Water Filter FAQs

No. There is an ongoing debate over the healthfulness of de-mineralized water vs. filtered water with its natural trace minerals. While there are studies that argue both sides of this debate the most recent and most credible studies show the benefits of drinking naturally balanced water with its natural trace minerals present is the healthiest.

From a common sense stand point? The fact that nowhere on Earth do we find naturally occurring de-mineralized water should tell us something! We should realize that we were not meant to have water that lacks minerals or dissolved solids. In nature, all water contains traces of the Earth's natural minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium which is what our body is made to run on. All over the world, wherever you find the most contaminant-free, mineral rich water, you find the healthiest, most vibrant civilizations.

From a more scientific view point there are several very credible studies and books that stress the more recent opinion that long term consumption of de-mineralized water can in fact be dangerous. Dr. Zolton Rona, author of "The Joy of Health" states that "the longer one consumes distilled water, the more likely the development of mineral deficiencies and an acid state." Dr. Paavo Airola, cancer expert and author of "How to Get Well" and "Cancer... Causes, Prevention and Healing" also reports that "long term consumption of distilled water eventually results in multiple mineral deficiencies."

A couple of very negative things happen when we consume water that has been stripped of its natural minerals. First, because de-mineralized water contains more hydrogen it is an acid solution, with a pH below seven. Any time we consume an acid substance, our body will pull minerals from our teeth and bones to produce bicarbonate in an effort to neutralize the acid. Second? it has been proven that when body fluids are more acid than alkaline the production of free radicals goes up, increasing cancer risks.

Many recent studies suggest that cancer cells can only grow in an acid environment. This theory seems to be supported by the fact that the areas where people live the longest most disease free lives are the areas that have the most alkaline water? water with the highest mineral content.

No, TDS has nothing to do with water quality and is actually good for you. Reverse Osmosis and Distillation were initially developed over 50 years ago for industrial uses, the printing and photo processing industries, which require de-mineralized water. Because of the increased popularity and demand for home water filtration products, many companies began marketed these products as "new" or "state-of-the-art" drinking water systems, which simply is not the case. Often, these products are demonstrated using a device that measures the TDS (total dissolved solids) or conductivity of the water, and implies that this measurement shows the systems effectiveness at removing contaminants. TDS meters measure the dissolved minerals in water, primarily calcium and magnesium and have little or nothing to do with contaminant levels or the water's purity. This test is done exclusively by con men and hucksters trying to sell an overpriced system to you.

The healthiest water is produced by "selective filtration", products that have the ability to remove contaminants and not minerals.  We offer reverse osmosis, but recommend it only for people who have specific medical needs for low mineral water, such as people at risk for kidney stones, etc.

Carbon block has come a long way as far as performance and we have many very good block filters available. The biggest factor why we still recommend KDF is because KDF is classified as a bacteriostatic device. Dark, warm and wet environments are a perfect place for bacteria, mold and algae to grow and will almost certainly grow inside a carbon block. This is because there are currently only 2 ways to create an environment within a filter in which bacteria growth is restricted-by using carbon impregnated with silver or by using KDF. Few, if any carbon block companies use silver because it is itself a toxic contaminant and KDF cannot be utilized in a carbon block. Therefore, carbon block is a perfect environment for algae and bacteria growth, while a KDF filter has a "bacteriostatic" environment where growth is restricted.

There is absolutely no comparison! Today in America, bottled water is a multi-billion dollar industry. It is the fastest growing and most profitable segment of the entire beverage industry but there is no comparison in quality.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent each week by water bottlers to create the perception that bottled water comes from some magical pristine mountain spring or pure underground aquifer.

The U.S. FDA says: "Companies that promote bottled water as being safer than tap water are defrauding the American public."

In March of 1999‚ the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a report called "Bottled Water‚ Pure Drink or Pure Hype?"

NRDC‘s report points out that more than 40% of all bottled water comes from a city water system‚ just like tap water. The report also shows that 60-70% of all bottled water is exempt from FDA‘s bottled water standards‚ because it is bottled and sold within the same state. According to the NRDC‚ "bottled water companies have used this loophole to avoid complying with basic health standards‚ such as those that apply to municipally treated tap water."

According to the NRDC study‚ "even when bottled waters are covered by FDA‘s specific bottled water standards‚ those rules are weaker in many ways than EPA rules that apply to big city tap water." For instance‚ if we compare EPA regulations for tap water to FDA‘s bottled water rules: (these examples are quotes from the NRDC report)

City tap water must meet standards for certain important toxic or cancer-causing chemicals‚ such as phthalate (a chemical that can leach from plastic‚ including plastic bottles); some in the industry persuaded FDA to exempt bottled water from the regulations regarding these chemicals. City water systems must issue annual "right to know" reports‚ telling consumers what is in their water. Bottlers successfully killed a "right to know" requirement for bottled water.

The Natural Resources Defense Council report concluded that; "Therefore‚ while much tap water is indeed risky‚ having compared available data‚ we conclude that there is no assurance that bottled water is any safer than tap water."

The reality is that people pay from $1 to $4 a gallon for the perception of higher quality‚ when in fact‚ the quality of bottled water is at best an "unknown"!

Home water purification‚ is by far the most economical‚ the most convenient and the most effective way of producing high quality, healthy water.

Filtering out the chlorine‚ lead and other contaminants with a quality home water filtration system‚ at the point of use‚ just prior to consumption‚ is the best way to know for sure about the quality of your drinking water.