Katrina & I are in the same boat, we rent our unit, but wanted a quality water filtration system. This was one of the key criteria when we started looking at systems out there in the market place.
The great thing about our system is that it can be set up on a shelf in the laundry without the need to drill holes or make permanent alterations. We can supply a double adaptor which will fit onto the tap that your washing machine utilises and you’ll be on your way to drinking pure before you know it. This is exactly how we have set up our system, we even run the waste water into our washing machine to use this for the first wash cycle, so we are being effecient with our water. If you are Sydney based, you’re more than welcome to come and see our setup else we can email you some photos.
Email us on:
sales@greenpastures.com.au
or else give us a call on (02)9526-1783.

Damien Armstrong.

I am really keen to invest in a water filter, and dont mind paying what it costs to get a quality one! However, I am only 25 years old, still renting and don’t plan on investing in a house for some years. I want to get hold of a free standing or easily moved system that I can use in my home without having issues with the land lord! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I had the same problem. Finding a good purifying system often removes all of the important solids that are needed for optimal hydration. The most important element we all need in water is salt. As the human cell is constructed of saline (if you were to taste a cell, it would match the saltiness of the ocean) we are actually quite salty! That is why when you exercise or train, you taste salt on your lips when you sweat! So when we drink purifed water that is ’soft’, or anytime of water infact, indeed we miss this most important element, and often do not reap the optimal hydration. Talk about being cheated, you finally get good clean water yet the cellular penetration is minimal and trips to the toilet are maximal! Without the salt present, the cellular wall does not recognise the fluid as consistent with what is on the inside of the cell, and instead of getting proper transference across the cellular wall, the ingenious security system that the cell has blocks it from crossing over. We end up passing the majority of the water through us, purifed and clean or otherwise!

So my advise is to absolutely go for a fantastic cleaning system (such as available from green pastures) this removes all the ‘badies’ and then all you need is a pinch of CERTIFIED ORGANIC CELTIC SEA SALT (unrefined, unbleached). One pinch per litre is all you need, if it tastes salty you put too much in! This then provides you with water the way mother nature intended, perfectly clean, and with the high TDS (300+) that is required for optimal hydration.

Hope my advise helps.

James.

Great question, one that I have spent much time trying to understand myself. Unfortunately it is a very in-depth issue, and requires some facts and figures to illustrate and explain. I hope I don’t lose you with the following, if you need to call us, our land line is (02)95261783.

Water hardness is normally given in terms of Calcium, but occasionally in terms of Magnesium and seldom in terms of other trace minerals. There are a few different ways of measuring hardness, and many different units by which they are measured. Dissolved Calcium measured in milligram per litre (which equates to Parts Per Million) is becoming the norm.

In Australia the RDI for Calcium is 1000mg (1g) per day. Sydney Tap water has between 9 and 20mg of dissolved Calcium, but 15mg seems to be the average. Most people would drink on average 1.5 litres of water per day which would yield them 22.5mg of calcium or 2.25% of their RDI.

To put this into perspective 100g of hard cheese on average would have 1200mg, or a glass of milk or serving of yoghurt typically has 400mg calcium. A cup of black herbal tea has 5mg Calcium and espresso from your favourite cafe would have 200 to 300mg Calcium.

There is a limit to how much Calcium can dissolve in pH neutral water, it is around 13mg per litre. To get it higher, the water needs to be acidic to make this happen. In many cases of very high water hardness from natural sources, there is many other salts contributing to this like: magnesium, sodium, iron, chlorides, nitrates etc, else the water is naturally acidic like in thermal springs.

The chemicals Australian Water Authorities add for treatment are:

Chlorine gas, Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach), Calcium Hypochlorite (Pool Chlorine), Ammonia (Household Cleaner), Sodium Silicofluoride and Hydrofluosilicic Acid (Last two are highly toxic)

If you read an MSDS for these at these you will wonder why they even add it to drinking water given their toxicity.

In practice it is almost impossible to remove the fluoride and chlorine components without also removing the other trace minerals dissolved.

RO Removes everything, but for people very concerned about this we can supply a remineralisation cartridge that can add around 12 to 15mg calcium back into the water, after it has been filtered.

We don’t promote this as we see it as not being necessary, given that a good traditional diet will provide you with more than your RDI of trace minerals that RO takes out.

Best of all, the water tastes so clean and has an almost sweet note to it when straight out of our filters, and we believe that this is the way it taste best and is good for you.

Hope this helps

Damien

Reverse osmosis units ensure water purity but make soft water. Is the reduction of mineral content a small price to pay to ensure that all harmful contaminants have been removed? Or rather would it be preferable to use a filter that eliminated only the chief contaminants and retain the mineral content? If so, what would be deemed the most important elements to be removed from our drinking water?

Any insights would be appreciated.