The Filters that Refresh

The Filters that Refresh

Home water filters don't all attack the same problems, so it's important to have your water tested before you choose a filter. Your options include:

Physical filters: Designed to sift out particles such as dirt, sediment, and rust, these filters are usually made of fabric, fiber, ceramic, or other screening. They may be effective enough to remove particles as small as asbestos fibers, but they can't screen out all suspect organisms and so shouldn't be relied upon to filter microbiologically contaminated waters.

Activated carbon filters: These may improve your water's smell, taste, and appearance by removing some organic chemical contaminants. But they don't eliminate salts, metals, and most inorganic chemicals and should not be relied upon to treat water containing problem organisms. To avoid becoming sodden with chemical and bacterial impurities, they need to be changed at regular intervals.

Reverse osmosis units: These systems have water pass through a membrane and collect in a storage tank. They are largely effective in removing most inorganic chemicals, including salts, lead, and other metals, asbestos, minerals, nitrates, and some organic chemicals. But they waste about 75 percent of the tap water run through them and slow the flow of water. The membranes also are susceptible to decay and failure and need periodic replacement.

Distillation units: Bu vaporizing water and then condensing it, these units eliminate most dissolved solids, including salts, metals, minerals, asbestos fibers, particles, and some organic chemicals. But they're not effective against all chemical impurities and bacteria, and the heating will raise energy bills.

Ultraviolet disinfection:Destroys bacteria and viruses. But it can't eliminate most chemical polluants and, unless disinfection is regularly maintained, dissolved and suspended solids may keep the water from receiving enough exposure to ultraviolet light to be healthy.

New York 42th street. Photo by Elena.

Fact File: Art for safety's sake

Not all art supplies are safe to use, especially by children:

• Powdered clay is both toxic and an irritant. Talc-free, pre-mixed clay is a good alternative.
• Permanent felt-tip markers may be toxic. Use water-based markers.
• Epoxy glue is flammable and an irritant. Substitute white or yellow glue, school paste, or certain glue sticks.
• Instant papier mâché is toxic and irritates. Newspaper and a simple flour paste will do just fine.

Accidents Do Happen

The National Safety Council reports that about 25,000 Americans die from accidents in the home every year. Falls cause nearly one-third of those deaths; fires and burns about a fifth, and all other types, about half. More than a third of those killed were 75 or older. Persons 25 to 44 make up about about a fifth; children under 5 about one-tenth. Among the leading causes of accidental death in the home are falls (includes deaths from falls from one level to another – stairs, ladder, roof, etc., and falls from the same level), poisoning by solids and liquids (includes death from drugs, medicines, mushrooms, shellfish, commonly recognized poisons. Excludes poisonings from spoiled foods, salmonella, etc. Those are classified as disease deaths. Fires, burns, deaths associated with fires (includes deaths from fires, burns,injuries in conflagrations in the home such as asphyxiation, falls, being struck by falling objects. Excludes burns from hot objects or liquids. Suffocation-ingested object (includes deaths from unintentional ingestion or inhalation of objects or food resulting in the obstruction of respiratory passages. Firearms (Includes firearms injuries in or on home premises – such as while cleaning or playing with guns. Excludes deaths from explosive materials.