[Bhargava_sr]

Hunt for best Water purifiers.

Eureka Technician (Aquaguard) tested the water at my home and found TDS level as 220.

I am looking for a RO+UV water purifiers and shortlisted few models, experts please let me know which one does its best based on your experience.

1) AO Smith Puritee + Hot
2) Kent Pearl
3) AquaSure Expert
4) Aquaguard Magna

[pratyush6]

Guys, I seem to have a problem with my water purifier.

The model is Eureka Forbes Crystal. I had bought it about 3 years ago. My home has Cauvery Water (for those who understand Bangalore) or Govt supplied water with a rather low TDS value.

From the last 6 months, I see that plastic items which are sterlized (baby water bottles) have a white powdery coating. I have asked the service guy but he keeps tellling me its nothing and the water is to blame.

Any ideas?

[Bhargava_sr]

Originally Posted by Bhargava_sr

Hunt for best Water purifiers.

Eureka Technician (Aquaguard) tested the water at my home and found TDS level as 220.

I am looking for a RO+UV water purifiers and shortlisted few models, experts please let me know which one does its best based on your experience.

1) AO Smith Puritee + Hot
2) Kent Pearl
3) AquaSure Expert
4) Aquaguard Magna

Ended up buying Aquaguard Magna Hd RO+UV, costed 17k./

[S_U_N]

It is time for me to change from the HUL PureIT (automatic) water filter to something more 'modern'.
The quality of the germ-kill kit is no longer the same, and HUL is probably doing this intentionally to push customers to buy the more expensive purifiers.

Now, I don't need RO, I suppose, since I get corporation water.
I have also heard from several sources that all UV rays do is to immobilize the bacteria. So, you should not store the UV treated water, since after a few hours, the bacteria come back to life.

Which products should I look for?

[saket77]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

I have also heard from several sources that all UV rays do is to immobilize the bacteria. So, you should not store the UV treated water, since after a few hours, the bacteria come back to life.

Which products should I look for?

I think your sources are correct. From what I know, UV purifiers sort of 'de-activate' the bacteria for a period of 24 hours. So, better to consume the water within the span of 24 hours of such purification.

Check the TDS level of your tap water. If above 200-250, recommend you an RO system.

Regards.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by Bhargava_sr

Hunt for best Water purifiers.

Eureka Technician (Aquaguard) tested the water at my home and found TDS level as 220.

Take these numbers with a big pinch of salt. 220 does not look that bad to me!

[S_U_N]

I am reading about the two extremes when it comes to health issues related to water
Low TDS --> lack of minerals --> lots of health related issues which are difficult to diagnose

High TS --> Kidney stones.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

I am reading about the two extremes when it comes to health issues related to water
Low TDS --> lack of minerals --> lots of health related issues which are difficult to diagnose

High TS --> Kidney stones.

Keep the TDS setting between 50-80 and you should be fine. Even if you keep a lower TDS value (I have set it around 30), the food we eat is sufficient to fulfill the needs of minerals present in water anyway. Higher TDS can lead to kidney stones and a feeling of fullness, affecting your appetite negatively.

Regards.

[techiecal]

I have been using Kent RO for a decade now and keep TDS set at 30/35 which is the usual TDS level of Kinley and Bisleri waters. I find this TDS most comfortable. But in the end it all comes down to personal preference and taste. In general 30 -70 is considered healthy.

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by saket77

Keep the TDS setting between 50-80 and you should be fine. Even if you keep a lower TDS value (I have set it around 30), the food we eat is sufficient to fulfill the needs of minerals present in water anyway. Higher TDS can lead to kidney stones and a feeling of fullness, affecting your appetite negatively.

On the IIT Kanpur campus water was always hard. I lived there for some 37 years. We had relaxed the limits by about 150%, since we get a monthly report on the water quality. On campus you could drink tap water with no issues. think the only other place in India tap water is safe is Jamshedpur. I did not hear of any abnormal incidence of Kidney ailments.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

I am reading about the two extremes when it comes to health issues related to water
Low TDS --> lack of minerals --> lots of health related issues which are difficult to diagnose

High TS --> Kidney stones.

No recent data on health effects associated with the ingestion of TDS in drinking-water appear to exist as per WHO. The standard in drinking water for TDS is 500 milligrams per liter (mg/l) as per some American websites.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by sourabhzen

No recent data on health effects associated with the ingestion of TDS in drinking-water appear to exist as per WHO. The standard in drinking water for TDS is 500 milligrams per liter (mg/l) as per some American websites.

Speaking from what I felt (my water TDS level was 450 before getting the RO), everyone in the family had lost appetite in one year of usage of such water. It had mostly to do with feeling of fullness, like a couple of glasses of water would make you feel full from inside. Not sure if that is supported by any study.

[Kairalee]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Now, I don't need RO, I suppose, since I get corporation water.
I have also heard from several sources that all UV rays do is to immobilize the bacteria. So, you should not store the UV treated water, since after a few hours, the bacteria come back to life.

Which products should I look for?

Its not worth taking a risk with corporation water too, given the quality of their filtration mechanisms.

Though I have corporation water supply, I have been using a RO purifier brand called "Wave RO" for over 8 years now. The model I have cost me around Rs.5000/- then, its around Rs. 9000/- now. Never had any issues with this purifier, except for a leak from the unit once. I've done about three filter/membrane replacements based on the service technician's recommendations.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by saket77

Speaking from what I felt (my water TDS level was 450 before getting the RO), everyone in the family had lost appetite in one year of usage of such water. It had mostly to do with feeling of fullness, like a couple of glasses of water would make you feel full from inside. Not sure if that is supported by any study.

I am sure you liked the RO treated water. I was just answering S_U_N on his doubt about kidney stone due to high TDS. I would love to find a study that link high TDS up to 500mg/l to health issues. However, high TDS definitely make water salty in taste.

[vnabhi]

I've been using Kent RO since the summer of 2009. Prior to that, I had Aquaguard for nearly 20 years, during which I'd upgraded the hardware once.

Compared to Aquaguard UV, Kent water is far better. But the only issue with Kent is frequent part failures. Over the past 6 years, I've spent nearly 10000 on repairs. This is abnormally high when compared to my earlier Aquaguard, which used to be covered for 900 a year service contract. And parts rarely used to fail on that. My colleagues who bought Kent after me also say they are paying a lot on maintenance.

But when I shared this with another member on this forum who has an Aquaguard RO system, he said he was paying around 4000 a year on its maintenance contract !

So it looks like all new-gen RO models cost a bomb to maintain. Perhaps it will be cheaper to get those Kinley 20 liter bottles.