Filtered Water

[For Prose]

Hey everyone,

 

I wanted to get some opinions from others on filtered water.

 

Whenever I change my Brita water filter, the water always seems like it goes down smoother and has almost a crispness to it. Of course, I know this could be in part to the fact that my mind knows I have just changed the filter, and could be imagined only.

 

I am curious to know whether or not there is anything behind this and if anyone else shares the same feeling or perception.

 

I do have a ppm meter that use and always replace the filter when it is half of the starting amount. I also will admit that I use my filter longer than is recommended because a) I am a single individual and I suspect that the time when it tells you to change is based upon information collected from either family use or multiple individual use and b) It's a wonder that I can even afford the filters while I am in school so I try to get as much utility from each one as possible.

 

Let's hear what you think or can contribute to why this may be. Maybe you feel it's all in my head, as I sometimes wonder myself.

[CharonY]

Well, crispness is hard to assess, in wine, it typically relates to acidity, but in your case it is not easy to predict what you may perceive as cristp.

Taste of water does change with the dissolved salts or oxygen, but I doubt that a change of the filter will have tremendous effects. The reason to change filters is often down to bacterial growth, which is somewhat independent on how much you filter, but more temperature dependent.

[For Prose]

Well, crispness is hard to assess, in wine, it typically relates to acidity, but in your case it is not easy to predict what you may perceive as cristp.

Taste of water does change with the dissolved salts or oxygen, but I doubt that a change of the filter will have tremendous effects. The reason to change filters is often down to bacterial growth, which is somewhat independent on how much you filter, but more temperature dependent.

 

First, let me say that you are one of the few I had in mind that I really wanted input from, so thank you!

 

Does this mean that you recommend storing the water filter pitcher in the fridge? I enjoy drinking room temperature water, and thus keep it out.

 

Do you know if the change in dissolved salts or oxygen would attribute to the "clean" feeling I may (imagine) experience?

 

And I know exactly what you mean with the wine. I tended bar for 7 years in many upscale restaurants which allowed me to taste hundreds (if not thousands) of different wines.

[John Cuthber]

It's not too difficult to find out.

Get a few identical cups- cheap plastic or paper ones like you use for parties are probably a good bet but if you have some identical glasses that might be even better.

Just before you change the filter fill half the glasses with water then change the filter and fill the rest of the cups.

Then ask a friend to put the numbers 1 to 6 (or whatever) randomly on the cups and record which numbers are on "old" water and which ones on "new". Make sure you are out of the room while they do this.

Then ask them to leave the room (so they can't influence your choice- even by accident) and see if you can decide which glasses are "old filter" and which ones \are "new". Make a note of which ones you think are which.

 

Then check to see if you were right about which ones were which.

If you can tell whether a glass is from the old filter or the new one reliably then there's a difference- if not you can probably save money on the filters.

Having said that, in most places filtering the water is a waste of money- the tap water is OK to drink and

there's a potential risk with using the filters for a long time- they may start to grow bacteria which are harmful in themselves or which produce toxic materials.

[For Prose]

It's not too difficult to find out.

Get a few identical cups- cheap plastic or paper ones like you use for parties are probably a good bet but if you have some identical glasses that might be even better.

Just before you change the filter fill half the glasses with water then change the filter and fill the rest of the cups.

Then ask a friend to put the numbers 1 to 6 (or whatever) randomly on the cups and record which numbers are on "old" water and which ones on "new". Make sure you are out of the room while they do this.

Then ask them to leave the room (so they can't influence your choice- even by accident) and see if you can decide which glasses are "old filter" and which ones \are "new". Make a note of which ones you think are which.

 

Then check to see if you were right about which ones were which.

If you can tell whether a glass is from the old filter or the new one reliably then there's a difference- if not you can probably save money on the filters.

Having said that, in most places filtering the water is a waste of money- the tap water is OK to drink and

there's a potential risk with using the filters for a long time- they may start to grow bacteria which are harmful in themselves or which produce toxic materials.

 

And what of the time in between drinking the cups? If I am to do this experiment I want to do it right and feel there should be some time in between each cup.What time do you feel might be suitable? 5 minutes seems like a good amount of time to me.

 

And on the side note, I don't drink filtered water because I worry about it containing anything harmful. I drink it because there is clearly a taste difference between tap and filtered water where I live. The tap water tastes like it has trace amounts of chlorine. Some people don't taste it as strongly as I do. Maybe it has something to do with my attempt at "refining" my palate for so many years when tasting wines.

[StringJunky]

For Prose, on 25 Oct 2014 - 1:53 PM, said:

 

...And on the side note, I don't drink filtered water because I worry about it containing anything harmful. I drink it because there is clearly a taste difference between tap and filtered water where I live. The tap water tastes like it has trace amounts of chlorine. Some people don't taste it as strongly as I do. Maybe it has something to do with my attempt at "refining" my palate for so many years when tasting wines.

Put some water in an open jug and cover it with something porous to let the chlorine gases out and keep flies off. leave it a few hours.

[Externet]

Just wanted to mention, to a person that filters drinking water; that it is a double edge sword.

 

Filtering obviously has the intent to remove whatever 'unclean' contaminants from water, piling up those in the filter.

Keep in mind that all those unwanted unclean contaminants are in the filter; and that you are forcing the water source trough that same now unclean path.

 

Determining when is the filter contaminated -5 minutes or 5 months- is tricky. If the filter holds a condensed soup of microorganisms, passing the water source trough them may not fullfill the intentions.

[CharonY]

It should be noted that typical water filters do not provide microbial filtration. If the filter is not flushed, bacteria can grow in it, however.

[For Prose]

Fascinating stuff. And what method would best accomplish the flushing of a PuR water filter Charon?

 

 

Just wanted to mention, to a person that filters drinking water; that it is a double edge sword.

 

Filtering obviously has the intent to remove whatever 'unclean' contaminants from water, piling up those in the filter.

Keep in mind that all those unwanted unclean contaminants are in the filter; and that you are forcing the water source trough that same now unclean path.

 

Determining when is the filter contaminated -5 minutes or 5 months- is tricky. If the filter holds a condensed soup of microorganisms, passing the water source trough them may not fulfill the intentions.

 

So the next logical question to ask; which one is more harmful? A condensed soup of microorganisms or the possible contaminants I am trying to remove by filtering in the first place?

[Externet]

Which is more harmful ?

To be told by chemical/biological analysis, not by flavor. Remember that right now, (faucet closed) that filter contains (half a litre?) of a soup of your undesirable contaminants. Your next glass of water is now resting in that soup waiting for you to open the faucet.

 

Maaany years ago, a friend had his home drinking water sterilizer boiler that needed repair, as the float arm broke. I welded, all OK. He told me bought such because his kids were permanently suffering from stomach problems. And the boiler was not helping.

 

I told him to get rid of the contraption and give them straight tap water so they could develop defenses. Illnesses ended in a short time. Perhaps that was the right thing to suggest.