UV Water Filtration
by Mike
Using ultraviolet or UV water filtration has been proven to be the most effective method for killing harmful microorganisms (algae, bacteria, fungi, mold, and viruses) in untreated water supplies. While most municipal water supplies treat with chlorine to kill microorganisms, most private wells (rural, farms and septic tanks) are untreated. These untreated water wells can be contaminated by chemical runoff and sewage filled with dangerous bacteria and viruses prompting many to consider using a home water purifier. Those who believe their water supply has a high risk of contamination by disease-causing microorganisms should use UV water filtration.
UV water filtration uses a high-intensity, light spectrum that kills the microorganisms that cause harmful health problems. Disease-causing microbes can quickly reproduce in an animal or human host but ultraviolet rays can sterilize these microbes rendering them harmless.
UV Water Filtration vs Chlorine Filtration
Many water purification systems include multiple filtration methods – carbon, reverse osmosis and ultraviolet water purification – in order to destroy all types of waterborne contamination. Chlorine filtration is a popular method for killing water-borne microbes.
Ultraviolet water treatment has a number of advantages over chlorine filtration:
- No chlorine taste
- No harmful by-products
- Ability to kill microorganisms that are chlorine-resistant.
Certain microorganisms are resistant to chlorine, like the Hepatitis virus and Legionella Pneumophila bacteria; UV water filters kill these dangerous microbes. Ultraviolet filtration kills 99.99% of microorganisms, including those that cause Cholera, Influenza, and Tuberculosis. Ultraviolet filtration also kills E. Coli and Salmonella, which may create food poisoning.
How UV Water Filters Work
UV Water Filter with Sediment Filter
UV water filtration uses high-powered lamps to emit wavelengths that take care of harmful microorganisms like bacteria, molds, viruses and giardia to name a few. The UV rays change the DNA structure of the organisms making them sterile so they are no longer considered a threat.
The water passes over a quartz glass sleeve where the light from the UV water filter will penetrate it. But before it is processed through a UV filter it should be pre-filtered by something like a carbon water filter or other sediment filter to remove sediment, down to sizes smaller than 5 microns, in order to remove any potential physical barriers. If larger sediment pieces are still present in the water, then microbes can hide behind them and be unaffected by the ultraviolet rays. This pre-filtration will also take care of other contaminants the UV filter won’t remove making your drinking water that much cleaner.
UV water filters alone won’t remove things like arsenic from your water. To remove arsenic you will need to pre-filter with an arsenic water filter, then run the water through the UV filter to kill any harmful bacteria.
While UV water purifiers kill harmful bacteria they don’t change the taste or smell of the water. But if you use a carbon water filter to pre-filter it will help improve the taste of the water by removing chemical contaminants that the UV filter won’t remove. The combination of these two water filtration systems is very effective way to ensure you have purified water for you and your family.
You can find UV water filters in under sink or counter top water filters.
Maintaining Your UV Water Filter
For the UV filtration system to work properly the glass sleeve needs to be kept clean and free of algae so the light can penetrate through and do its job. The filter’s UV germicidal lamp also needs to be monitored to make sure it is working properly and still able to eliminate germs and bacteria.
Overall UV water filtration provides a safe, effective and economical way to eliminate potentially harmful microbes in your water. Using a UV water purifier along with another water filtration system like carbon filters, KDF water filters or reverse osmosis filters is a very effective way to purify water so you feel good about the water you and your family are consuming.
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