Things you should know before purchasing a water filter: part 11

UV filters uses Ultraviolet technology to kill bacteria, viruses and other living organisms. These organisms are not filtered from the water, instead they are killed by ultraviolet, and remain in the water. In order for UV filters to be effective, the UV light inside the filter would have to effectively come into contact with the water.

Advantages of a UV Filter

• UV filters have a low maintenance cost. UV bulbs can last up to 1 year before having to be replaced
• UV filters have an efficient rate of filtering. In 1 minute, the filter can produce around 2 - 4 liters of fresh water, whereas other filters such as RO, UF, or Carbon filters can take several minutes to produce just 1 liter
• UV filters don't affect the odour or taste of the water, as it doesn't use any chemicals in the filtering process
• UV filters don't filter out beneficial minerals in the water

Disadvantages of a UV Filter

• Even though UV filters kill harmful organisms in the water, the organisms are not actually removed and still remain in the water
• UV filters don't change the taste, odour or colour of the water
• UV filters are ineffective against water which contains insoluble substances such as sand, mud or sediment. Instead, these substances will actually hinder the effectiveness of the UV light in killing the harmful organisms
• UV filters won't help improve the feeling of dryness or stiffness in the water
• UV filters won't remove any harmful chemicals from the water. This means that chemicals such as chloride or fluoride will still be present in the water even if it has been through a UV filter
• UV filters require electricity to operate