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

181–190 of 222 posts

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

#181

Post by mousethatroared »

malfist wrote: post #146
mousethatroared wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 th…

From someone that keeps aquariums, municipal water that is stripped of it's chlorine by carbon has the ingredients to grow bacteria. They need three things, carbon, phosphate and nitrogen, all of which will be present to varying degrees. Particularly nitrates and phosphates. They're not harmful until concentrations are really high but certainly enough to grow bacteria. Also consider what your holding tank and supply…

Now strip it with an RO filter.

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

#182

Post by tguvot »

bernawil wrote: post #174
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".

I know pressure drops. The problem is knowing which filter is the one causing it in particular. Also, filters that are spent at different rates are a PITA. What I mean is if you are going to feed it nominally clean tap water, there's no reason to protect a catridge with equally or more expensive cartridges. Just use the RO filter and be done with it.

you can put pressure guages in between or one of $10 flow meters before system.

RO membrane doesn't remove chlorine iirc or vocs. On the other side chlorine degrades membrane. "nominally clean tap water" can have enough dirt to clog membrane if you don't auto backflush it frequently

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

#183

Post by bernawil »

tguvot wrote: post #180
bernawil wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you sure that it makes it more acidic? AFAIK it only outputs pure H20, should be neutral. If you feed it alkaline water you'll get "more acidic" water, but the other way if you feed it acidic water.

yes. it removes calcium and magnesium and it makes water more acidic. also i think it starts absorbing CO2 making it even more acidic. RO doesn't output pure water. if you want pure water you slap DI filter after RO membrane.

you're right, a little oversight from me.

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

#184

Post by timr »

BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #52
timr wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm failing to see your point. If you think it helps -- whether because of taste or personal trust issues or something else -- then great, filter your water. You do you. The article is clearly for someone who is otherwise on the fence and doesn't have those issues.

> 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…

> That's weird because I'm pretty sure that my point is explicitly spelled out.

Yeah I read it the first time, so repeating it is non responsive. The article was about one person's opinion on the subject of water filters. Your opinion is just one more in a sea of opinions. It's not like the author hid those numbers that you keep repeating -- you're just (again, repeatedly) saying they're scarier than the author felt they were.

> And if your trust is based on "Rah, rah, America!", you should know that 15% (!!) of water systems serving over 10k people have PFAS levels measured above what the EPA says is safe. (And if you don't think that 15% is a lot, holy smokes, that's nuts.)

Yeah, OK. So basically you just want everyone to be as scared as you are.

I don't have a strong opinion on the matter, but your "holy smokes, that's nuts" is worth approximately what I paid to read it. That goes for the author, too, btw.

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

#185

Post by throwaway81523 »

laex wrote: post #149
tomatotomato37 wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, water quality matters a lot in coffee enthusiast land. They actually make little mineral packets that you add to a gallon of distilled water to get a "perfect" brewing water - I know since I actually use them for my espresso machine to fight scale buildup from my +10 grain tap water. Note this excessiveness is really needed for espresso though; a regular Brita jug handles more tolerant methods of brewing perfect…

Do you have a brand name or amazon link for the mineral packets ?

Third Wave Water is a well known one.

There is a whole book on the topic (2015, with a new edition supposedly coming soon):

https://collectedcoffee.com/products/water-for-coffee

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

#186

Post by ianburrell »

mousethatroared wrote: post #143
lxgr wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Chlorination of drinking water is indeed uncommon in Germany. If it’s done, the level is often imperceptible, contrary to the US (I actually had to look this up – I’ve never tasted it in German drinking water in various cities myself).

How do they sterilize it?

Hydrogen peroxide and ozone.

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

#188

Post by rufus_foreman »

mousethatroared wrote: post #140
rufus_foreman wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> 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.

You can test the filter manufacturer's water but you can't test the municipality's water?

Strange days indeed.

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

#189

Post by recursivedoubts »

s0rce wrote: post #179
recursivedoubts wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

i use carbon filters, berkey specifically they have a good reputation, but aren't foolproof i trust govt + berkey in series more than I trust either alone basic probability

I've only heard not good things about Berkey.

I've only heard and experienced good things w/them.

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

#190

Post by its-summertime »

n4r9 wrote: post #125
BugsJustFindMe wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> A surprising amount of Americans refuse to drink tap water entirely, in their own suburban homes with quality municipal water It shouldn't be surprising that Americans might understand that their water might not actually be safe despite the municipal government saying it is. It took two whole years for administrators in Flint, Michigan to acknowledge their lead pipe crisis. Trust needs to be earned and maintained,…

> America is notoriously bad at maintaining critical public infrastructure. How does that compare with food safety in commercial products? That's the question.

I mean, most bottled waters are transparent, so that compares well against what Flint had
Post reply on HN