What Do Water Filters Do? What You Need to Know About Whole House Filters

Drinking water, also referred to as potable water, comes from several different kinds of sources, including city water and private wells. Water quality should remain the top concern no matter where your water is sourced from. Ideally, drinking water should be as pure and contaminant-free as possible for good health and well-being. Some water sources may contain more contaminants or have a higher risk of disease-causing bacteria than others. When contaminants are present water must be filtered, and a whole-house water filter is often the best way to do this effectively. 

What Does a Whole House Water Filter Do?

A whole house water filter is a point-of-entry filtration system that filters all incoming water into a home. With a whole house system installed, every faucet in your home provides filtered water treated for impurities like sediment, chemicals, and even some heavy metals. The advantage of installing these filters is that all of the water you use for drinking, cooking, bathing, and washing clothes has been filtered. You do not have to worry about installing individual filters throughout your home to achieve high-quality water. Not only does water taste and odor improve with a whole house filter, but so does the lifespan of plumbing fixtures and appliances. 

How Do Whole House Water Filters Work?

While no whole house water filter can claim to remove 100% of contaminants, these systems do significantly reduce levels to near zero. Units are installed at the main water line entry point, which means all water coming into your home is filtered by the system. As water flows through the filter, multiple filtration stages are designed to target different contaminants. Typically, whole house filters include a sediment filter to trap debris followed by a carbon filter that captures chemicals and heavy metals. Some systems may also feature ultraviolet (UV) filters to kill bacteria or water softener technology to combat hard water. 

Whole House Salt-Free Water Softener and Filter Combo

Are Whole House Water Filters Necessary?

Depending on the quality of your water supply, you may want to consider purchasing a whole house water filter. To identify exactly what contaminants are present in your water, you’ll first need to conduct testing. If you receive water from your municipality, contact them and request the latest water quality test results.

At-home water quality testing is necessary for homeowners who obtain their water from private wells. Purchase a test kit, collect your sample, and send it to a certified laboratory to find out water quality. Once you’re aware of what impurities your water has, you can invest in a system that will address your exact water filtration needs.   

Learn more: Do I Need a Whole House Water Filter?  

Differences Between City Water and Well Water

City water, sometimes called municipal water, is a term used to describe any type of public water production and distribution system that treats and delivers water to a customer. Well water refers to water obtained through a private well owned, treated, and maintained by a homeowner. Public water systems are regulated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and, in certain cases, by states or tribes. About 90% of individuals living in the US get their water from regulated sources. Private water systems are not regulated by EPA and could be subject to pollution from stormwater runoff, failed septic tanks, industrial pollution, landfills, underground storage tanks, and fertilizers and insecticides. For safety purposes, water quality in private wells should be checked at least once per year by a qualified lab.

Regulated Contaminants in City Water

Municipal water is governed by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR). Under these standards, city water sources must treat for a wide range of contaminants to ensure levels stay below federal standards. This applies to impurities such as: 

• Microorganisms: Viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other microorganisms can cause mild to severe gastrointestinal distress or disease. 
• Disinfectants: Chemicals like chlorine or chloramine are used to kill harmful microorganisms. These chemicals can irritate skin and affect water taste and smell. 
• Disinfection byproducts: Compounds formed when disinfectants react with organic matter in water, potentially leading to harmful health effects over long-term exposure when levels are high. 
• Inorganic chemicals: Metals and minerals like lead and arsenic can contaminate water through pipes or natural deposits. 
• Organic chemicals, except PFAS: Industrial chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides that can enter water sources and affect health when ingested over time. 
• Select per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): Also called forever chemicals, PFAS are man-made chemicals linked to serious health issues and found in products like non-stick coatings, which persist in water sources. The EPA recently established new regulations related to these substances for municipalities. 
• Radionuclides: Radioactive elements such as uranium or radium that can occur naturally or come from industrial processes, potentially causing serious health issues like cancer. 

  To see a full list of impurities treated by city water sources, visit the EPA’s website. However, it is important to note that city water could still contain contaminants, as EPA standards only ensure that regulated contaminants are below a threshold known as the maximum contaminant level (MCL). 

Contaminants Not Regulated by EPA

Some people may be surprised to learn the EPA does not regulate contaminants found in water that are known to cause skin discoloration and adversely affect the smell or taste of drinking water. Such contaminants fall under secondary, non-enforceable regulations. Although the EPA may issue recommendations concerning those contaminants, municipalities are not mandated to implement those recommendations. However, some states may include these secondary contaminants in their water quality standards. Some of these impurities, which are not considered immediate health risks, include: 

• Iron: Iron causes rust-colored stains on plumbing, laundry, and fixtures. In high concentrations, it can make waste taste metallic or cause skin discoloration. 
• Manganese: Manganese can create brown or black stains and impact water taste or odor. 
• Hydrogen sulfide: This produces a rotten egg odor and affects the taste of drinking water. 

Contaminants in Well Water

Unlike city water, well water is not regulated by any federal or state standards, meaning it can contain a variety of contaminants that go untreated. These include bacteria, nitrates, heavy metals, and pesticides, which can pose health risks. Homeowners are responsible for testing and treating or filtering their well water to ensure safety. 

How Do Contaminants Get Into Water Systems?

Public and private water systems can become contaminated for a variety of reasons. Aging infrastructure, water line breaks, compromised water distribution systems, and runoff are just a handful of contributing factors. This is why it is so important to know of potential risks with your water system and conduct annual testing. 

Shop Whole House Filters From Kind Water 

Some of the best whole house filters on the market are available from Kind Water Systems. The E-1000 provides clean and healthy water to every tap through a two-stage filtration process. In the first stage, dirt, rust, and other debris are filtered out. Then a carbon filter addresses contaminants, including the chlorine or chloramine injected by the city water system. The E-1000 is easy to install and maintain and is suitable for temperatures that range from 36 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It will handle up to six bathrooms and provide flow rates of up to 15 gallons per minute (GPM).  

Shop Kind Water’s Whole House Water Filter  

If you want the ultimate in water filtration, Kind Water Systems’ E-1000UV adds ultraviolet filtration to our E-1000 model, resulting in a three-stage filtration process. In addition to the first two stages, which filter sediment, chlorine, and contaminants, the third stage uses ultraviolet light to address pathogens that are able to survive chlorine treatment, such as cryptosporidium and giardia. The process is instantaneous and uses no chemicals. Ultraviolet treatment will filter 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria without degrading the taste or smell of your water.  

Shop Kind Water’s Whole House Water Filter with UV   

The above solutions are recommended for homeowners who get their water from their municipalities. Kind Water also offers a full selection of whole house filtration systems designed for use with well water.   

Shop Kind Water’s Whole House Well Water Products