“If there will ever be a World War III, it will be for water” These words by Rajendra Singh, the “Waterman of India”, hold true in the present day and age. Access to clean drinking water has been a recurrent problem, and the situation doesn’t seem to get any better. The government has committed to supplying piped water to all households over the next few years, but even then, the quality of drinking water has always been a grave concern.
No wonder, the population in most metropolitan cities has become increasingly dependent on water purifiers. According to a 2019 report by the National Statistical Office , one in four urban households rely on water purifiers. However, some go for cheap options, but they might not be 100 per cent effective.
Finding the right water purifier is key to ensuring you are drinking clean and potable water.
So what are some of the factors to keep in mind while zeroing in on a water purifier? It’s time to find out.
1. Test the water quality at home: Before choosing a water purifier, make sure to test the water quality at your home. As per the World Health Organisation guidelines, total dissolved solids (TDS) in water include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium bicarbonate, chlorides, and sulfates. In most cases, water purifiers get rid of largely all the contaminants from drinking water, but there might be some that could be left behind. So, make sure you check the water quality before you get a water purifier installed. Besides, check if the water purifier has an NSF-Certification. In India, up to 500 milligram per litre (MG/L) is considered acceptable, and 2000 milligram per litre (MG/L), when there is no other source available.
Also, smell the water, check the taste and colour, and see if there are any visible particles. Based on the kind of impurities present, you can go for UV-C or RO water purifiers.
2. Access to UV-C treated water: It is important to understand that healthy drinking water is free of toxic and hazardous chemicals, and at the same time, has minerals required for the body. UV-C water purification ensures all this and more. It is safe and healthy because the UV-C technique eliminates up to 99.99 per cent of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. Plus, it does not cause a change in the taste or odour of the water consumed.
3. Stainless steel storage : Some water purifiers offer the option to choose stainless steel storage as well. One might think that steel is safer than plastic, but once water is purified and stored, it is good enough to drink. So, you can take your pick.
4. Consider the cost of filter replacement : A water purifier does the heavy work of filtering contaminants from drinking water. The cartridge consists of a filtering medium, namely activated charcoal, which gets clogged over a period of time. To ensure the purifier’s efficiency, you must change the filter, according to instructions provided by the manufacturer. The cost of the filter differs, according to the type and model of the water purifier. Before you choose a purifier, ensure that you have significant information on the cost of the replacement and repairing as well.
5. Consider the amount of water your family drinks : Don’t we all consider the size of our family when buying a car? The same applies to water purifiers. Since water purifiers come with a storage capacity, the amount of purified water they can deliver in the absence of electricity must be taken into consideration. It should be enough for your family. A big family might like to opt for a countertop purifier.
6. Maintenance is key: Maintaining a water purifier is an equally important job. As purifiers remove several impurities of different types and sizes, filters must be cleaned and maintained, so that access to clean water continues. But there’s more to look out for.
Most Water Purifiers come fitted with a UV-C tube. It’s important to make sure that the UV-C tube is functional. This is something that needs to be checked by the professional coming to service your water purifier.
Another problem with purifiers that are substandard (and possibly cheap) is that they may come with UV-C tubes that are fake. So keep an eye out to make sure that the UV-C tube in your water purifier is authentic. Please note, all blue light tubes are not UV-C tubes and they may not be suitable to purify the water.
Checking on UV-C tubes
Although there are various brands available today, it is important to go with a company that offers both credibility and safety. OSRAM ticks all the right boxes. OSRAM UV-C tubes are globally accredited, and suppled to most water purifier brands in India, so that means safe drinking water is never a concern.
All in all, if it’s about safe drinking water, the UV-C tube inside water purifier has to be from a genuine brand like OSRAM .
