In modern urban living, tap water is an indispensable resource we rely on daily. Whether for drinking, cooking, or personal hygiene, water quality directly impacts health and quality of life. However, with accelerated urbanisation and the growing prominence of environmental pollution issues, tap water—despite treatment at waterworks—may still harbour potential risks. Installing domestic water purifiers has thus become a crucial choice for enhancing water safety.
I. Municipal Water Treatment and Potential Risks
Urban water treatment plants typically employ processes such as sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to remove impurities and microorganisms from water, with chlorination being the most common disinfection method. While this approach effectively eliminates bacteria and viruses, it may also produce by-products such as chloroform during treatment, which could pose health risks with prolonged consumption.
Furthermore, the journey from treatment plants to households involves extensive pipework. Aging pipes and secondary water supply systems may introduce secondary contamination, including rust, sediment, and bacterial growth.
II. The Role of Water Purifiers
Domestic water purifiers employ technologies such as physical filtration, activated carbon adsorption, and reverse osmosis to further remove residual chlorine, heavy metals, organic compounds, unpleasant odours, and discolouration from tap water. This results in purer water with improved taste. Reverse osmosis systems, in particular, effectively filter out minute impurities and certain microorganisms, making the water suitable for direct consumption.
Beyond enhancing drinking water safety, purifiers improve the taste of water used for cooking, brewing tea, and preparing soups, while reducing potential irritation to skin and hair.
III. Dual Benefits for Health and Economy
From a health perspective, long-term consumption of purified water helps reduce intake of harmful substances and lowers the risk of chronic diseases. Economically, installing a purifier proves more cost-effective than prolonged reliance on bottled water, while also being more environmentally friendly by reducing plastic waste.
IV. Installation Recommendations
When selecting a purifier, choose the type based on local water quality characteristics and household needs. Regular filter cartridge replacement is crucial for maintaining purification effectiveness. Additionally, purifiers should be used in conjunction with the municipal water supply system to provide dual safeguards.
Don't let the ‘last mile’ compromise your health! It's not too late to install a domestic tap water purifier.
When you turn on your tap each day, is the water truly ‘safe to drink’?
While water treatment plants eliminate most bacteria through disinfection, they cannot prevent the formation of trihalomethane from chlorination. Water meeting standards at the plant may become contaminated with rust, sediment, or even bacteria as it travels through decades-old pipes and secondary residential tanks. These invisible hazards seep into daily life with every sip and wash.
Installing a domestic water purifier is not overkill, but rather a safeguard for your health. It precisely filters out residual chlorine, heavy metals, and microorganisms, making your tap water safe to drink straight away. Enjoy tea without off-flavours and savour richer broths. Long-term use of purified water for washing your face also reduces skin irritation from residual chlorine. It's more convenient and cost-effective than buying bottled water.
Do not wait until water quality issues affect your family's health before regretting it. Install a purifier now and take control of your household's water safety.
Ensuring household water safety is fundamental to healthy living. Yet, faced with the myriad water purifiers on the market, many consumers find themselves overwhelmed. In truth, selecting products based on actual household needs avoids confusion over complex specifications. This article outlines two key selection approaches from a practical perspective, helping households with different needs quickly identify suitable products.
Large households: prioritise flow rate specifications For homes with larger living spaces and more occupants, water flow often slows during peak usage times. For instance, when kitchen and bathroom taps are running simultaneously, the purifier's output may noticeably decrease. Such households should focus on the device's ‘flow rate’ specification when selecting a purifier. Flow rate indicates the system's 24-hour purification capacity; a higher value signifies greater water processing volume per unit time. For instance, an 800G system delivers faster flow than a 400G model, better accommodating simultaneous usage by multiple users. Households of three or more are advised to select systems with 600G+ flow rates. Where multiple water points exist (e.g., kitchen, bathroom, utility area), consider 800G or higher capacity units.
