Water Filters

[Derby6]

I know filters are necessary,
Please help me sort out real life fact from hype.

I am in the NOT necessary camp. Never have used one to date. Like many we drink bottled water -- Cooking we used both bottled and from the tap.
I have considered adding a filter and if I ever do it would likely be the simple blue inline one like the one Kirk pictured in post #20.

Water in many locations has a high amount of arsenic in it, which causes problems to remove and makes water more expensive.

Arsenic cannot be removed with simple filtration. It requires complex reverse osmosis or other systems. Really doesn't fit in a water filter thread.

some areas have levels that exceed the safe drinking water standard of 10 micrograms per liter (mcg/L).

This is Alaska Problem too. But let's be clear. 10 Parts Per Million (PPM) or 10 micrograms per liter (mcg/L) is the limit now. The US average is around 5 PPM. The standard was 50 PPM until EPA got it reduced to 10 PPM in 2001 taking effect in 2006. Any system serving over 25 households needs to be tested. So unless a private well specifically is tested they don't know arsenic levels.

I lived in a house that averaged 28 PPM and raised 2 kids. I have since moved and the subdivision is still out of compliance to date. Everyone is just fine other than tens/Hundreds of thousands of peoples money have gone to try and fix the issue--Its better, but still above 10 PPM. This is just another example of over-regulation.

 

[zulutron]

Arsenic cannot be removed with simple filtration. It requires complex reverse osmosis or other systems. Really doesn't fit in a water filter thread.

I've used this under-the-sink Reverse Osmosis (RO) system is all three of the RVs I've owned. It's a pretty straight-forward system most DIYers can install. A great alternative to bottled water and it filters out arsenic along with a host of other hazardous substances.

I lived in a house that averaged 28 PPM and raised 2 kids. I have since moved and the subdivision is still out of compliance to date. Everyone is just fine other than tens/Hundreds of thousands of peoples money have gone to try and fix the issue--Its better, but still above 10 PPM. This is just another example of over-regulation.

So you, your kids, and several? hundreds? of neighbors haven't dropped dead or been rushed to the hospital and everything's hunky dory?

Low levels of arsenic cause long-term health effects that you're not likely to see after just gulping one glass of tap water.

 

[Wasillaguy]

Arsenic in many toothpastes, hair dye, covid jabs, tampons, tattoo ink, baby formula, and girl scout cookies too.

Dartmouth website says-
"Studies in animal species provide strong evidence that arsenic is an essential trace element – at least for birds and mammals. When researchers completely eliminated arsenic from the diets of animals in experiments, the animals became ill; some developed reproductive problems. The offspring of these arsenic-deprived adults were born with developmental problems. Putting a small amount of arsenic back into the animals’ diets completely reversed these effects."

 

[Derby6]

Low levels of arsenic cause long-term health effects that you're not likely to see after just gulping one glass of tap water.

You say it causes health effects. My research says and my belief is it May cause or Can cause health effects. It is what it is —folks can make up their own mind.
I rode in back of pickups, Drank from garden hoses, rode bicycles with no helmets, and served on several combat deployments to name a few “risks”. I’ll take my chances with arsenic. LOL

 

[Boat Bum]

We used to ride our bikes in the cloud behind the trucks spraying for mosquitos, we thought it was cool.

 

[garyb1st]

Thanks Kirk, I'll remove the one on the Pace.

 

[Derby6]

Maybe just use that one as a sediment filter? I mean it’s already there and probably only needs changed annually or semi annually unless your full timing. (Cheaper than buying new in line filters)
Just a thought / Idea.

 

[Babe2201]

We used to ride our bikes in the cloud behind the trucks spraying for mosquitos, we thought it was cool.

Well that explains a few things...

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

I use a canister filter attached to my water hose at the CG spigot, and the onboard canister filter that my RV has running all water, city or tank, through. We bring one-gallon water bottles with us for coffee, and bottled water for drinking (the only reason we even bother with bottled is that it is handy to grab and go for hikes, kayaking, and biking). We have no problem with the water system for brushing our teeth, taking medications, washing up, and yeah, occasionally a glass of water.

 

[Kirk]

I'll remove the one on the Pace.

Before you buy another filter like the one that you are now using, why don't you take a look at what Lowe's or a similar store carry and the prices. The much larger filter that is built into the RV will last longer and be more convenient. Nothing wrong with what you are doing but I'm cheap so think that you might be also.

