Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

nytimes.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 222 posts

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#131

Post by jandrewrogers »

PlattypusRex wrote: post #110
jandrewrogers wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The water in some parts of the US has natural chemistry that makes it unpleasant to drink even though it is safe. California urban areas are notorious for this, as an example. In principle you could remediate the water to make it taste good and remove any discoloration (also a thing in a few regions) with enough industrial processing but that would greatly increase the cost of already expensive tap water. People who…

San Diego's tap water tastes truly awful. The first time I ever traveled to another city (Denver), I was forced to drink the tap water and could not believe how good it tasted.

San Diego has the worst tap water for drinking I have ever experienced in the US. When I lived there, pretty much everyone had a reverse osmosis system installed to make it drinkable.

Fortunately, I live in the Pacific Northwest currently, which generally has some of the best tasting water you’ll find anywhere. No one would dream of not drinking the tap water.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#132

Post by Xss3 »

Xss3 wrote: post #128
bilsbie wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a chance it can get contaminated with bacteria? I worry about the water sitting in there.

A properly working RO system will prevent viruses and bacteria from passing. For the extra paranoid you can get systems with a UV sterilisation step.

Just to add, most municipalities chlorinate the water slightly, so its highly unlikely youll find anything alive in it.

My water is fairly heavily chlorinated where i live compared to my previous county.

Letting the glass of water sit in open for a few minutes after pouring helps with taste because the chlorine evaporates.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#133

Post by rufus_foreman »

recursivedoubts wrote: post #92
mihaaly wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tested your filtered water - in various conditions - or you just trust it based on the words of others?

I just trust the carbon filters. Sorry.

You just trust corporations.

I mean I trust corporations more than I trust the government, but 0.002 is more than 0.001.

You seem like a very trusting person.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#134

Post by mousethatroared »

bilsbie wrote: post #100
mousethatroared wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I trust my municipality to give me microbiologically safe water. Because I trust bleach, not my local water authority. I certainly do not trust them to give me chemically clean water. So I have a $150 under-sink RO system.

Is there a chance it can get contaminated with bacteria? I worry about the water sitting in there.

I've thought about this, but I don't think so. My last two paragraphs addresses what I think are RO's risks.

First there has to be bacteria in the municipal water. The city does a pretty good job there,

Second there has to be organic matter for the bacteria to grow. Again, cities are good with that.

But even if you have bacteria in your water, a good RO system's pores should be smaller than a virus (really smaller than a prion) or it won't be able to remove metallic ions.

But let's assume after two years these assumptions fail because the filters get old. Replace the filters and flush the system with bleach.

My fear with RO are bad filters. I once had a Zero pitcher and it tasted bad, acidic. A few weeks later there was a recall that the RO membrane was leaking ionomers.

Moral of the story- trust your senses. If municipal water tastes bad, it's bad. If bottled water tastes bad, it's bad. If RO water tastes bad, it's bad.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#135

Post by [deleted] »

Xss3 wrote: post #130
rufus_foreman wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you win the lawsuit against the manufacturer, do you get your health back?

The point is they have a reputation to uphold and not just skin in the game but multiple peoples livelihoods. Just one or two bad test results, or one failed audit, can sink a business like that. The county can have thousands of people scream for years (flint, Michigan) without panicking.

[deleted]

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#136

Post by mousethatroared »

donnachangstein wrote: post #46
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #11

Money quote: > readings of PFAS that exceed EPA limits have been found in just 8% of small public water systems (those that serve fewer than 10,000 people) and 15% of large ones 15%! Anyone who trusts their municipal water supply because of *handwave* regulations and reports needs to read that again. Even if my water were 100% pristine as the author's apparently is, which they only know for their own homes because th…

> and maintaining a dedicated three stage filter spout next to my kitchen faucet costs me approximately nothing Calling bullshit on this one. I have one, it's positively wonderful, but the filters are expensive and per the manufacturer's recommendation you're supposed to change them all simultaneously. So when one times out, they all time out. This runs approximately $150 a year minimum depending on usage.

What system are you using? My five stage filter system has me replace the charcoal filters once a year and the RO every... three? Maybe five?

But let's assume it costs you $150 a year. Thats less than $0.50 a day for drinking and cooking water. I doubt you could buy any significant amount of bottled water for fifty cents.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#138

Post by mousethatroared »

Xss3 wrote: post #126
tguvot wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

pre-filters typically have specified "capacity" in gallons. which is measurable. also if water is very dirty filters get clogged and pressure dropped. it's also measurable. "post re-mineralization stage" is actually "ph adjustment".

It isnt merely ph adjustment... You want some amount of minerals in water for your health, plants, and taste. Changing the PH isnt the concern in most cases, its just part of the result.

Food gives you all the minerals you need. Matter of fact food can cover most of your hydration needs.

Re: I'm Wirecutter's water-quality expert. I don't filter my water

#140

Post by mousethatroared »

rufus_foreman wrote: post #64
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I'm failing to see your point That's weird because I'm pretty sure that my point is explicitly spelled out. But just in case, here it is again: If your trust is based in municipal numbers or statements, you should be aware that municipal numbers and statements are not trustworthy because there's a lot of widespread decaying infrastructure (and coverup!) between where they test, what they make public, and where your…

>> municipal numbers and statements are not trustworthy The claims of the manufacturers of filters, of course, are completely trustworthy. If you aren't testing the capabilities of your filters constantly, this is fine.

I don't trust the manufacturer, but I can test the manufacturers water.

I don't trust my municipality because they cheaped out on the corrosion inhibitors chemistry, leached lead into the water and my house is now filled with developing pinhole leaks. I've had five in four years.

Hint, I don't live anywhere near Flint MI.

Post reply on HN