Well water filters are an important aspect of health in areas that rely on well water. Water filtering can be handled at different points, from the water source to the point-of-use. Since many water supplies are polluted these days, filtering the water before it's used is critical. An argument can be made for filtering the water before it enters the water system to keep the water system as clean as possible. The amount of water pollution determines how filtering and cleaning needs to be done with the water. Water conservation helps reduce the amount of water that needs to be filter, prolonging the life of the filter as well as extending the water supply.
Many rural homes draw their water from shallow or deep wells. In days gone by, well water was as pure as mountain spring water. Unfortunately, today there is hardly an aquifer in the U. S. that is free of manmade contaminants, both chemical and biological. Filtering well water is essential to good health.
Well water is also rich in minerals. Many people believe that the minerals in well water are beneficial. But the body gets most of the minerals it needs from food. A person would have to drink 50 gallons of "mineral spring" water to obtain the same quantity of nutritious minerals found in a single banana. Minerals make water "hard", reducing the cleansing effectiveness of detergents and soap, and causing buildup of mineral deposits in pipes and on surfaces of toilets, showers, and sinks. Softening water by removing minerals is another job for well water filters.
Reverse osmosis well water filters remove contaminant particles as small as a single atom by forcing water through a membrane perforated with microscopic holes. Reverse osmosis produces the purest water possible, but it is an expensive process in terms of energy consumption and wasted water. Four gallons of input water yield one gallon of purified water. Reverse osmosis well water filters should not be installed for whole-house use, but only at points of consumption such as drinking taps and kitchen sink taps where water is drawn for cooking. Ice cube makers using water purified by reverse osmosis produce crystal-clear cubes.
Twin-tank water softeners provide two-stage filtration that prolongs the life of the water-softening resin. The first tank removes oxidizing agents, chlorine and chloramines, which otherwise convert resin to an inert form in as little as two years. This pre-treatment tank typically used calcium carbonate, which combines with chlorine to precipitate a solid material that can be filtered out of well water. The second tank contains the resin which softens water by removing minerals. Twin-tank water softeners are recommended for well water when testing reveals the presence of these oxidizers. Single-tank water softeners lack the pre-treatment phase.
The controls that drive well water filters vary greatly in design and quality. Modern control systems are solid-state electronics, eliminating gears and other moving parts that can jam and wear out. Broken controls can lead to flooding, consumption of untreated water, or wasted salt and resin. Inlet ports can vary from one-half to one inch. A smaller port clogs more easily, and expensive filter parts can be damaged by running with too little or no water.
Modern well water filters contain self-powered computers that monitor water usage patterns. They can adjust water treatment cycles to produce exactly the amount of treated well water that is needed, when it is needed. The on-demand feature saves electricity, salt, resin, and input water.
Well water filters produce safer, better-tasting water. Filtered well water saves money on detergents, soaps, and household cleaners. With properly filtered well water, use of harsh acidic chemicals to remove mineral deposits is reduced greatly. Cooking with filtered well water yields more flavorful, healthful food. Well water filters do not cost money, they save money.
