Clean and Clear

Aug 13, 2023

Bottled water has become increasingly popular in recent years as consumers become more aware of contaminants in public drinking water, with especially extreme cases in cities like Flint, Michigan. Many people in the New Orleans area and beyond are turning to whole-house water filtration systems to improve the quality of their drinking water. But safer drinking water is not the only reason to consider adding a whole-house filtration system.

Julio Torres, the owner of Torres Water Company, said the first step in installing a whole-house water filtration system is contacting a professional and describing your unique home or situation. PH levels, water softness or hardness, and chlorine levels in water will vary even from parish to parish in the Greater New Orleans Area.

For example, Torres said Orleans Parish adds more calcium carbonate to its water in an effort keep water mains from breaking as frequently. However, for home owners, the extra minerals in the water can cause problems. Torres said the "harder" water in Orleans Parish often wreaks havoc on things like ice makers in refrigerators. It also leads to more spots on dishes and glasses after washing them.

A whole-house water filtration system would take the extra minerals out of the water and make it softer. Aside from the previously mentioned benefits, softer water also makes housekeeping easier. It reduces the amount of scale and grime in tubs, showers and sinks, so that means less time scrubbing the tub.

Speaking of tubs and showers, Torres said softer water is also easier on the skin and is helpful for people suffering from eczema or other skin disorders.

"Harsh minerals are like sandpaper on your skin," Torres said.

Torres said softer water will also make home appliances last longer. One example of this is a water heater, which will both last longer and heat water faster with a whole-house filtration system. The minerals in hard water will wear down the water heater, and Torres said warranties for water heaters do not cover damage from hard water.

And even if a homeowner is content to drink bottled water instead of tap water, there are still other potential problems to consider. Torres, who worked as a pharmacist before entering the water filtration business, said it is worse to bathe in contaminated water than to drink it. Bathing causes skin to absorb carcinogens in the water and showering vaporizes the water, which causes people to inhale carcinogens in the water.

The Centers for Disease Control (cdc.gov) lists pros and cons for whole-house water filtration systems on its website. For pros, it highlighted the fact that treatment is applied to all water entering a house, and that a whole-house system is particularly important for battling hard water and volatile organic compounds. For cons, the CDC mentioned the potential need for modification to a home's plumbing system and the possible need for professional maintenance.

The CDC states that water can contain contaminates despite EPA regulations. It added that if homeowners want to get individual filters for specific faucets, they should always make sure the filter is NSF-certified. NSF (nsf.org) is an independent organization that develops public health standards for products.

Francesca Brennan, a relator with Entablature Realty, said the cost of installing a whole-house water filtration system is lower than other "healthy home" upgrades including whole-house HVAC purification systems and solar panels (although the cost of solar panels is going down due to local and federal grants).

Torres said his systems typically run between $3,500 and $6,500. Costs will vary depending on the system and the size of the family using it. A family of six will consume more water for drinking, washing clothes, and so forth, so the water filtration system will need to be adjusted accordingly

"A whole-house water filtration system is a relatively inexpensive way to start on your healthy home journey," Brennan said.

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