Humans, as everyone knows, are primarily composed of water. At birth, we’re made up of around 80% water, and even in our adulthood, we’re still more than 50% of that good ol’ H2O. I drink two liters per day: for me, it’s the most important food. So it makes sense for me to seek out — as I do with food and cosmetics — the healthiest option for me and my family.

So I bought a water filter. But let’s rewind — before that, I had to sort through the pros and cons of the various brands. In the process, I learned that German tap water is positively swimming with gross residues, ranging from antibiotics to birth control pills.

The water treatment plants are tightly regulated and adhere to strict guidelines,

said my research. However, there are still 1400 substances that can appear in your water, everything from pesticides and antibiotics to birth control pills. Your tap water, however, is likely only tested for 64 of them. I didn’t really feel like forcing my body to serve as a water filter, and so began looking for a suitable water filtration system for my home.

Help! So many options!

At first, the abundance of vendors and solutions almost overwhelmed me. There are vortex filters, ionizers, Brita filters, reverse osmosis systems, and many more. Vortex filters should activate the water again, while ionizers create alkaline water, which in the long term might not be so great to drink. Brita filters remove pollutants when working properly, but when expired can work in reverse, adding them right back into your drinking water.

Finally, I chose the reverse osmosis system (RO system for short), determining that it is currently the best way to purify water. The filtration rate of various harmful substances such as lead, drug residues, chlorine, viruses and bacteria amounts to 95-99%. No wonder that even NASA and the military use this technology to deal with polluted water.

How does reverse osmosis work?

Reverse osmosis filtration systems rely on the principle of osmotic pressure. Sure, I learned that in school, but what does it mean again? It refers to the physical principle that if two different solutions are separated by a cell membrane, the molecules dissolved in the solution with higher concentration will move toward the one with lower concentrations. Reverse osmosis makes use of this tendency — but, as the name suggests, in reverse. To get the purest possible water, a high pressure is generated on the contaminated side, ‘pushing’ the pollutants out.

Disadvantages of reverse osmosis filtration systems

Unfortunately, the process creates a lot of wastewater, which you have to flush or otherwise dispose of (you can use it to water flowers or wash your dishes, for instance). Depending on the technology, for every liter of clean water, RO systems create 2-10 liters of wastewater. The water comes out not as a jet as with unfiltered tap water, but as a dribble, because it takes a few minutes to purify a single liter.

Therefore, it’s advisable to use a ten-liter tank for storing clean water — but this tank is vulnerable to contamination! In addition, between the filtration system and the tank, you need quite a bit storage space under the sink. For these reasons, I ultimately decided on a tankless RO, without a re-mineralization system, because a healthy diet provides enough minerals on its own.

Watch out for bad suppliers

Prices for water filtration systems vary greatly, ranging from 400 to 1500 euros. There are even systems that can be rented. But keep your eyes open: there are a few overpriced options on the market, therefore, it’s best to do your research before you choose a supplier.

I chose a German manufacturer. The owner built the facility for the local market, and proved to be reliable when I got in contact to request information. Furthermore, the price-performance and extras also convinced me. The ratio of wastewater to purified water is 1:2.5; the price of the system, called the Kompakt US Premium, was €700; the system lies on the floor under the sink, thus takes way no storage space. On top of it all, it has three great features: 1) it can be turned on and off remotely, 2) there is an automatic flush stop, which can be set individually, and 3) it runs automatically every six hours, at which rate the filter will last two years. If I go on vacation, I just remove the filter and put it in the refrigerator to prevent the buildup of harmful germs.

RO water for the skin, hair, and overall health

First, I gotta say: RO water tastes delicious. It’s soft, and lacks the metallic aftertaste of tap water. This also impacts the flavors of tea, coffee, and even soup made with RO water. Because it’s so tasty, I find myself drinking a lot more of it, and now I drink about three liters per day.

While RO water is not distilled, it is similar in that it’s virtually mineral-free. However, I don’t see any deficiencies even after drinking it for half a year. On the contrary, this winter was the first during which I didn’t get sick at all, but fended off all colds and coughs on my own.

For the skin and hair, it’s equally great. After washing my hair, I rinse it with a liter of cold RO water. This cleanses the scalp, making it less itchy, and I find that I only need to wash my hair once every four days. Of course, I use RO water with my Dr. Alkaitis Universal Mask, and I clean my face every morning and evening with the Konjac face sponge and some lukewarm RO water. Since then, my skin has been looking positively warm and radiant, and any inflammation or pimples heal completely after only a few days.

Have you tried out any of the different types of water filters available today? Feel free to share your experience with us in the comment section!

Resources:

• Unesco water test at levels Onine March 2003
• http://www.spiegel.de

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