What Is The Difference Between Purified And Filtered Water?

Water, if it’s not clean already, can be hard to consume and it can lead to a lot of health issues. This is where the treatment of water comes in and saves the day. You can get treated water from bottled water home delivery service or have it filtered at home. Is there a difference between them? Yes, here is everything you need to know about purified water and filtered water.

The Origin

There are different origins of water. Water might be coming from wells, reservoirs, certain supply companies, and more. The origin of filtered and purified water is pretty much the same, but can also be different and the impurities can differ as well based on where the water is coming from.

It can either come by well or spring water or it can also be coming from dedicated supply companies. There is no specific rhyme or reason as to which water comes from where because the main difference between purified and filtered water is how each type of water is treated.

The Impurities

The impurities can also differ or be the same, but the type of impurities present in the water, will ensure the type of method which will be used to remove said impurities.

Filtered Water

Filtered water, or water that should be filtered, should have decently large impurities so that they can get trapped in the filter mesh when being treated. So, particles of sand, small chunks of suspended metals, and more should be present in water that is to be filtered.

Purified Water

Water that needs to be purified usually contains dissolved impurities that can’t be removed by physical methods. There are different methods in which chemicals can be used to remove these impurities.

The impurities can include calcium and magnesium, which can make the water hard, chlorine which is hard to remove physically so chemical methods are employed, bacteria and viruses that need to be treated with certain things to make the water safe and potable, etc. These impurities are present in the water in dissolved form, rather than in a suspension, so you’re going to need a bit more effort to remove them.

The Process Of Treatment

This is where the main difference plays a huge role and the methods of purification or treatment are what sets purified and filtered water apart.

Filtered Water

Filtered water is water that is made potable and clean using physical filters in a water filtration system Meadville. Filters are like cylinders and they’re lined on the inside with either meshes or filter paper of different micron sizes, and these things are responsible for removing all of the suspended impurities from the water.

The water enters from the top and it passes through different meshes, before draining out at the bottom, leaving you with potable, clean, and safe water for use around the house and drinking and cooking purposes.

Purified Water

Purified water is water that is treated through different chemical and physical processes. These processes can include the following:

  • Dichlorination is the process of removal of chlorine from the water to get rid of the pungent and bleachy taste.
  • Desalination is the process of removing excess salt from the water.
  • Reverse osmosis, which removes very small impurities from the water, through a semipermeable membrane.
  • Water softening removes calcium and magnesium salts from the water.
  • Distillation is a process that removes almost everything from the water including viruses, bacteria, and even different compounds.
  • Deionization, which is the removal of unwanted ions from the water.

The Usability

Now that you know what filtered and purified water is, it is important to cover the usability of each type of water and how useful they are after the treatment process.

Filtered Water

Filtered water, if there’s no hardness in it (presence of excessive calcium and magnesium salts), then you can use the water straight away from the filter.

Filtered water is a safe option for drinking if you don’t want to boil water and waste a lot of time. It can also be used around the house for cooking, cleaning, washing the clothes and dishes and even bathing.

Purified Water

Purified water can also be used for the same things, but for purified water to be treated in the first place, there must be no physical impurities present in it, like sand and suspended particles of metal, otherwise, the treatment equipment can get damaged.

So, if your water needs filtration as well as purification, then you might need to get both systems installed in your home because one treatment method is just not going to cut it.

The Price

Price is a key factor to consider when you’re looking for different water treatment methods. Firstly, you need to be able to identify what type of treatment system you need for your water.

You can easily get your water tested for impurities or you can also request for a water report from your supply company, and they will usually give you pretty accurate results. You don’t want to blindly select a treatment system, because it’ll just be a waste of money.

Filtered Water

Filtered water is a bit more reasonable in price, even with the addition of the cost of extra filter changes, because you don’t need a lot of equipment to set up a filter and it can start work almost immediately after installation.

Purified Water

As for purified water, you’re going to have to spend a bit more because the purifying treatment systems are complex and they need to have a proper assembly to work efficiently and perfectly.

In some cases of very bad water contamination, you might need to invest in both of the treatment systems because for the purifying systems to work, you’ll need to have filtered water, so both systems become a necessity.

Maintenance Of Equipment

Last but not least, you can’t select a water treatment system without talking about the maintenance side of things.

Filtered Water

Water filters are really easy and less expensive to maintain. There’s not a lot you need to fix in water filters.

You only have to change up the meshes or filter paper inside the cylindrical filter, or in a worst-case scenario, you’ll have to change the entire filter because it’s been too long. Other than that, there really isn’t a lot of maintenance that goes into water filters.

Purified Water

Purified water comes with a lot of maintenance. Since water can only be purified using special and mechanized equipment, they’re bound to break down and you’re going to need professional help to get them fixed.

There are a lot of parts in different water treatment systems that could require some attention, especially after a reasonable time has passed. And if you don’t repair them soon enough then the purification can be altered and you’ll visibly see a difference in how the water is getting cleaned.

So, if you have purifying systems, like RO plants, water softeners, etc., then you need to commit to maintaining them regularly.

Conclusion

Purified and filtered water are two of the most common types of water used by people for daily use so their comparison is a good thing because you can make the right choice in the end. If you don’t want to install a water filtration system for purified water, order it from a drinking water delivery service Erie.