Finding a suitable water purifier is confusing and challenging because it is an essential part of your home. We all want the water we drink to be clean and purified, so our family lives a healthy life. We all know that 70% of our body depends on water. If we do not drink clean and enough water, we directly invite unnecessary disease. Many parts of India are experiencing water scarcity, forcing residents to rely on groundwater and tank water. A water source may contain contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, cysts, and high TDS levels (total dissolved solids). The increasing use of water purifiers as drinking water purifiers is unsurprising.
If you want to buy a new and the best water purifier but are confused about buying it, this ultimate guide for choosing the right one will help you out. We will discuss the main factors you should consider when purchasing a water purifier.
What Is The Water Purifier?
Arsenic, biological pollutants, suspended particles, and gasses are removed from the water. Most water is cleaned and disinfected for human consumption, but you can also use it for medicinal, pharmaceutical, chemical, and industrial purposes. The physical methods are filtration, sedimentation, and distillation; the biological processes are slow sand filters or biologically active Carbon; the chemical methods are flocculation and chlorination.
Different Types Of Impurities Found Commonly In Drinking Water
The water source determines the quality of water and the degree of impurities such as toxic pollutants, chemicals, and biological contaminants such as bacteria and viruses. Below you can read the most common types of impurities in water available in your home:
Types of pollutants | Most common water source | Effect on drinking water |
Biological impurities such as bacteria and viruses | Pipes water, in that case, water supply with damaged pipes and rust tankers. | Biological contamination, waterborne disease. |
Organic compounds. | Lakes and ponds. | Bad smell and odour. |
Un-dissolves solid such as mud and sand. | Borewell piped water, the river where pipes have been damaged. | Turbid and muddy appearance. |
Dissolved inorganic compounds like magnesium and calcium. | River and borewell water. | Scale and hardness formation. |
Dissolved inorganic salts like potassium and sodium. | Seawater and borewell | Brackish and salty water taste. |
Disinfections like chlorine | Ponds and lakes. | Bitter taste. |
Water from lakes, rivers, and captured rainwater typically has lower TDS than from bore wells. TDS levels in borewells or groundwater generally are high, and dangerous chemical impurities such as lead, arsenic, and other contaminants are common.
Biological contamination is more likely in piped water or water held in tanks.
Identify The Water Type – Soft Or Hard Water
Soft water is water with dissolved solids, while hard water does not. TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) is a measure of hardness that is measured in parts per million (PPM) or milligrams per liter (mg/L). Generally, soft water ranges from 150-300 PPM, and hard or contaminated water ranges from 500 PPM.
Water Purifier Types And Mapping Them To Your Water Type
We have reviewed four different water purifiers available on the market. We will describe each one in detail. Read on to find out more:
Reverse Osmosis RO purifier:
Water flows naturally from a low solute concentration (low TDS level) to a high solute concentration (high TDS level) in the typical osmosis process (high TDS level). The membrane holes are tiny (approximately 0.0001 microns), allowing water molecules to flow while trapping dissolved contaminants and germs.
Ultrafiltration:
A semipermeable membrane is also used in ultrafiltration to cleanse water. After reading the first phrase, you may wonder about the difference between RO and UF since they both clean water using the same process. UF employs a membrane with significantly wider holes (about 0.01 microns) than RO, which uses a membrane with microscopic pores (appx. 0.0001 microns).
Ultraviolet purification:
As the name implies, ultraviolet or UV purification employs ultraviolet light to purify water. A UV purifier destroys or inactivates disease-causing bacteria and viruses by exposing the water to high-intensity UV radiation.
UV cleaners, on the other hand, UV purifiers are unable to remove any dissolved or undissolved pollutants or compounds from water. As a result, most UV purifiers on the market employ external sediment pre-filters to remove undissolved contaminants and an activated carbon filter to remove chlorine and certain dissolved impurities.
Tap mounted filters and Gravity based purifiers:
These filters or purifiers are the most basic operation and water purification. These filters usually consist of sediment or sediment + activated carbon filters that may remove major, undissolved pollutants such as mud, sand, and certain chemicals and microorganisms. Tap/Faucet Filters are highly tiny and may be installed directly on taps.
Tap/faucet filters have evolved into gravity-based storage purifiers. These purifiers include a storage tank that holds input/impure water and gives significantly more sophisticated filtration. The majority of gravity-based water purifiers on the market in India currently have two separate storage tanks for input/impure and output/purified water.
