What Is a Water Purifier? Pros, Cons, and Cost
Make a clean decision
Highlights
Water purifiers remove contaminants and minerals, but they aren’t necessary for home use.
Water filters are best for your home because they remove contaminants but not essential minerals.
You can buy whole-house systems or point-of-use (only attached to one water source) water filters.
Water filters range from $20 to $4,000 based on the type.
From rinsing your fruits and vegetables to filling your water bottle, clean water in your home means health and peace of mind. A water purifier, specifically a water filter, can help remove contaminants and improve the water's taste and smell. Learn about what a water purifier is, how it’s different from a water filter, and the pros, cons, and costs.
What Is a Water Purifier?
A water purifier removes impurities, minerals, chemicals, suspended solids, gases, and biological contaminants. It also helps reduce particulate matter such as parasites, bacteria, viruses, algae, and fungi. Water purifiers use one or more methods to decontaminate water, including reverse osmosis (RO), distillation, and UV treatment.
However, water purifiers are used at the municipality level to meet national clean water standards, so the water coming into your home is already purified. Because of this, you need a water filter for your home, not a water purifier.
Water Purifier vs. Water Filter
Water purifiers and water filters are often used interchangeably, but they are two distinct systems with different outcomes. Water purifiers are mostly used at the city or county level to meet national water standards and are not needed for home use. Water purifiers also remove necessary minerals, whereas water filters remove harmful contaminants but keep the minerals that are good for you, such as calcium, magnesium, fluoride, and zinc.
A water filter serves as a physical barrier to trap debris and bacteria. The water flows through a barrier or membrane to make the water safe for drinking and cooking. A filter removes contaminants like mercury, lead, arsenic, rust, iron, and chlorine. A water filter often improves drinking water's taste and smell and lowers the pH level.
There are many types of water filters, from mechanical to ceramic filters. On top of the filter type, homeowners can choose either a whole-house system, also called a point-of-entry (POE) filter, or opt for a point-of-use (POU) system, such as a faucet-mounted filter or a water pitcher.
Pros and Cons of a Water Filter
Many homeowners have a water filter system, whether on a large or small scale. Here are the main pros and cons of a water filter.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Better-tasting water | Whole-house models are expensive |
| Cleaner water for cooking, drinking, and brushing teeth | May not be necessary for all water in the home |
| Removes contaminants like chlorine, lead, and bacteria | Can cause a drop in water pressure |
| Extends the life span of plumbing and appliances | Requires regular filter changes and maintenance |
| Provides an improvement in hair and skin |
Types of Water Purifiers and Filters
Water purifiers and filters use reverse osmosis (RO), distillation, UV treatment, or specific types of filters, such as carbon and sediment filters. Some purifiers use more than one method.
Media Filters and Carbon-Based Filters
Carbon filters remove chlorine, reducing the chance of poor-tasting water. Whole-house systems with carbon filters are the most cost-friendly whole-house options and require the least maintenance. Media filters capture debris and other solid matter with a woven filter to improve water quality.
Reverse Osmosis (RO)
“There are many different types of water filtration technologies. When one technology is not enough, ask a local water filtration pro how you can combine technologies to reach your water treatment goals.”
— Johnny Pujol, CEO and Water Expert for Tap Score Water Testing and SimpleLab, Inc., Berkeley, CA
A reverse osmosis water purifier works like a filter, forcing the water particles through a small semi-permeable membrane to screen out contaminants. It removes minerals, including healthy ones, so if you go this route, you’ll want to pair it with a remineralizer.
Distillation
A purifier using distillation boils the water and captures the clean steam, which then gets collected and purified. The contaminant particles are left behind. Some distillation systems need additional filtration.
Ultraviolet (UV)
UV treatment uses ultraviolet light to kill living microorganisms such as viruses, parasites, and bacteria but doesn’t capture sediment. UV filters are only suitable for treating drinking water and are too slow to be whole-house filters.
Cost of Water Filters
The cost of whole-house water filtration systems ranges from $1,000 to $4,000, depending on how advanced the system is. Point-of-use units cost anywhere from $20 to $1,200, depending on the system. For example, a water filter pitcher can cost anywhere from $20 to $100.
Life Span of Water Filters
Whole-house water filtration systems last 15 to 25 years, depending on the type of system and how well it is maintained. Depending on your filter and sediment level, you’ll need to change the filter once every one to two years. For point-of-use filters, you may need to change the filter once every three to six months.
How to Prep for Filtering Water
You’ll need to determine what contaminants you want to filter out, such as chlorine or lead. Remember, not every home needs a water filter. Look up the quality of water in your area on the Environmental Working Group database or contact your local water utility for more info. You can also test your water with a home kit or work with a professional lab to determine your water quality.
Once you know the contaminants in your water, you can select a type of water filter. You may opt for a whole-home system or a point-of-use filter just for drinking water.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
You can install a faucet-mounted filter or under-the-sink unit by following the manufacturer’s instructions. But it’s best to hire a pro for a whole-house filtration system since it involves draining your water system, cutting pipes, and soldering. Contact a local water softener installation company to determine the best plan for your home water purification.