Pros:

• Price – Faucet Filters are relatively inexpensive compared to Whole Home Filtration systems. Most will cost you only 30 – 100 dollars;
• Installation – Faucet Filters are very easy to install so you can install them yourself;
• Effective – Remove chemicals such as lead and chlorine and most microorganisms.

Cons:

• Upkeep – Faucet Filters, unlike Whole Home Filters, require a change of filters every 3-6 months. The filters sometimes can be a pain to replace.
• Inconvenient – Only filter water from a chosen faucet. Cost a lot to put everywhere. Do not filter shower or bathtub water.
• Durability – Break easily and are prone to leaks and clogs.

Whole-Home Filters

Pros:

• Convenient – you don’t have to install separate filters for the shower, kitchen, bathroom, etc.
• Upkeep –Require minimum upkeep and only require a change of filters/UV lamps only about every 3-5 years.
• Effectiveness – Remove chemicals such as chlorine or lead and soften the taste of water in addition to removing viruses, bacteria, and protozoa.

Cons:

• Expensive – Often cost hundreds of dollars.
• Installation- Require a professional to install, upping the cost. Sometimes, to install one, you will need to replace or add pipes.
• Many different systems on the market – Hard to find the one that will suit your tastes, requirements, and/or home

Now, let's look at the pros and cons of various whole-home and faucet filters: for whole home filters; UV and Reverse Osmosis systems, and for faucet filters; faucet-mounted and under-counter filters.

Whole Home UV Water Filtration Systems

Pros:

• Is 99.99 percent effective at removing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa - in fact the most effective out of all whole home water filtration systems.
• More Expensive then Reverse Osmosis Filters
• Relatively easy to install

Cons:

• Does not remove chemicals like fluorite, bleach, or lead and does not remove minerals like iron.
• Does not soften the taste of water
• You need to replace the UV lamps every 12 months

You probably need a UV water filtration system if you are not that concerned about not having the soft taste of water or fluorite in it. It can also be used in conjunction with reverse osmosis or dirt/grime filters so you might want a UV filter if you are planning to install it in conjunction with another. Prices range from 250-500 dollars for the low end models and 500-1500 dollars for the higher end models.


Whole Home Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration Systems

Pros:

• Removes Dirt, Sand, Certain Allergens, Salt, Protozoa, Bacteria, Viruses, Lead, Chlorine, Fluoride and other chemicals.
• Desalinate and soften the taste of water - especially useful if you have your own ground water supply
• Competitively Priced for Whole Home Water Filtration Systems - the cost ranges from 150 - 300 dollars for low end models.

Cons:

• Filters water very slowly
• Wastes a lot of water during the filtration process
• Remove needed minerals such as Calcium and Iron that are naturally found in water

You will probably want a Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System if you have your own ground water supply to remove sediment and dirt, if you want fluoride, chlorine, and bleach removed from municipal water, or if you are on a budget but still want a whole home filtration system. Prices range from 150-300 dollars for the low end models and 250-1000 dollars for the higher end models, however remember that unless you have plumbing experience you will most likely need to hire a professional to install the filter.

Reverse Osmosis Water Filters sound and look like complex machines, but they are really not. A reverse osmosis system filters (and desalinates) water by using pressure to pass it through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane allows only the pure water to pass through, blocking and throwing out the chemicals and contaminants. A reverse osmosis filter removes particles all the way down to the .001 micron level. Apart from removing bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, reverse osmosis filters remove fluoride and other chemicals and minerals, something other filters (UV filters) do not do.


Faucet-Mounted Water Filters

Pros:

• Are very inexpensive.
• Easy to use - all you do is turn on your faucet and your filter.
• Compact - don’t take up much space.

Cons:

• Clog easily and susceptible to leaks.
• Filters often need to be replaced.
• Not as effective as whole-home water filters.

If you need a cheap, basic water filter to filter dirt, grime, and bleach and chlorine from your municipal water supply to drink then faucet-mounted water filters are for you. Faucet-mounted filter range from 30-100 dollars in price.

Under-Counter Faucet Filters

Pros:

• Do not take up any space on your counter or faucet.
• Are inexpensive compared to whole-home ones
• Remove more contaminants than faucet-mounted water filters
• Available as UV or Reverse Osmosis Systems

Cons:

• May take some time and patience to install - as they attach to your faucet water pipe the installation might require some cutting and drilling.
• Cost more that faucet-mounted filters.
• Filters need to be replaced every 6-12 months.

If you need a relatively inexpensive water filter for you kitchen sink to filter your drinking and washing water and you want a more comprehensive (compared to faucet-mounted filters) filter that won’t take up any space in your kitchen, under-counter faucet filters are for you. Prices range from 50-150 dollars.


For those of you who do backpacking/camping and don’t like hauling bottled water with you, the Katadyn Pocket is a great water filter you can use to filter water from any lake, stream, or brook. It utilizes a special ceramic filter with a pore size of 0.2 microns which allows it to filter all protozoa and bacteria, something not all water filters do. In addition, the filter is housed in an aluminum case and can filter a staggering 13,000 gallons (or 52,000 liters) before it needs to be replaced. The filter can also be cleaned to elongate its life. Ditch those plastic water bottles and get a Katadyn Pocket!




Companies to consider when buying water filtration systems:
UV filters: uvshack (uvshack.com), purewaterexpress (purewaterexpress.com)
Reverse Osmosis Filters:
Watts, Watts Premier, APEC (freedrinkingwater.com)
Faucet-Mounted Water Filters:
Culligan, PUR, Brita
Under-Counter Water Filters:
APEC (freedrinkingwater.com), Watts, Filtrete


Make sure that you carefully consider your needs and requirements before installing a water filtration system, be it big or small. Enjoy your clean, filtered water!