Thread: DIY Ceramic Water Filters

Before It's News

http://www.homespunenvironmental.com/

Best and cheapest product I've found yet - small fraction of the price for most of the other brands...

Wow, those seem very useful.

I have been considering getting this one:
CAMP-352 - Ceramic Water Filtration System Monolithic Filter Ceramic Filter Filter Sock Spigot 0.5 Micron Efficiency

I noticed this passage in the article posted above:

If you are merely using this water filter for daily drinking or emergency preparedness, the charcoal will last much, much longer. Between the two people in my household, we consume about 1 gallon of water per day (average) for drinking and cooking. This implies that the activated charcoal can last up to 16 years before I need to replace it!

I'm not sure it's a good idea to use activated carbon filters for a long period of time. This article from Purdue University suggests that it's difficult to determine when they're shot, and they can be a breeding ground for bacteria.

AC filters have a limited lifetime. Eventually, the surface of the AC becomes filled with adsorbed pollutants, and no further treatment occurs. 'Break-through' takes place when pollutants break through the filter and emerge in the treated water. Contaminant concentrations in the treated water can possibly be even higher than those in the untreated water. The cartridge then needs to be replaced. Knowing when breakthrough will occur and when to replace the cartridge is a major problem with AC treatment.....


AC filters can be excellent places for bacteria to grow. A filter saturated with organic contaminants, or one that has not been used for a long time, provides ideal conditions for bacterial growth. A saturated filter supplies the food source for the bacteria. It is still unclear whether bacteria growing on the carbon pose a health threat. Some manufacturers place silver in the AC to prevent bacterial growth. The effectiveness of the silver has not been independently verified. In addition, the silver may contaminate the drinking water.

YMMV, and all of that, but I wouldn't push my luck with these types of filters. Most manufacturers recommend that you retire them after a certain period of time.