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Fighting Plastic Water Pollution One UV Filter at a Time

The amount of plastic water bottle pollution in the planet’s oceans has increased dramatically during the last century and seems to be an ever-growing issue even to this day.

As much as the United States and Europe try to combat this issue, China seems to be losing the battle with plastic water bottle pollution, as five of its rivers are in the top 10 most polluted waters in the world.

No continent is perfect, however, and the issue seems to have authorities going in circles. They keep increasing taxes and passing laws but to no avail. As such, it is up to us as individuals to do our part in saving the environment.

To get a full understanding of how big this issue is, let’s take a look at the current situation as of 2020. Despite the prolonged global quarantine, people staying home, etc., pollution rates haven’t gone down as much as environmentalists would have wanted. But first, let’s look at why plastic water bottle pollution can represent such a major threat.

 

plastic bottle in body of water 

 

Plastic Water Bottle Pollution Stats 

You probably know by now that plastic takes up to 1,000 years to decompose. But why is that? The reason is as simple as it is complex: plastic bottles are made out of large amounts of fossil fuels. The resulting type of plastic is called polyethylene terephthalate, or PET as it’s much wider known.

But the issue doesn’t end there. Transporting water bottles takes an even more serious toll on the planet, as petroleum is required to power the trucks. You know the drill, cars burning fossil fuels increases CO2 in the atmosphere, which inherently creates small holes in the ozone layer. But just as bad as throwing plastic in the ocean, more than 80% of plastic bottles end up in landfills.

That’s a lot of waste. So much so, that one can’t help but wonder about all the things we could do with all that wasted material. In any case, long story short, plastic bottles bring more disadvantages than advantages. We would encourage you to reuse your plastic bottle, but not even reusing them is all that advantageous. Plastic molecules tend to detach from the bottle into the liquid that’s stored inside of it. And ingesting plastic… that brings a whole new world of disadvantages.

 

What Can We Do to Fight Plastic Water Bottle Pollution?

The simplest thing you can do is getting a reusable bottle. However, you’ll need a clean water source for that, and bottles with integrated filters are expensive and don’t last that long.

If you want a more durable solution, you’re going to need a reliable water filtration system since the US water supply contains a lot of pollutants. Unfortunately, there isn’t any single solution that works for all types of pollutants, so you’ll have to research what’s the situation in your area. 

However, no matter where you live, bacteria are the most common threat to your drinking water. As such, you’ll need a filter that can stop it dead in its tracks.

 

How Does Bacteria Get In My Water?

Water plants use chlorine and other filtration methods to make sure that the water that travels through pipes is as pure as can be – at least for those large quantities. 

But here’s the thing: as water travels miles and miles through soil or pipes, it can pick up pollutants on its way to your faucet. Although many water companies have started using cathodic protection to ensure no rust settles on their pipes, other factors can still contribute to bacterial growth.

Private wells aren’t safe either. Water that sits in place for too long, especially surrounded by soil, can develop algae and other living organisms. Not to mention that if you live on a farm, the manure from animals will slowly decompose and eventually, E. Coli might get into your drinking water. Furthermore, if you use pesticides and herbicides near the well, you’ll also want to disinfect regularly.

 

Introducing UV Water Filters

Have you ever wondered why people catch a cold very rarely during summer? It’s because of the ultraviolet rays that the sun emits act as a deterrent towards bacteria and viruses.

Similarly, a UV filter emits UV-C rays that achieve the same results. Bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other pathogens get their DNA attacked by these rays and can no longer reproduce or infect you if you ingest them.

Using a UV water filter is the best way to prevent E. Coli outbreaks and other similar diseases that have affected humans for longer than we can even remember. However, you’ll still need to fulfill a few conditions to get the most out of a UV filter.

First off, a UV filter only works for bacteria and nothing else. Don’t expect to install one and stay safe from chemicals, metals, chlorine or sediments. Secondly, no other solids should be in your water. Because a UV filter uses light rays to do its job, the light needs to be able to penetrate bacteria successfully. So if you have hard water, we recommend looking into a water descaler.

How Does a UV Filter Help Fight Water Bottle Pollution?

As mentioned earlier in the article, the best way to stop plastic waste is to stop wasting plastic ourselves.

A UV water filter helps you get clean, uninfected water straight from the tap, so you’ll no longer need to rely on bottled water to stay hydrated. You can get large containers that are made specially to keep the water tasting good for long periods and even store that water safely.

The best part about using a UV filter is that it won’t alter the water in any way, shape or form. No chemicals whatsoever and certainly no more risk of contracting E. Coli, Legionella, or other pathogens. And it requires zero effort on your behalf apart from the installation process. Once you’ve got the device ready to go, just plug it in, turn it on, and it will do the job for you. No more boiling, purifying, or distilling required.

Recommendations for Using a UV Water Filter

We’ve mentioned this earlier, but we can’t stress this enough: a UV filter only eliminates microorganisms, not man-made pollutants, chemicals, or sediment.

To get the best possible results, we recommend using a pre-filter system or another filtration method in tandem with an UV filter. Not only does the UV filter not eliminate other pollutants but said pollutants can block the UV-C rays from reaching the microorganisms and eliminating them.

Also, if you have hard water (more than 80% of American households do) we recommend pairing the filter with a water descaler. We’ve got you covered on that end as well, as you can choose from our CWD24, CWD30, or CWD48 models depending on your needs, budget, and thickness of the main water pipe. 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is UV water safe to drink?

Absolutely. UV-C rays may be harmful to the skin, but they don’t alter the water in any way other than eliminating microorganisms. In short, you’ll get the same refreshing and hydrating effects without the risk of contracting nasty diseases.

 

Which is better: RO or UV?

A reverse osmosis system can filter out many more things than a UV filter, that much is true. However, a RO system also wastes a lot of water and it’s hard to maintain. You’ll find that you’ll spend much more money and time overall when using such a system. Instead, we recommend getting a pre-filtration method and combining it with a UV filter.

 

What happens if the power goes out when using a UV filter?

The only bad thing that can happen is that the filter will stop working until the power comes back on. we’ve placed safeguards in our UV filtering system to avoid short-circuits and other problems that might affect the electrical components.

 

The Bottom Line

Fighting plastic water bottle pollution has never been easier with the help of a UV filter. And not only will you be able to do your part in keeping our oceans clean, you’ll also save hundreds of dollars per year that you’d otherwise spend on bottled water.