Why You Should Be Drinking Clean Water: Water Purifiers & DIY Filtration Methods
We all know that water is essential for your body to survive. It is also needed to support cities and ecosystems in their day-to-day functions. Although tap water is typically “safe to drink,” it often contains hidden impurities like heavy metals, bacteria, and chemicals that may harm your health over time.
That’s why taking water filtration and purification into your own hands is important. Water purifiers and DIY filtration methods can help you achieve clean and purified drinking water at home.
Why is Clean Water Necessary?
Approximately 2 billion people around the world drink polluted, contaminated water.
Drinking water that contains hazardous microorganisms can spread diarrhoea and diseases such as cholera.
According to the World Health Organisation:
- Every year, drinking polluted water causes 485,000 diarrhoea-related deaths.
- 368 million people use unsafe sources of water.
Even in developed areas, drinking water that reaches your tap is often already contaminated. This occurs because pollutants and waste products such as toxic waste, debris, and traces of heavy metals from old infrastructure can be absorbed by the water during its journey. Ironically, the chemicals used in water treatment plants to reduce contamination can themselves create issues.
According to Healthline, contaminants typically present in municipal drinking water carry the following risks:
- Heavy metals such as lead and high amounts of copper are highly toxic to human health. They can cause stomach distress and may lead to brain damage with prolonged ingestion.
- Chlorinated water, often used to treat our tap water, can contribute to an increased risk of certain cancers, including colorectal cancer.
- Fluoride, also used to treat our tap water, helps prevent tooth decay. However, high levels of it can be harmful to brain and nerve cells. Long-term exposure to elevated fluoride has been associated with deficits in learning, memory, and cognitive function.
As a result, you can see that tap water is often far from pure and clean. That is why you need to set up water purification for an improved drinking water source.
Filtered vs Purified Water, What’s The Difference?
There are several ways to treat water, including filtered and purified water, each making use of different methods for treatment.
Filtered Water
Filtered water has passed through a filtration system to remove impurities such as sediment, chlorine, and some bacteria.
- Depending on the specific filter used, the filtration process can involve various materials (like activated carbon, ceramic, or reverse osmosis).
Filtered water can retain some of beneficial minerals while reducing contaminants.
Purified Water
Purified water undergoes a more extensive treatment process to remove all contaminants, including minerals, chemicals, and microorganisms.
- Purification methods include reverse osmosis, distillation, and deionisation.
- Ability to re-introduce important minerals after the water has been cleaned – this is dependent on the purification system.
Purified water is very close to H2O, lacking almost all impurities as well as minerals, making it quite different from its original source.
While both filtered and purified water are treated to improve the quality of the water, purified water is processed more extensively, resulting in a higher level of purity.
Benefits of Drinking Clean, Purified Water:
Drinking purified water may offer the following benefits due to its reduced contaminents:
1. Improved hydration
Purified water’s improved taste, texture and quality make it more appealing, encouraging increased consumption and better overall hydration.
2. Better digestion
Drinking purified water aids in flushing out toxins and waste from your body, improving digestion. It ensures that digestive enzymes and stomach acids function effectively.
3. Stronger immune system
Drinking clean and pure water is essential for promoting a strong immune system. When the body is well-hydrated, immune cells can function optimally, effectively transporting nutrients and removing waste. The body also doesn’t have to fight off all the contaminants typically found in tap water.
4. Reduced Risk of Kidney Stones
The consumption of hard water can elevate the risk of kidney stone formation. This is because hard water is rich in minerals, which can contribute to the development of kidney stones. Purified water assists in eliminating minerals that have the potential to create kidney stones.
5. Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases and Cancer
Purified water can reduce chronic diseases, cancer and related risks by eliminating contaminants and toxins that may be present in tap water, especially with all the chemicals added in the treatment process, thereby reducing exposure to harmful substances linked to chronic illnesses.
6. Weight Loss
Clean water can aid weight loss. Consuming water that is purified can assist in weight loss by promoting feelings of fullness when consumed before meals. It aids efficient calorie and fat metabolism, and may increase metabolic rate when consumed cold.
Additionally, proper hydration with purified water facilitates digestion and toxin removal and boosts energy levels, which is critical for endurance, muscle function, and temperature regulation.
Back To Basics: Filtering Water at Home
Even if you invest in a water purifier, understanding the concept of water filtration and purification at home and doing it yourself (DIY) further ensures you can always access clean drinking water wherever you go.
In addition, sharing information on these DIY methods also acts as a resource for universal and equitable access to affordable drinking water that can be used in rural and urban areas to treat unsafe water.