Main Components Of RO Water Purifier
Here are the main components you have to look at before the RO water purifier:
Sediment pre-filter:
The pre-sediment filter elements fines and coarse particle impurities while also exceeding the life of the RO UF membrane, resulting in cheaper maintenance costs. If the cleaner does not come with this feature as standard, you have to purchase it separately.
RO/UF membranes:
Both RO and UF membranes work to remove pesticides and dissolved salts. But like RO, UF is not able to remove the dissolved solids. Many purifiers use both membranes, and the output water from both membranes is mixed to control TDS levels.
Activated carbon pre-filter:
Chlorine and organic pollutants such as hazardous pests. icides are removed from water using ab activated carbon pre-filter. The activated carbon pre-filter also removes unwanted odours and the bad taste from water.
TDS controller:
The TDS controller regulates the TDS level of the output water. The RO process removes not just contaminants but also vital minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Water from RO membrane (low TDS) and UF membrane (average TDS) are mixed to maintain acceptable amounts of minerals.
UV filter:
A high-intensity UV bulb kills or inactivates any virus, bacteria, and parasites to provide safe drinking water in a UV filter.
Carbon post-filter:
Post-filters made of Carbon enhance the taste of purified water by polishing them. They can also remove odours.
Storage tank:
The cleansed water is stored here. The purified water is stored in this container for subsequent use. The purified water is stored here. Verify the capacity.
Display:
Most RO water purifiers have a rudimentary show for cleaners on and off, a full tank, and additional functions: fault warning, membrane change, UV fail, TDS level indication, and purity indicator.
Gravity-Based Water Purifiers – Where Do They Fit In?
As we all know, the water purifier has a pocket-friendly price and can be bought by anyone. The water purifier is effective and excites you a lot, especially when you buy it for the first time. In the event of the following scenarios:
- If you do not have the necessary infrastructure for RO and UV water purifiers, such as adequate water pressure, running water, and a power socket.
- If you regularly move from house to house and do not have time, a specialist installs a water purifier.
- The most significant is that your spending limit is less than 5,000.
Suppose you are in the above circumstances and have hard water at home. In that case, it is preferable to purchase soft water from outside and verify it with a gravity-based water purifier such as UF or activated Carbon.
Installation Feasibility of Water Purifiers
Most RO water purifier systems require routine maintenance and a one-time professional installation. Before purchasing a RO water purifier, you should always inquire about the installation technique, pricing, and service center. To install the water purifier in your kitchen, you must ensure that the selected area has a good water supply connection, electric socket, and sink to prevent water wastage.
Reducing and Reusing RO Waste Water
Do not use your RO purifier if the TDS level is less than 500 mg/l. The water does not include dangerous heavy metals like lead, arsenic, or mercury. Instead of using RO, the UV+UF water purifier is the best choice. If an RO water purifier is not required, use water by not utilizing it.
- If the TDS in your water purifier is lower than 150, then your cleaner will produce more wastewater. A low TDS is not only the reason for water wastage but also harmful to your health because it lacks critical minerals—the level makes the water tastier and healthier.
- The RO wastewater can be stored and reused.
Final Thoughts
The key determinant in selecting the type of water purifier you need is the source of the water and the kind of impurities present in the water provided to your home or office. You can buy a new water purifier for your home or office using the tips given in this water purifier buying guide.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I choose the right water purifier?
To select the right water purifier for your home and office, you have to look at the specification, such as TDS level, water wastage, components, warranty, installations, energy consumption, and vice versa. All of these specifications are mentioned on Vivek's e-commerce website. You can easily buy water purifiers from there.
What are the qualities of a good water purifier?
Knowing the rates of good filters is crucial because it will help you care for water quality in your home and office. Here are a few things you should be aware of:
- Remove all contaminants.
- High rate of filtration.
- Easy maintenance.
Which is better, UV or UF?
Hence, both water purifiers are the best in performance. UV retains most beneficial minerals in the water, whereas UF is more economical as it can work without electricity. But for better results, you must see significant factors such as water quality, pressure, hardness, and TDS level.
What are UV and UF in a water purifier?
Having a purifier that combines UV (ultraviolet) with UF (ultrafiltration) is critical for every office and household in India. By killing harmful bacteria and viruses, UV technology yields pure water by removing their body. UF eliminates the body of bacteria and viruses.
