Few laymen are familiar with the issue of water filters, which is much more complicated than it might seem at first glance. Unfortunately, this is often abused by dishonest sellers or even fraudsters. They try to impose overpriced products on customers, which not only do not improve the quality of water, but can even produce water unsuitable for consumption from otherwise high-quality water. So how not to be fooled and get to know a really qualified seller of drinking water filters?
Each water treatment and filtration system must be based on a lab analysis and be tailored to each customer separately. If a salesperson is trying to pitch you some miracle water treatment product that will solve all your problems, they are a scammer. And for two reasons:
Unprofessional intervention can devalue your source of drinking water.
The fact that the seller will offer you a water analysis is not in itself a guarantee that it is a truly professional analysis. It is very common practice that an "expert", more precisely a door-to-door seller, will offer you a water analysis right at your home and for free. It sounds tempting, but be smart. Analyzes are usually done in labs and are never cheap.
So, if someone does an analysis while waiting on the spot, it is probably a scam - using simple chemical reactions, sellers try to color or cloud the water and show you how extremely polluted it is. Such an "analysis" is of course just an excuse to sell water filters, data is manipulated and does not correspond to reality.
If you use water from water supply system, you can usually obtain up-to-date data on its composition directly from the supplier, so you do not need to do any analysis. However, for your own water source, you must order a professional water analysis yourself in an accredited lab.
However, it must be an independent laboratory, not a test offered to you by a water filter seller. Do not even rely on various home tests, which are highly inaccurate and do not provide comprehensive and useful information.
Professional water analysis is done in an accredited lab, never directly in your home.
If you had a professional water analysis carried out, consult a professional company about the next procedure. They will help you with requirements for individual substances contained in drinking water. You should pay attention not only to the maximum values, but also to the minimum values, which are set, for example, for some minerals. These are vital for the human body, and their sub-limit values can represent a health risk.
The results of drinking water analysis will provide you with data on the concentrations of approximately 100 different substances - both beneficial and harmful. These can generally be divided into 3 groups:
If the water analysis really proves that your drinking water contains above-limit concentrations of harmful substances, contact several companies and compare their offer. A qualified seller will need:
If they does not request this information, they are no a truly professional seller. Be interested not only in acquisition costs, but also in operating costs, maintenance and difficulty of operation. Ask the seller for proof that their offered solution meets hygiene standards and that the product in question has been accepted by an accredited lab.
If you don't have a problem with the quality of water, there is no reason to treat or filter it.
In general, water quality in Europe is generally high and hygiene standards are strict. Water from water plants is under strict scrutiny, and layman intervention in its composition could have a negative impact on the quality of your water. Any fear that the water from the supplier could be contaminated or harmful to health is therefore completely unfounded.
Water from own sources, on the other hand, must always be treated, as the well or borehole owner you are responsible for its quality. However, this must be preceded by water analysis and a professional design of a tailor-made filtration system.
We recommend doing a water analysis:
Unfortunately, even today there are still many fraudsters and unqualified or dishonest sellers who do not hesitate to use various unfair business practices to sell their products. Do not be deceived or tempted by advertising and consult with experts before choosing a filter and water treatment plant. Otherwise, there is a risk that, at best, you will pay huge price for non-functioning devices, and at worst, you will devaluate your source of drinking water.