The clean water guide to water filters

Getting the best water is often about getting the right filters. These are some popular filters, and how they can give you a cleaner glass of water:

• If you suspect that your water may be impure, contact your local health department or your municipal water department. They'll be able to tell you if there is danger from pesticides, microorganisms or lead.
• Municipal water departments are responsible for eliminating all health dangers.
• If you have a well, have your water tested every two years.
• A test for bacteria will cost less than a test for all contaminants.
• Many problems are nuisances rather than health hazards. Water may taste and smell bad due to sulphur content or heavy chlorine levels in your water supply.

Iron and other minerals may cause water to produce stains. These problems can often be remedied with home filters, such as the following:

• Iron or oxidizing filter: A water softener removes a good deal of iron, but if you have severe iron problems — indicated by rust stains on sinks and on washed clothes — you may need this kind of filter.
• Activated-carbon filter: Also known as an activated-charcoal filter, this removes pesticides and the nasty taste from chlorinated water. If you have well water with a high sulphur content, this filter can help, but they require regular filter changes and replacements.
• Reverse-osmosis filter: Expensive and bulky, this filter removes bacteria and harmful chemicals that other filters can miss. Often installed under a kitchen sink, it requires a fair amount of space.
• Sediment filter: Essentially a fine screen, a sediment filter traps particles that can cloud your water and clog the aerators on your faucets. A sediment filter is usually used with an activated-carbon filter.

• If all you need is better-tasting water, you can buy an activated-carbon filter that you pour water over in a pitcher, or one that hooks directly onto your kitchen sink faucet.
• To filter all the cold water at the kitchen faucet, buy a canister-type filter and install it on the cold-water line under the sink. A plumber can install it or you can do it yourself.
• Other types require you to cut into the cold-water supply line and do slightly more serious plumbing work. Follow the manufacturer's directions for breaking in the filter.
• When doing work on a water filter, you may need to lubricate the canister, and the water may contain bits of charcoal at first.

No one wants unclean or funny tasting water, but many people think they're stuck with the water they have. If you want better-tasting, cleaner water, you may need a filter. Learn what they problem is and buy the filter that's right for you.