Frequently Asked Questions
- Purified water. It is water that is free of any impurities. It can be either RO water or distilled water.
- RO water. It is water that has undergone the purification process of reverse osmosis. Water passes through various stages of filtration to remove each type of impurity. After passing through a reverse osmosis membrane, the water becomes free of impurities.
- Distilled water. It is water that has undergone the purification process of distillation. Distillation is a process where water is boiled and evaporated in a clean container, and then the steam is condensed in another clean container. The impurities in the water are left in the first container.
- Filtered water. It is water that has passed through a series of filters but did not passed through an RO membrane. It is usually free of solid particles up to the size of the filter mesh opening, and is free of chlorine and organic compounds. It still contains hard minerals.
- Tap water. It is water you get from the faucet. It can come from a municipal treatment plant or from a deep well. It still contains various impurities and may also contain bacteria.
- Spring water. It is water from an underground source, which may or may not have been treated.
- Mineral water. It is water that contains various minerals. It may have been treated using filtration processes or may have come from springs.
- Deionized water. It is “ultra pure” water that is free of ions. It has no impurities and ions. It is mainly used in electronics, chemicals and pharmaceuticals manufacturing.
It is recommended that water be treated to be used for drinking. Other applications require various levels of water treatment.
Common impurities include:
- Solid particles. These are suspended in the water. Kinds of suspended particles include: sand, rust, dirt, and sediments. Multimedia filters and sediment filters can easily remove solid particles from the water by trapping the suspended solids on the surface on the media or filter, and letting the water flow through. Microscopic particles, however, are too small to be removed by these filters.
- Organic compounds. Carbon-containing compounds such as pesticide, paint, dyes, and cleaners may be present in the water. Improper disposal of these compounds can lead them to seep into the ground, eventually making their way to water supplies. Granulated activated carbon and carbon block filters remove organic compounds through adsorption. The organic compounds that pass through carbon filters get trapped inside the pores of the carbon, while the water flows through.
- Hard minerals. Minerals such as calcium and magnesium are considered hard minerals. These are generally not harmful but can cause problems when they pass through coffee machines, heaters, boilers, among others. The minerals will precipitate and form limescale deposits in the machine, hence damaging the components. To prevent scaling, softening filters or polyphosphate filters are used. Softening filters use ion exchange resins to capture the hard minerals in the water and replace them with softer minerals such as sodium. Polyphosphate filters, on the other hand, bind with the hard minerals to prevent the minerals from precipitating and forming limescale. Either softening resin filters or polyphosphate filters can be used, depending on the type of application.
- Chlorine. Municipal water utilities put chlorine in the water to kill bacteria and disinfect water supplies. Granulated activated carbon and carbon block filters dechlorinate the water through a chemical process. The carbon acts as a reducing agent, turning chlorine into chloride ions.
- Bacteria. They are present in your water whether or not it has been treated by a municipal water utility. Bacteria in the water can come from untreated water sources themselves or from the pipes the water passes through before it reaches the faucet. Bacteria growth can be stopped by using silver-sintered carbon filters or specially made antibacterial sediment filters. Bacteria can be killed by using a UV lamp or light.
Uncommon impurities in water such as iron and arsenic can each be removed through a combination of pre-treatment options. It is recommended to take a water test to see what impurities are found in your water supply, so we can recommend the best system for you.
There are three main things to consider when choosing a water treatment system.
- The quality of the water supply must be determined. A comprehensive water analysis must be done to identify what impurities are present in the water.
- The quality of water output must be determined. The desired output quality and whether water is purified determine which components go into the system.
- The desired quantity of water output is also necessary to determine the size of the system. We can help you identify these factors and design a system that is best suited for your needs.
Common types of filters:
- Sediment filter. It removes suspended solid particles such as sand, rust, sediments, and dirt from the water. It does this by trapping the particles on the filter surface. On average, it is changed once every three to four months. The frequency varies depending on the quality of the water source and the constancy of usage.
- Granulated activated carbon filter. It removes organic compounds, chlorine, odor, and taste from the water. The activated carbon adsorbs organic compounds, making them stick to the surface of the carbon granules. The activated carbon also acts as a reducing agent that removes chlorine in the water. On average, the activated carbon filter is changed once every four to six months. The frequency varies depending on the quality of the water source and the constancy of usage.
- Carbon block filter. It removes organic compounds, chlorine, and odor from the water, and further polishes the water’s taste. The carbon block adsorbs organic compounds, making them stick to the surface of the carbon particles. It also acts as a reducing agent that removes chlorine in the water. The carbon block filter uses carbon particles so it has more surface area to adsorb compounds compared to granulated activated carbon. However, it gets clogged easily by large particles of compounds, so usually it is placed after a granulated activated carbon filter. On average, it is changed once every four to six months. The frequency varies depending on the quality of the water source and the constancy of usage.
- Softening resin filter. It removes hard minerals such as calcium and magnesium from the water to prevent scaling in machines. After passing through the filter, the water is then left with soft minerals. On average, the filter is changed every six months. The frequency varies depending on the quality of the water source and the constancy of usage.
- Polyphosphate filter. It functions similarly to a softening resin filter. It prevents scaling in machines, but instead of removing the hard minerals, the polyphosphate binds with them, preventing them from precipitating and forming limescale. It is recommended for applications where there is a need for hard minerals, but scaling has to be inhibited. It is advisable to be placed in coffee machines or used in tea brewing. On average, it is changed once every six months. The frequency varies depending on the quality of the water source and the constancy of usage.
Osmosis is the natural movement of water through a semipermeable membrane to an area of higher solution concentration to reach equilibrium. Reverse osmosis uses pressure to reverse the natural osmotic pressure and separate water from the solute or impurities in it. From a solution of high solute concentration, water gets forced through a semipermeable membrane, producing pure water. There are different kinds of RO membranes for different types of water and pressure levels. We recommend having a water analysis and a water pressure test, so you can choose the best membrane for your application.
If you have other questions, please contact our team. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
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