The pros and cons of 7 most common water filtrations systems


If you are reading this article then I can safely assume that you’ve done your research and know all about the many advantages of filtered water compared to municipal water. Generally speaking, there are two alternatives to unfiltered tap water - bottled waters and filtered water. 
The first option is expensive and does great harm to the environment (consumption of plastic). 
For the second one, you have a temporary solution and a permanent one. You can always purchase a pitcher with a filter but that gives you a limited amount of clean and safe water. If you want to provide yourself and your family with clean filtered water 24/7 and 365 days a year then a water filtration system is your best option. But which one? That’s probably the question that brought you here. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at the 7most common types of water filtration systems and discuss their pros and cons. 

#1 Activated Carbon Block (ACB) Filtration

The Activated Carbon Block filtration is essentially carbon powder combined with a binding agent. Such filtration systems are great at removing the taste and color of Chlorine from the water. It also cleans the chemicals and contaminants found in the water.
The pros of ACB filtration:
  • Low cost and high quality
  • Longevity 
  • Minimal pH level change
  • Effectively removes Chlorine taste and smell, and filters other contaminants 
  • Can be used for different kinds of sinks  
  • No power supply needed
  • Eco friendly 
The cons of ACB filtration:
  • Unable to kill viruses
  • Unable to remove excess minerals and dissolved solids
  • Doesn’t have a high water flow rate
  • Needs a separate sediment filter to work longer and more efficiently

#2 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Filtration

The Granular Activated Carbon is composed of loose carbon granules that are bigger than the carbon block powder. Unlike the ACB filtration system, it has a high water flow rate but it’s weaker in terms of removing contaminants due to the size of its element.
The pros of GAC filtration:
  • Cheap
  • High water flow rate 
  • Gets rid of chlorine taste and color 
  • Longevity 
  • Keeps essential minerals 
  • Can be combined with other filtration systems
  • No power supply needed
  • Eco friendly  
The cons of GAC filtration:
  • Not so effective with small size contaminants
  • May lead to bacterial growth
  • Unable to kill viruses
  • Unable to remove excess minerals and dissolved solids

#3 Distillation

This is one of the oldest water filtration methods. The distillation filtration systems use electrical power to boil the water until it reaches evaporation. Afterward, the steam is captured and turned into clean water. Given its technology, distillation takes time. 
The pros of distillation:
  • Effective filtration and purification of water 
  • Removes almost all the contaminants found in water including dissolved solids, excess minerals, and bacterial
  • Doesn’t need filter cartridge replacement 
The cons of distillation:
  • Filtration takes time and produces a low output
  • Requires maintenance
  • Power supply needed 
  • Expensive 
  • Might remove essential minerals in the water

#4 Ultraviolet (UV) Disinfection

This system uses UV light to kill viruses and bacteria found in water. This filtration system can destroy up to 99.99% of micro contaminants in water ensuring that the water you drink is clean and safe. Please keep in mind that UV disinfection is (as the name suggests) a disinfection system. If you opt for a UV lamp, you will also need an additional filtration system for chemicals and bigger contaminants. 
The pros of UV disinfection:
  • Kills 99.99% of dangerous microorganisms in water
  • The fast and efficient disinfection process
  • Easy maintenance
  • Low energy consumption and operating costs
  • Eco-friendly
 The cons of UV disinfection:
  • Requires electricity supply to work
  • Doesn’t remove the chemicals and larger contaminants
  • Needs to be used with another filtration system
  • Expensive 

#5 Sediment Filtration

One of the simplest water filtrations systems is the sediment one. It comes in 5 microns pores size and when the water flows through it with its contaminants, everything that’s bigger than 5 microns won’t pass through the filter. 
The pros of sediment filtration:
  • Cheap
  • Effectively removes the sediments and large particles in water
  • Easy to replace
  • A variety of microns rating available
The cons of sediment filtration:
  • Won’t remove any chemicals and contaminants that are smaller than 1 micron
  • For maximum safety, it needs to be used with other filtration systems 

#6 Ionization

Ionization is a bit of a complex filtration system with several levels of purification. The water first passes through an internal filter, where some contaminants and chemicals are removed. After that, the water goes through a low-voltage plate that has a positive and negative electrode, which enables a process called water electrolysis. The two electrodes attract heavy metals, minerals, and other impurities in water based on their electrical charges.
The pros of ionization:
  • The water will have an antioxidant-rich alkaline ionized water taste
  • The pH level can be adjusted 
 The cons of ionization:
  • Needs a power supply to work
  • Relatively weak water filtration capability
  • Unable to remove certain total dissolved solids (TDS), pharmaceuticals, and organic contaminants in water
  • High costs
  • The advantages of alkaline ionized water are not scientifically proven

#7 Ultrafiltration (UF)

This system uses a hollow fiber semipermeable UF membrane with 0.01 microns pores size and when the water passes through it all the contaminants that are bigger than 0.01 microns can’t pass and accumulate on the surface, letting the clean drinkable water pass and reach you. 
The pros of ultrafiltration:
  • Trustworthy and strong filtration capability down to 0.01 microns
  • Able to remove the majority of contaminants in water including and not limited to parasites, viruses, bacteria
  • Keeps the essential minerals found in the water
  • Effectively removes harmful chemicals in the water
  • Fast water flow rate
  • Eco-friendly
  • Easy to install and replace
  • Able to perform its functions under low water pressure
  • Longevity 
 The cons of ultrafiltration:

  • Unable to remove the taste and smell of Chlorine 
  • Unable to remove dissolved solids like salts, fluoride, and organics contaminants like cysts and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

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