The Coronavirus Pandemic has reset what is considered “normal” and just like it has influenced every facet of our lives, it has influenced what we must prioritize in order to purchase a water purifier for our home. It has also increased the need for water purifiers as manual purification involves using our hands and the idea is to minimize it. So let’s go over what are the pointers to bear in mind while researching your purchase.
1. Check the TDS levels in your water supply
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TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solids. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), it is the term used to describe the inorganic salts and small amounts of organic matter present in solution in water. The principal constituents are usually calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium cations and carbonate, hydrogen carbonate, chloride, sulfate, and nitrate anions.
The primary sources for TDS in receiving waters are agricultural runoff and residential (urban) runoff, clay-rich mountain waters, leaching of soil contamination, and point source water pollution discharge from industrial or sewage treatment plants.
You can use a basic TDS meter to check the TDS level in your water from time to time. It is, in fact, a must to use one especially if you don’t have a water purifier that purifies your water supply. For instance, if the odor or taste of water turns to something grossly different, you can confirm the TDS level – any steep rise in TDS level may indicate that there is contaminated water in your water supply.
So, you must check your water supply from time to time. According to the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards), if your water supply has a TDS level greater than 500 ppm, then you should use a high-end purifier like an RO (Reverse Osmosis) purifier.
2. Purification Technique
In UV (Ultraviolet) purification, the water is exposed to a good quality UV lamp which eliminates 99% of microbes including bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. However, the microbial debris needs to be cleaned up using a UF (ultrafiltration) purification technique. Usually, RO, UF, and UV or equivalent purification techniques work in tandem in the new age water purifiers.
Keeping the pandemic in mind, we recommend that you go for a water purifier that incorporates UV purification as you would get extra protection from nasties like the Coronavirus.
3. The storage capacity of the purifier
If you live in a small family, then going for a water purifier with high capacity may be overkill. If you live in a big family, there is no point in purchasing and installing a water purifier with low storage capacity as it simply would not cater to your needs.
Another thing to consider in this context is if you are going to use the output of the water purifier for drinking and cooking alone or for the whole house. If you are choosing to use purified water for the whole house, then you would definitely need a purifier with a large capacity. Do make it a point to note down the maximum duty cycle of your purifier which is the amount of water it can purify in a day.
4. Quality of material used
If plastic is used, it should be food-grade, non-toxic, and sturdy to handle the wear and tear of water purifier use. There is no point in going for a water purifier that adds toxins to your water supply while claiming to eliminate contaminants from the incoming water supply.
It should also be lightweight and portable if you are going to be moving a lot during the life of the purifier. As for the life of a good purifier, it can last you a good decade or more if you take care of it with timely and proper servicing.
5. Electricity supply
If the electricity in the place you live is erratic and unreliable, there is no point going for a high-end water purifier that relies on a steady supply of electricity. In such a case, you can opt for gravity-based water purifiers. Alternatively, consider moving to a place with a steady supply if you do not want to compromise on the quality of water you consume.
6. Safe Installation and servicing following Covid-19 protocols
One cannot be too careful during a pandemic like the Covid-19 pandemic we are all battling. It is best to choose a purifier which promises you safe installation where the installation personnel practices the Covid-19 protocols such as mandatory use of gloves and masks, regular sanitization of hands, daily temperature screening, social distancing with zero contact, and technicians who are trained regularly on best hygiene practices.
So choose brands that put in an explicit effort to train and manage the installation and service personnel with the aforementioned protocols. Check their website or find out on a call if they are training their employees to follow Covid-19 protocols.
