Yes, installing a water filtration system in your home is indeed a “green” decision. However, this is rarely the reason why people do it. For one thing, most people simply aren’t aware that water filters are good for the environment – they are trying to get away from the dangers of their local environment! From pesticide run-off to excessive heavy metal composition, from excessive water hardness to the bleaching effects of its chlorine content. The “environment” in America is certainly the problem where water is concerned.
The problem isn’t uniform across the country and, it must be said, in some areas, municipal water of an acceptable standard is indeed provided. However, more common for the average American household is to have a water supply that is in some way contaminated by the various contaminants which are present in much American drinking water. Water filters are one way of combatting this, which is why so many are turning to it. It must be said that being green is not high on the agenda of most of these people – their own personal health and the health of their families tends to take more precedence.
Nevertheless, water filters can indeed be particularly good for the environment. And buying filtered water can also be a green move. Synergy Science, a company specializing in alternative water products, advise that purchasing these can also be a good move if you want to lessen the environmental impact of your water consumption.
Filtered Water Sources
Before getting on to precisely how water filtration systems can be good for the environment, it is worth looking a little closer at how water filtration systems work.
The first thing to note is that municipal water is already cleaned, filtered, then filtered again, before it leaves the treatment plant. However, water is a substance that is particularly good at dissolving things. Not everything is caught by these massive water treatment plants, which process infinitely more water, on a daily basis, than any home water filtration system ever would.
The problem isn’t over after the water leaves the plant, however; after this it has to travel through miles of plumbing before it exits the faucets in your home. At this point, further contamination with heavy metals such as copper becomes a problem. If the water travels through lead piping at any point, then this also causes lead contamination, which can have very serious long term health effects upon regular consumption.
A home water filtration system attempts to dosomething about this. Water filters can be installed into faucets themselves, the plumbing or the whole property or it can take the form of a small filtration decanter for filling up from the tap.
The Environmental Benefit
These, at any rate, is the health benefits of a water filtration system. But in what way is this a green choice?
They Protect Appliances
Water filters will make your appliances last longer and they will make them work more efficiently. Damaged appliances will not be energy efficient, and they can be damaged by calcified build up which results from hard or otherwise contaminated water.
They Protect Plumbing
Water filters that are integrated into the whole water system of a home will also protect plumbing from the same problem mentioned above. This means that pressure can be maintained at a more environmentally friendly level, without having to be boosted because the water has a challenging time actually moving through the pipes.
So, it might not be your top priority when your health is imperiled but going with filtered water can be a good move for the environment too.