What Does Water Filtration Remove From Water? 

Water filtration is a process that removes unwanted impurities from water. It can be a mechanical process that passes water through sand or cloth, or an active one that uses a chemical to convert contaminants to harmless contaminants. The processes can be very effective at removing a wide range of waterborne contaminants, including particulates, sediment, and bacteria. 

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Most water filters use a combination of physical filtration and active filtration. They are designed to work at point-of-entry, point-of-use, or both. Each type of filter has a different mechanism for removing contaminants, so make sure you choose the right product for your needs. There are five stages of filtration that are used to produce safe, clean drinking water. If you have questions about which type of filter to use, contact the water treatment professionals at your local Environmental Health Services office. 

Generally speaking, a filter is rated on the size of the particles it is capable of removing. This size depends on the depth and shape of the media and the rate of the filtration. For example, a filter with a ceramic material and a uniform pore size will be better at removing small particles than a cartridge that uses fiber material. 

Another way of measuring the magnitude of the filtration process is the amount of surface area captured. A filter may be able to capture a large amount of surface area, based on the shape and depth of the media. But the amount of surface area available for capturing particles will also depend on the chemistry used to coagulate the water. 

One of the more effective processes for removing fluoride is a reverse osmosis system. This type of filter passes water through a semipermeable membrane, and a special type of activated carbon pulls out fluoride molecules. 

A variety of other processes have some similarities to filtration. Some processes include distillation, ion exchange, and vessels filled with granular activated carbon. These procedures can be very effective at removing most minerals and ions, but they do not remove volatile organic chemicals, such as chlorine and sulfur. 

Adsorption is a physical filtration process that can be a useful way to reduce the bad taste and odors that result from a contaminated water supply. An adsorption filter can be a countertop filter that uses a ion exchange resin, or a faucet-mounted system that uses a combination of adsorption and ion exchange resins. 

A similar process is called precoat filtration. The precoat material is usually made of loose fibres, and is added to the support structure for only a single time. While this procedure has a limited application in municipal water treatment, it can be effective in a pinch. 

Other types of filtration are the oxidizing filter. This is a good method for removing iron and manganese. Typically, these media are a ceramic material or a granular form of carbon. The pore size of the oxidized mineral will determine the size of the particle that can be captured.