I did not create this website to sell you a water filter.  My primary goal has always been to provide reliable tools and resources that will help you select the most effective, reliable and best overall value water treatment method for your specific needs --- whatever they might be --- and avoid the innumerable scams that can be found on many sites.  However, if you decide to invest in a high quality solid block activated carbon water treatment system after reviewing the content on my site, I have a recommendation for you to consider discussed below.

Although I do promote a specific product, the content on my site is as accurate and unbiased as I can make it with respect to contaminant characteristics and health risks and the pros and cons of the different water treatment methods I discuss.  I encourage you to double-check my conclusions with other independent, reliable sources and never depend on a single reference (particularly from the marketer) when making an important decision that may well impact your health and the health of your family.

That said, I developed my website as a result of the research on water quality and treatment methods I initiated in late 1996 when we had to switch from well water to Denver municipal water.  My wife and I had a young son, and we wanted to ensure high quality water for our family.  Denver water is high quality, but we had two concerns - we were worried that the new water source might possibly dissolve lead from the pipes and fixtures in our old house, and most chlorinated water contains some disinfection byproducts which may, over many years, slightly increase the risk of getting several types of cancers.

We purchased bulk bottled water for a time, but it became obvious very quickly that the long-term costs were high - and hauling heavy bottles around was a nuisance.  At that point I began to research Point of Use water treatment systems.  In the mid 1990s there were very few unbiased online resources available that summarized everything I needed to know about drinking water and treatment methods to make an informed decision.  Search engines were in their infancy, so my research consisted of digging deeply into both online and library resources as well as my old chemistry text books.

One of the discoveries I made early on was that there is not one perfect water treatment solution for all water situations.   

• First, every water source has a different mix of contaminants - some are harmful, some are beneficial and some are just a nuisance.  Also, some contaminants are beneficial at low levels but are harmful or a nuisance if present in higher concentrations.
• Next, everyone has their own level of risk tolerance - a treatment solution that satisfies one person may be too aggressive for someone else or not effective enough for another.

• Finally, when comparing different treatment methods and specific products, there are always trade-offs that must be considered.  These characteristics include:

  • which contaminants a particular treatment process will remove;
  • how effectively each treatment process removes each contaminant;
  • the complexity and frequency of required maintenance;
  • special requirements like electricity (for distillation, UV and Ozone) or water pressure (for RO);
  • the independently certified effectiveness of a specific treatment product to reduce specific contaminants;
  • the quality of the components, warranties, reviews, etc.;
  • the initial price of the treatment system under consideration;
  • the ongoing costs - all legitimate treatment methods require a continuing investment.

My research convinced me that a solid block activated carbon (SBAC) Point of Use filtration system with sub-micron pores would provided the best balance of characteristics for my needs and risk tolerance.  Although distillation and reverse osmosis are able to reduce levels of a greater number of inorganic contaminants than activated carbon, there did not appear to be significant levels of any harmful inorganic contaminants in Denver water.  Lead can be a potential contaminant in older homes like mine, but the system I chose was certified to significantly reduce lead.

In 1996 the best filtration system I could find was manufactured by Multipure - their SBAC filter cartridge:

• was large and provided effective filtration for the contaminants we were concerned about as well as many that could potentially contaminant water because of accidents;
• had 0.5 micron pores that were too small to allow bacterial growth within the filter and would reduced cysts, asbestos fibers and turbidity if needed;
• was certified by NSF to significantly reduce more contaminants than other activated carbon filters on the market;
• came with a virtually indestructible stainless steel housing;
• only required a filter cartridge change about once a year for the amount of treated water I anticipated using;
• cost about $0.06 to filter a gallon of water (it's about $0.07 - $0.08 a gallon in 2015). 
• did not require electricity like distillation or waste water like RO and, unlike distillation and RO, it filtered water as needed.

When I purchased our Multipure filtration system I signed up to be a distributor.  The company was reputable, produced a very effective product, there were no requirements to purchase inventory or meet sales goals, and distributors received a discount on the filtration system.  I have been a satisfied Multipure user and distributor ever since.  Today Multipure continues to produce high quality water filtration systems as rated by Consumer Reports and certified by NSF. 

The detailed research I conducted while searching for the best water treatment system resulted in a considerable amount of information about drinking water quality, contaminants and treatment options from all the sources I could find.  Shortly after purchasing my filtration system I decided to assemble the accumulated resources into my own website so others searching for information on drinking water treatment systems would not have to do as much digging.

The quality and quantity of information currently on the Internet about drinking water quality, safety and treatment methods is much greater today than when I was searching for facts in 1996.  Unfortunately, the amount of hype, fiction and fraudulent information that's available has increased even more.  Consequently, much of my recent new web content has focused on the importance of science and providing techniques to identify and avoid specific drinking water-related scams - as well as other kinds of deceptive marketing practices.  As noted above, my goal is to provide only accurate information that is as unbiased as possible, without the marketing hype and false promises that clutter cyberspace.

--- Filtration System Recommendation ---

If you have carefully evaluated your water treatment needs, understand the available options, and would like details about the Multipure SBAC filtration system my family and I use, I provide comprehensive product information and ordering details here.  I used to offer custom, 25 oz. stainless steel Fill Your Own At Home refillable water bottles free with purchase, but Multipure rules have changed, and I can no longer offer them for free.  However, the bottles are still available for $5.00, which includes shipping to locations in the continental U.S.

The bottom line:  Shop wisely for a water treatment product that will be the best value for your specific needs.  Do not believe (or rely exclusively on) any marketing propaganda from any source without carefully checking and validating all performance claims yourself.  If product claims seem to be too good to be true, it is almost certain they are false.  Valid water treatment methods and products will only reduce specified contaminants - no product is capable of making water that's better absorbed, more energetic, healthier or able to cure disease any better than ordinary water from an effective standard treatment method.

Remember, it is your health and the health of your family that's at stake by making a well informed choice on a water treatment product.