Maternal and Infant Households: Certification Marks Outweigh Marketing Claims
Infants and young children are more susceptible to contaminants in water, including impurities, heavy metals, and bacteria. Households with babies should therefore prioritise the filtration efficacy and safety of water purifiers. While some products on the market may bear labels such as ‘suitable for mothers and infants’ or ‘baby-specific’, such claims lack uniform standards. It is advisable to rely on authoritative certifications to assist in making informed decisions.
Water Product Hygiene Approval Certificate: This is an essential qualification for water purifiers to be sold on the market, issued by health authorities. When purchasing, request the retailer to provide the certificate number and verify it through official channels.
NSF Certification: Standards established by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) enjoy global recognition. NSF 58 certification pertains to reverse osmosis systems, while NSF 42 certifies efficacy in removing residual chlorine and odours. Certified products display corresponding codes on manuals or packaging.
Domestic CQC Certification: The China Quality Certification Centre evaluates water purifiers for material safety and structural integrity. Certified products comply with relevant domestic safety regulations.
Summary: Larger households should select flow rates based on water consumption. Families with infants should prioritise verifying certification marks, then make a comprehensive judgement considering core parameters like filter cartridge costs and wastewater ratios. Before purchasing, document daily water usage scenarios (e.g., frequent soup preparation, formula preparation) and provide specific requirements to customer service for more precise recommendations. Brand and Product Recommendations for Different Household Needs
—After defining core requirements, further refine choices based on brand technical capabilities, product features, and after-sales service.
Tap Water Purifier Selection Guide for Different Budgets
I. Entry-Level Models (¥500–1000): Meets Basic Filtration Needs
Suitable for tenants, budget-conscious households, or those seeking improved drinking water taste. Primarily addresses residual chlorine, sediment, and odour issues.
- Recommended Type: Pre-filter + activated carbon cartridge combination
- Core Function: Filters large particles (e.g., rust, sediment), adsorbs residual chlorine and odours, enhances drinking water taste - Suitable Scenarios: For drinking water filtration only (e.g., tea brewing, coffee preparation). Not recommended for direct consumption; must be boiled before drinking
II. Value-for-Money Option (¥1000-2000): Balancing Safety and Practicality
Suitable for three-person households prioritising cost-effectiveness, requiring both direct drinking water and basic daily use (e.g., washing vegetables, rinsing rice).
- Recommended Type: RO Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier (400G-600G Flow Rate)
- Core Functionality: Filters heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury, arsenic), bacteria, viruses, organic compounds, etc., producing water suitable for direct consumption; moderate flow rate meets household needs for daily drinking and basic cooking water.
- Additional Benefits: Most models feature filter life alerts for convenient replacement; select units support mobile app monitoring of water quality and filter status
III. Premium Models (Over ¥2000): Comprehensive Quality Assurance
Suitable for larger households, those with stringent water quality requirements, or homes requiring whole-house purification (e.g., washing, bathing, laundry).
- Recommended configuration: RO reverse osmosis purifier (800G+ high-flow rate) + whole-house central purification system
- Core functions:
1. High-flow RO unit: Rapid water delivery for simultaneous multi-point usage (e.g., kitchen taps, living room bar-style dispensers), extended cartridge lifespan reducing replacement frequency
2. Whole-house central water purifier: Filters impurities and residual chlorine from all household water sources, safeguarding appliances like water heaters and washing machines while improving skin-contact water quality to reduce dryness and irritation
- Additional benefits: Certain models incorporate UV sterilisation for enhanced water safety; after-sales services often include complimentary installation and regular on-site maintenance checks.
Purchase recommendations: Larger households may prioritise flow rate and whole-house filtration combinations. Families with infants should focus on product certifications and filter precision. When purchasing, consider local water conditions (e.g., scale removal for northern regions) and after-sales service coverage for comprehensive decision-making.
A Brief Discussion on the Application of Activated Carbon in Water Treatment
What is Activated Carbon? What Are Its Categories?
Drinking “fake purified water” for three years! These hard-learned lessons ring all too true.
Why can reverse osmosis equipment purify water? The key lies in these major components – stop choosing blindly.