 

[garyb1st]

Nothing wrong with what you are doing but I'm cheap so think that you might be also.

I call it thrifty or maybe common sense.

 

[Boat Bum]

We call it Yankee frugality.

 

[Trivet]

We've been fulltiming for over 20 years at this point.

Unlike most, we never hook up to city water and instead always fill the tank and draw from that. We don't filter the water coming in to the tank, and figure the chlorine in tap water is a good thing even though water doesn't stay in our tank very long.

The motorhome came with one of those one-filter things that goes to the drinking water faucet next to the sink. We put a cheap filter in that and drink from that spigot and it tastes fine. We never use bottled water for drinking or cooking or ice or the Sodastream or anything.

I grew up in a town that had the foulest tasting water imaginable. Visitors from out of town would order iced tea at a restaurant and wonder what the **** they got. I used my one-filter drinking water thing with water there and was shocked that what came out of the drinking water spigot tasted fine. I can't believe all it takes is that one filter because I'm telling you, that water is foul tasting.

 

[Gr8bawana]

I've used this under-the-sink Reverse Osmosis (RO) system is all three of the RVs I've owned. It's a pretty straight-forward system most DIYers can install. A great alternative to bottled water and it filters out arsenic along with a host of other hazardous substances.


So you, your kids, and several? hundreds? of neighbors haven't dropped dead or been rushed to the hospital and everything's hunky dory?

Low levels of arsenic cause long-term health effects that you're not likely to see after just gulping one glass of tap water.

We can't live being afraid of everything that MIGHT happen. You would never leave your house. Even then you'd be afraid of what MIGHT happen to you inside your own house.
If doing the things I've been doing for the last 60+ years like no water filters or drinking from a garden hose, which even now days I don't own a "drinking water safe" hose for the RV won't kill me in the next 40 years, I don't care.

 

[Wasillaguy]

Chlorinated/chloraminated water kills beneficial bacteria along with the nasty stuff. It will kill an active sourdough culture. That means it will also thwart the microbiome in your gut. A standard filter removes it.
Filtering water is not a fear of what might happen, it's a response to what I see happening with my own eyes.

 

[zulutron]

We can't live being afraid of everything that MIGHT happen. You would never leave your house. Even then you'd be afraid of what MIGHT happen to you inside your own house.
If doing the things I've been doing for the last 60+ years like no water filters or drinking from a garden hose, which even now days I don't own a "drinking water safe" hose for the RV won't kill me in the next 40 years, I don't care.

You said all this in Post #7. Read my reply again.

 

[zulutron]

Chlorinated/chloraminated water kills beneficial bacteria along with the nasty stuff. It will kill an active sourdough culture. That means it will also thwart the microbiome in your gut. A standard filter removes it.
Filtering water is not a fear of what might happen, it's a response to what I see happening with my own eyes.

Depends on the type of filter.

 

[NY_Dutch]

Chlorinated/chloraminated water kills beneficial bacteria along with the nasty stuff. It will kill an active sourdough culture. That means it will also thwart the microbiome in your gut. A standard filter removes it.
Filtering water is not a fear of what might happen, it's a response to what I see happening with my own eyes.

We use a whole house style filter with an element that uses a 5-micron polypropylene filter for sticks and stones, followed by a 1-micron activated charcoal filter that reduces chlorine taste, our primary interest in filtering. We also use a smaller activated charcoal filter on the kitchen faucet to reduce any remaining chlorine taste even more. Having spent most of our lives drinking excellent quality well water, while we can appreciate what chlorine does health wise, for taste, we do prefer to remove it for the "last mile" to the faucet.

 

[grashley]

I'm cheap so think that you might be also.

I call it thrifty or maybe common sense.

We call it Yankee frugality.

I will accept any of those titles!

I grew up in a town that had the foulest tasting water imaginable. Visitors from out of town would order iced tea at a restaurant and wonder what the **** they got. I used my one-filter drinking water thing with water there and was shocked that what came out of the drinking water spigot tasted fine. I can't believe all it takes is that one filter because I'm telling you, that water is foul tasting.

Perchance, would that town be Leon Iowa? I went to college nearby, and it had the nastiest tasting and smelling water I have ever experienced.

 

[Trivet]

Perchance, would that town be Leon Iowa?

Nope, it's in West Texas.

But if I'm ever near Leon, Iowa, I'll make a point to try the water.