove bacteria. They will remove chlorine very effectively. What are their benefits?  The benefits are usually aesthetic in nature and non-health related.  Activated carbon filters are the most commonly used filters for removing rust, sediment, taste, odor and color from tap water.  If given sufficient time for the water to remain in contact with the carbon, activated carbon will remove most organics to varying degrees and some inorganics including chlorine. 

 

How does it work?  Activated carbon works by a principle called adsorption where chemicals are trapped in the large surface area of the carbon.  The chemicals should remain attached to the carbon, if the unit is properly maintained, until the carbon filter is replaced.

 

What are their disadvantages?  A carbon filter will not remove bacteria; therefore, it will not make contaminated water safe. Furthermore, bacteria might grow on the carbon surface.  Some manufacturers add a chemical agent such as silver ions to the carbon for the purpose of inhibiting the growth of bacteria.  Home water filters must be maintained.  The unit’s efficiency depends on replacing the carbon cartridge at an interval dependent on the quality and quantity of water being filtered.  Removals will generally start off high and steadily decrease as the unit is used.

 

Who certifies home water filters?  The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certifies point-of-entry and point-of-use devices designed to reduce specific contaminants from public or private drinking water.  The products identified as certified by NSF comply with standards adopted by NSF, including requirements for materials and structural integrity.  Accreditation of NSF’s certification program is by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).  Information on NSF’s certification listings can be obtained by calling their headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan at (800) 673-6275.  Their web address is:  http://www.nsf.org.

 

For further information, contact the Broward County Health Department at 467-4829.

 

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