Portable Water Filters: A Guide

Water filtration involves the removal of impurities from water by either using a fine physical barrier, using chemical reactants or a biological process, or a combination of these three methods. Some of the applications of water filtration include irrigation; provision of potable water, cleaner swimming pools as well as for ensuring water for food processing conforms to the prescribed mineral levels. You can view my review here, check it out!

Water filters can be media filters, disk filters, slow sand filter beds, rapid sand filters, cloth filters or biological filters such as algae scrubbers.

It is handy to have portable filters to produce "drinkable" or potable water during earthquakes and similar humanitarian emergencies. On the less dramatic front, hikers or campers can have a safe source of drinking water with a portable filter system. At home, when tap water is suspect or when the source is an artesan well, water can be rendered safer with portable filtration equipment. The military relies on portable filters as standard "backpack equipment", especially for infantry in the field. To gather more great tips on water filters, click here

Portable filters are usually small and weigh less than one kilogram. Water passes into a flexible silicon tube and forced through a special membrane with the "treated" water collected in a clean container. The filters do not only screen for solid impurities but work to remove bacteria, protozoa, and/or microbial cysts which could be harmful to the drinker and cause him to get sick. These filters are usually made of fine meshes thereby requiring regular cleaning to work properly or periodic replacement as these get easily clogged. For ceramic type filters, the exterior must be abraded when the filter gets clogged with impurities.

Water filters must not be confused with devices or tablets used to kill viruses (e.g., hepatitis and rotavirus) and disinfect water. In some cases, users are provided guidelines in the further treatment of the filtered water using disinfectants.

The manufacture and distribution of portable water filters requires that the products meet specified performance standards. The filters must comply to prescribed specifications for material and structural integrity of the filtration equipment / apparatus, removal of identified contaminates detrimental to the health, as well aesthetic effects (water taste and/or appearance). In the United States, these are provided by the American National Standards Institute and/or the national Science Foundation. The US Environmental Protection Agency also have specifications prescribed for drinking water.

Manufacturers have to get certified that they comply to these standards. Verification of compliance is carried out through companies or agencies duly authorized to conduct the same, who in turn issue the certification accordingly. Such certification is noted on the product labels for the guidance of the consumer or user. These agencies can be reached by the end user to clear doubts on product compliance / performance. Kindly click this link http://www.ehow.com/list_7615927_drinking-water-filters.html for more facts about water filters.