Drinking water filtration

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D.W

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#233454 17-Apr-2018 08:43

Chch has recently started chlorinating the water, so looking for something to reduce the chlorine taste in our drinking water.

Do the relatively cheap (< $100) benchtop units that connect to the sink mixer (or standalone) do the job? It should only be temporarily so not looking for a more permanent solution.

If so can anyone recommend anything in particular? Thanks

Oblivian

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#1997497 17-Apr-2018 09:00

Heh, you know when we're suddenly punished by the number of ads in mailer and on radio for the inline water filters. Plumbers and retailers cashing in

Graphite(?) ones may only be as good as the concentration level

Have a go at the DIY effect first?. Fill a pot. Stand for a day, boil, fridge and see if result back to normal. Thats 2 reported natural dispersion techniques back to back

PITA to keep on top of, but if it works it's a surefire

Fred99

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#1997558 17-Apr-2018 09:31

From what I recall, contact time with water passing through an activated carbon filter to remove most chlorine is quite short (a few seconds?), I've got the standard filters on our fridge/espresso machine line so I guess I'll find out soon enough if that works well enough. I think our water is supposed to have chlorine in it already but I haven't noticed it. As we're on the hills and water comes from reservoirs further up I'm guessing that it's going to take a while for the water in the reservoirs to be turned over, chlorine levels will probably increase gradually.

I expect that now the decision's been made to chlorinate the water, despite the council claiming that it's "temporary", I'd wager that once the repairs to the bore heads are made and the water safety returned to normal levels, it'll be hard to get someone in authority to sign their name to anything which could be interpreted as a guarantee that the supply is always going to be "safe". I think we'll be stuck with chlorinated water permanently.

davidcole

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#1997592 17-Apr-2018 10:01

We went whole house (Lower Hutt). Which removes chlorination and sedmiment.

Even though were on a town supply, you should see the gunk that comes out when changing the sediment filter.

Thinking was, why wouldn’t want to shower, wash dishes, wash clothes in chlorinated water?

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sbiddle

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#1997605 17-Apr-2018 10:09

When they started chlorinating the water in the Hutt last year I simply opted for a Breta water jug which is ~$35 or so. I don't mind it for brushing my teeth so only filter drinking water.

We live really close to a reservoir and it's interesting to notice how the chlorine levels seem to change. There are times where it's really noticeable in the shower, and other times where it's not.

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#1997634 17-Apr-2018 10:27

It was the smell from the shower and the bath that prompted us to go whole house and not just a drinking tap.

Hammerer

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#1997827 17-Apr-2018 14:02

sbiddle:

When they started chlorinating the water in the Hutt last year I simply opted for a Breta water jug which is ~$35 or so. I don't mind it for brushing my teeth so only filter drinking water.

We live really close to a reservoir and it's interesting to notice how the chlorine levels seem to change. There are times where it's really noticeable in the shower, and other times where it's not.

We're starting to use the public artesian sites because the difference in taste is too much to ignore.

We are within 2km of the main pump station and we've noticed large differences in the chlorine levels such that I'm getting a sore stomach at the worst times.

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1101

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#1997837 17-Apr-2018 14:18

I have one of the undersink carbon filters, its a diy job to connect it up.
Just keep the flow out of it sort of slowish.

It wont remove other chemicals though , you need a ion exchange or distiller+carbon for that
Does it taste any better, not really. I dont really have a bad chlorine taste/smell in my tapwater anyway if i do the trick below

dont use the first few seconds of tap water , that has the buildup of chlorine . Let the tap flow a few secs
and then all good .

qwertee

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#1997908 17-Apr-2018 15:28

Bought a 2.4L BRITA filter water jug. Works really well as we cant smell the chlorine.

Costs about $30 from the Warehouse. A pack of 2 filters cost about the same. Leaflet says to change the filter after 4 weeks

but I think I will run it longer until I start to smell the chlorine again.

Hard to buy one as most places have run out obviouly

neb

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#1997919 17-Apr-2018 15:40

1101:
I have one of the undersink carbon filters, its a diy job to connect it up..

Same. Any cheap generic inline filter will do the job, do it yourself and save a small fortune on the guys who do it commercially. In my case the problem isn't immediate chlorine taste but a taste that develops if tap water is left to stand for any amount of time, e.g. by being left in the fridge.

neb

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#1997920 17-Apr-2018 15:41

qwertee:
Costs about $30 from the Warehouse. A pack of 2 filters cost about the same. Leaflet says to change the filter after 4 weeks

That's a case of pay me now or pay me later. If you're planning to run a filter for any amount of time then an under-bench one is a far better deal, the cartridges are about $75 and last 3-5 years.

Bung

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#1997932 17-Apr-2018 15:58

neb: That's a case of pay me now or pay me later. If you're planning to run a filter for any amount of time then an under-bench one is a far better deal, the cartridges are about $75 and last 3-5 years.

Is that recommended service life or time before you notice the flow dropping? Most 10" filters seem to stick to 6 -12 mths.

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neb

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#1997939 17-Apr-2018 16:06

Bung:
neb: That's a case of pay me now or pay me later. If you're planning to run a filter for any amount of time then an under-bench one is a far better deal, the cartridges are about $75 and last 3-5 years.

Is that recommended service life or time before you notice the flow dropping? Most 10" filters seem to stick to 6 -12 mths.

6-12 months is the salesperson-recommended revenue-flow renewal time. Actual life is about three years, although I've run some for closer to five without noticing any degradation in performance, i.e. tasting chlorine in the water. It really depends on how much use they get, in my case it's 80,000 cups of tea a day but nothing much more than that.

robcreid

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#1997959 17-Apr-2018 16:20

If you just want to reduce the taste, CCC advice works for me.

I just have a 2 litre bottle that I fill and keep in the fridge.

I can smell it when I fill the bottle but can't when I drink it.

It's what I do normally anyway so BAU for me.