A Homeowner’s Primer for Improving Water Clarity and Taste

Posted on Dec 18 2017 - 12:52pm by Housecall
#4

improving waterBy Fran J. Donegan

A recent Gallup poll found that 63 percent of Americans worry about the quality of their drinking water—the highest percentage since 2001. Although most of these fears may be unfounded, you may simply want to improve the taste of your drinking water and eliminate the possibility of any contaminants that could be introduced through older plumbing systems in your home. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to evaluate your home’s water and correct any problems.

Solutions to Improve Your Water’s Taste and Clarity
The first step is to test your water with an independent, certified testing lab. For those who obtain their water from a private well, the EPA recommends annual testing.

If you have concerns about your water, be proactive by installing a point-of-use water filter, such as a countertop filtering pitcher or a kitchen faucet-mounted filter. Both systems are relatively inexpensive and easy to install.

Pitcher and faucet filters remove many common substances, including the chlorine smell that some tap water has. Make sure the product you purchase meets the requirements of NSF International Standard 53. You can consult the manufacturer’s performance data sheet for a list of contaminants a particular filter reduces.

Faucet Mount or Pitcher?
Faucet-mounted filters are more versatile than pitchers. A faucet mount not only filters your drinking water, but makes it is easy to use filtered water for cooking, preparing tea and coffee, and cleaning fruits and vegetables. Installation is easy—most are "no tools required" that screw on to the end of the faucet. Look for models that have an indicator light that tells you when it’s time to change the internal filter—an important step to keep the system working properly.

Whether you choose a filtration pitcher or faucet-mounted filter, they’re both excellent choices that will remove minerals and additives from your water and improve its taste and clarity.

Fran Donegan writes for The Home Depot on home improvement topics, including water filtration systems and planning. Fran also is a longtime DIY writer and the author of several DIY books. You can review a large variety of water dispensers and filters on the Home Depot website here.

 

4 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Ryan Huggins December 26, 2017 at 1:15 am - Reply

    Even though my area has good water, I have a reverse-osmosis filter as a separate faucet. I do notice a difference in the quality and taste of the water between the two. Definitely a well used purchase in my house.

    • Trisha Basu February 1, 2018 at 1:09 pm - Reply

      That is true. A water purifier is a must in every home. I too purchased a ro water purifier with 8 filtration purification system. Reverse osmosis is the best and the most important step in purifying the water. Buying water purifier online @ https://www.livpure.in/water-purifier/ro-purifier is convenient.

  2. Shivangi Gupta April 9, 2018 at 6:56 am - Reply

    I used to worry about water quality as I didnt want to face any water related disease. So I started my internet search on how to get pure water for drinking purposes. One of my friend suggested me Kent water purifier as it works on reverse osmosis technology that improves water taste and eliminates bacteria, dust and viruses.I have been using this water purifier since one year and didn’t faced any issue till now.

  3. Mike Berkey January 19, 2019 at 1:58 pm - Reply

    A gravity water filter is not really mentioned here. While a pitcher filter is semi-version of that, if someone really wants all the contaminants out of the water, then they would be better off with a countertop water filter like the berkey.

Leave A Response