What kind of water filter to get........

[deberaw]

Now that the news is reporting prescription drugs in our water system that even home filtration systems can't get out! ? ! Yikes!

We just have a filter in our fridge water tap thing....but a light is supposed to change color to indicate it needs changing....hasn't changed color in a few years:eek: I know I need to just change it...but I'm thinking we need something better...anyone have any ideas?! Thank YOu!

[pamparred]

My suggestion would to first get your water tested. Then you will know what is in your water and can then find the best possible filter for your particular needs.

My water comes from a deep well, 1200 feet. But is does have a minerally taste so I plan on having it tested just to find out what is in there and then get a filter according to my needs.

[deberaw]

Good idea...now how do I get it tested?! Thank you!

[pamparred]

That I am not sure of, but I think I have seen self test kits where they sell water filters. Check with your water supplier, like the city or whoever and ask them. They may know where you can take water samples to be tested. Look in the phone book, there might be listings for water testing.

[Clare]

Costco sells a great 5-stage reverse osmosis filter which was under $200 as I recall, and you replace the filters every six months (forget cost, hubbie does it all). It wasn't too hard for husband to install and the water tastes great, it even has a final chamber that adds some minerals back for taste. I am almost sure it removes all the drugs, since it eliminates chlorine and most of the fluoride, and those are tiny ions. Drugs are big organic molecules...my aunt has a counter-top distiller which is a pain because she has to constantly empty buckets of waste-water outside, but she prefers to know that she is getting nothing else but H2O

[FloridaPatty]

only test for a few things. To get a very big test on everything, or whatever you want, do a Google search. The more you get tested, the higher the price.

Do remove all doubt, get a water distiller. Just distill your own water. No questions as to what's in it.

[Tirza]

I've just been freaking out about this too! I did a little research and it is said that the two best ways we can treat our water is by reverse osmosis and distilling. They said that reverse osmosis isn't practial on a large scale because for every gallon of pure water, several gallons of polluted water are produced (or remain?). Distilling does remove minerals that we need. But I have always questioned - how much is in there are and is it actually absorbed? Making sure we make up for them in the food we eat is the solution to that. Raw vegans should have no problem there. I always wondered why people are so worried about a few minerals in water when you can get them in the natural form in foods. It's almost as if they think that water is the only reliable or desirable vehicle. How?
As for testing, I think that testing for hardness, iron, PH or a few other things might be in our realm of possibility, but testing for those drugs, etc. would be impossible on an individual basis. It would have to be done professionally and would co$t! The studies said that they had only tested for certain drugs anyway in select places. Testing for everything and anything would be prohibitively expen$ive!
I am thinking that to make sure I know what I am drinking, I am going to have to take responsibility for myself. I have a distiller, but I haven't been using it regularly enough lately. I have been falling back on a Brita pitcher which is not at all the same thing! So guess what I did as soon as I read that news release and the subject was brought back to the forefront of my consciousness? I started up my distiller!
An article I read said that distillers have to be maintained and that bacteria can re-colonize on the cooling coils. They also said that most distilled water to be used scientifically or medically is double-distilled. I thought - well okay, that's all possible. In fact, I even saw instructions how to distill water a few ways without having to buy a special appliance!

[Blazin'Jane]

We invested in the Culligan installed reverse osmosis system and love it! It's great for cleaning, etc., and then they give you a little puriified water to dring gadget for the kitchen sink.