DIY Water Filtration Methods
Boiling Water
Heating water to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute (3 minutes at high altitudes) kills bacteria, viruses, and parasites, making it safe to drink.
- Excellent for eliminating pathogens but doesn’t remove heavy metals, chemicals, or physical debris.
Activated Charcoal
This method involves passing water through activated charcoal, which can absorb impurities, remove any weird smells, and improve the taste.
- Reduces fluoride, pesticides, and some heavy metals but is less effective at removing germs.
Disinfectant Tablets or Drops
Using tablets or drops (e.g., chlorine dioxide or iodine) to purify water is convenient for travelling or emergencies. To achieve the best results with this method, we suggest reading the package instructions.
- Good for removing bacteria and viruses but less effective for heavy metals and physical debris.
UV Treatment
UV light can disinfect water by damaging the DNA of harmful microorganisms. Portable UV devices are effective and easy to use.
- Excellent for removing pathogens but doesn’t address chemical contaminants or heavy metals.
DIY Sediment Filters
Create a filter using gravel, sand, and activated charcoal in layers. Pour water through to remove debris and some impurities.
- Good for improving clarity and removing physical debris but requires pairing with other methods for comprehensive filtration.
Some Extra Tips
As you saw above, each method lacked something, none offered complete filtration. We suggest using multiple methods to filter your water. For example, a sediment filter followed by boiling or UV treatment ensures both debris and microorganisms are addressed, etc.
Most importantly, you don’t want to undo all your hard work by not cleaning/ replacing components like activated charcoal, UV lights, etc., regularly to prevent bacterial growth in your DIY filter or any filter for that matter.
A Closer Look At Water Purifiers
Water purifiers are engineered to improve the quality of the water we consume, addressing the impurities that often go unnoticed.
- Filtration Power removes harmful substances like heavy metals, pathogens, and pesticides, ensuring that the water is pure.
- Some purifiers reintroduce essential minerals, improving water’s purity and taste without compromising the minerals’ health benefits.
- Purifiers help reduce reliance on single-use plastic bottles by providing a clean water solution that is healthy for you and the planet.
The Organic Choice
At Organic Choice, we stock two incredible water purifiers:
The Stéfani Ceramic and Eva Bio-Energy Water Purifiers cater to different needs but share a common goal: providing pure, clean water.
The Stéfani Ceramic Water Purifier
Constructed from natural materials, Stéfani Traditional water purifiers provide a chemical-free filtration process. Independent laboratory tests confirm their effectiveness in removing contaminants such as bacteria, metals, chemicals, pesticides, and chlorine.
How does it work?
Water passes through a porcelain candle filled with granular activated charcoal (GAC), made from coconut shells. This process removes harmful contaminants, leaving water fresh and clean while retaining its natural taste.
- Easy to use: The purifier is straightforward with a simple gravity-feed system that conveniently provides clean water.
- Affordable: Its natural filtration method ensures consistently clean water, making it ideal for households on a budget.
Shop the 4-litre or 6-litre Stéfani Traditional
The EVA Bio-Energy Water Purifier
EVA uses an 11-stage filtration process to remove harmful elements from tap water, such as bacteria, nitrates, chlorine, heavy metals, and chemicals. In addition, the purifier includes EVA rocks to infuse the water with essential trace minerals and help stabilise its pH level, reintroducing minerals to the purified water.
How does it work?
The advanced 11-stage process removes contaminants such as heavy metals, pathogens, and harmful chemicals while adding backtrace minerals to enrich the water.
Read more on EVA’s 11-step process.
- The purifier produces “live” water that resembles natural spring water. It is ideal for hydration, cooking, and even making baby formula.
- It reintroduces minerals, resulting in clean, mineral-enriched water from the Eva Bio-Energy Purifier, which supports digestion, hydration, and overall wellness.
Shop the 12-litre or 25-litre EVA
Making an Informed Decision
Ultimately, deciding whether to filter water depends on individual circumstances, including local water quality and personal preferences. The first step is to understand what’s in your tap water through professional testing.
So, why should you drink purified water?
With cost-effective DIY filtration methods and purifiers like the Stéfani Ceramic Water Purifier and EVA Bio-Energy Water Purifier, there’s no excuse not to take advantage of these options; it’s easy and can benefit your health. Drinking clean, purified water is essential, especially in areas where tap water quality is compromised – which we’ve seen can even be in the water treatment process before it reaches our taps. These options are accessible and cater to different needs while remaining committed to delivering clean, safe, and enjoyable drinking water.
Take charge of your water quality today with Organic Choice, and experience the difference clean water can make.
