Do you know what’s in your tap water? Aside from two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, nearly all water on Earth contains a plethora of other things. Water is known as the universal solvent, which explains how it gets so crowded with other substances, both natural and artificial. Water will slowly eat away at just about anything, meaning that any substance on the planet could be lurking in any given water source.

In this article we will go over some of the most basic, affordable, and effective ways to filter water at home. Even if your tap water is pretty good to begin with, a home filtration system can help to keep out unwanted elements, improving water’s taste, odor, and help to protect you against dangerous contaminants.

Why Water Filtration is Important

In the modern world, nearly three-fourths of all humans on Earth had reliable access to clean, potable water. While that means there is still quite a way to go, it is a remarkable achievement, given that a mere two hundred years ago, effectively no one had such access.

For much of human history, people relied on low alcohol beers and wines for their hydration, as water was too dangerous to drink untreated. Filtration and water treatment methods have, of course, existed for thousands of years, but it is only with modern advent of techniques like chlorination that we have, as a species, been able to treat water on a large scale reliably and continuously.

So, without some form of water filtration, water is simply very dangerous. It can (and usually does, in its natural state) contain a variety of microorganisms, dissolved organic and inorganic substances, minerals, and trace amounts of whatever else it came into contact with.

And while most municipal tap water in the United States is perfectly safe to drink, deadly contaminants still break through from time to time, and even in the best cases, there are generally still objectionable elements in water that can be reduced.

Types of Water Treatment Systems

Water can be treated in a variety of ways, with the two most common types of filtration used being mechanical filtration and chemical filtration. Mechanical filtration operates solely on principles of physical restraint; colanders, screen doors, nets, and sediment filters are all basic examples of mechanical filtration.

Chemical filters operate through chemical attraction; activated carbon, for instance, pulls dissolved chemicals out of solution and adheres them to itself in an action known as adsorption.

These two methods of filtration are usually used in tandem with one another in multi-stage systems. Let’s dive into some of the details on various specific examples.

Activated Carbon Filters

As mentioned above, activated carbon filters work chemically, by attracting dissolved chemicals, as well as some mineral content. Made from burned and steam-heated bamboo, wood, or coconut shells, activated carbon filters are excellent at improving the taste and odor of problematic water. Indeed, they have been used for this purpose for thousands of years, since the time of the ancient Sumerians.

Activated carbon shows up in just about every water filtration system in the world in some form or other, because of its unique chemical properties, and affinity for so many common water contaminants. Activated carbon often isn’t enough on its own, but it should always be a part of your home filtration setup.

Reverse Osmosis Systems

A much more recent, and far more aggressive, form of water filtration is reverse osmosis. First developed in 1748 by Jean-Antoine Nollet, reverse osmosis didn’t come into its own as a commercially viable form of filtration until the 1960s.

Originally developed to remove salt from seawater, RO membranes have incredibly fine pores, as small as 0.0001 microns (for comparison, a human hair is around 70 microns). These tiny orifices allow the membrane to mechanically filter out dissolved contaminants at the molecular level, letting (almost) nothing but pure water through. 

Reverse osmosis systems are usually multi-stage, combining sediment filters, activated carbon, and the reverse osmosis membrane in various configurations. Some systems may feature additional steps such as a UV light filter or a deionization cartridge, but the most common units contain simply the three mentioned elements. This type of system is a great choice for many homeowners, as they offer a broad range of contaminant reduction, and are available relatively inexpensively, in a variety of unique configurations.

There are a few downsides to RO systems, however: first, the membrane is so aggressive that it removes even the good things in water that we want there, such as calcium and magnesium, and second, RO membranes produce a lot of waste water as they work.

To address the first issue, many manufacturers add a remineralizing cartridge after the membrane. There is no getting around the production of waste-water, however, so you will need to drill a hole in your drain pipe to install such a system, or find another way to drain it.

UV Water Purifiers

If you have microbial problems in your water, then a UV filter might be a great place to start. These filters require electricity, making installation trickier, but they are excellent for killing microorganisms.

Note that they won’t do anything for other contaminants, such as sediment, mineral content, or dissolved chemicals, making them a specialized filter for a specific application. If you are on city water, you should not need a UV filter, as your water has been chlorinated.

Distillation Units

Another ancient method for purifying water, and one still used today both for cleaning water, as well as in the making of spirits, is distillation. Boiling water by itself is a good way to kill microorganisms, but it doesn’t help with the removal of heavy metals.

Distillation, by contrast, forces steam into another vessel, leaving behind heavier elements, as well as sterilizing water. This can be a good emergency technique, but it is far less convenient than other options on this list.

Ceramic Filters

Ceramic filters are good in an emergency as well. Made from baked clay, these filters are often used in camping and emergency settings, as they are adept at filtering out microorganisms. It is good to have them on hand in case of a sudden break in your water main that might lead to contaminated water, or for other unexpected situations where your water quality may be put at risk. It wouldn’t be the ideal method for everyday filtration, however.

Water Softeners

By contrast, water softeners are an excellent option for daily home filtration. A water softener uses ion exchange resin beads that attract dissolved minerals–particularly calcium and magnesium–stripping the majority of this mineral content from your water.

The Best water softener is excellent for protecting your water heater, plumbing, fixtures, and appliances from unsightly and damaging limescale deposits  They also make showering more enjoyable, and lead to softer laundry.

How to Choose  the Right Water Filtration Method

The right water filter setup for your home is the one that addresses your water, and your needs. There are no absolutes in water filtration–everything is done on a case-by-case basis, because water quality differs quite a bit from place to place, and across time.

Get your water professionally tested, and then work with a water dealer or plumber in your area to design a system that addresses the issues in your water. Or, if you are capable with a wrench and can do a bit of plumbing yourself, its easy to find a variety of modular parts online, and craft whatever system you would like.

Maintenance and Care Tips for Water Filters

Filters work best when they are used regularly (rather than sporadically, with long periods of dormancy) and when the filters are changed promptly. Watch for any pressure drop from your tap–that is a likely indication that one or more of your filters is ready to be changed out. These two tips are enough to keep you out of 99% of common filtration problems.

The Bottom Line 

Water filtration solutions are more available to today’s homeowners than ever before. Even renters have a variety of options that don’t require plumbing, such as countertop RO systems. With a huge variety of options, and a high degree of customizability, you can be as simple or as complex as you want to be when designing your own home filtration system.