[rahul_intlad]

Kind of odd putting this up on team-bhp but water purifiers have become an essential part of out lives in India.

So far although I heard of some companies have only used eureka-forbes aquaguard. But the problem with aquaguard is you need to sign an annual maintainance contract and have their folks come home and clean the purifier twice a year or something like that.Initially their customer service was good but now with outsourcing their customer service has gone literally to the dumps and the guys have become quite rude now,but can't help it we are at their mercy.If you have any problem with the aquaguard these guys take ages to get things back to normal.

So any good alternatives,especially ones which do not need this contract thing.please require your help.I have gone crazy getting my aquaguard repaired for the last few days and am having to buy bottled water.

[navin]

Rahul,

I know this is very OT here but here is what little I know (might be incorrect).

Eureka Forbes has a wide range of UV and RO purifiers. UV only paralyses bacteria (EF provides a charcoal filter for some minerals) for 24 hours so UV water should be consumed in 24 hours.

RO is primarily oinly useful for hard water. If your muncipal water supply is decent (like we have in Mumbai) it will kill all reduce minerals to such a low level that long term use can affect your immune system. Kent is heavily advertisign RO of late so be sure to ask these questions.

Other purifiers like Titanium filters and micro filters are also available. Companies like Ion Exchange, Ionika, etc... offer a variety of options. My best suggestion is to use a UV purifier in conjunction with any such micro filter based purifier the water getting UV treated first and then treated for micro impurities. I have no idea how to tackle viruses though.

[giri]

Get a RO filter--it will remove a vast majority of all the dissolved chemicals in the water, including pesticide residues and fertilizers.

No other technology, short of distilling, can do this.

The only drawback is that the RO water becomes "tasteless"--but you can get used it in within days.

As for the urban myth that RO water is bad for health--it is just that--a myth.
The quantity of useful minerals and salts in tap water are so low that you'd have to drink many tens of liters of water a day just to get the RDA (recommended daily allowance). Fruits and vegetables are much better source of these minerals and salts.

When I bought a RO filter from Eureka Forbes about 3 years ago, I had to jump through hoops to get the guy to sell me one! They even did a free water analysis test to dissuade me from buying it.
Finally, I told them I would take responsibility if anything happened to me

I would recommend you look at a RO filter from Kent, Ion Exchange or Eureka Forbes. A new model from one of the companies gives UV treatment to the water after RO--so it should be really safe.

Incidentally RO is used for pharma industries, in Saudi and Singapore for drinking water purification, etc, etc.

[tsk1979]

I purchased a RO water filter when I was in bangalore
There are lots of big names such as Kent etc.,
Make sure you do not go for Pure RO only filter
Go for the one which has
Sand Filter - Micro Filter - CArbon filter combo before doing the RO.
The cost with a pressure tank is around 15000, without pressure tank it will be 10K.

Kent sells RO only also but they are to be used where the water is microbiologically safe.

I got the three stage+RO when I got the water tested in bangalore.
Everything in the ground water, from copper/calcium/salts blah blah was way beyond the safety scale.

As for brands, I suggest Purewater H2O, Ion Exchange or Kent.
I had a Purewater H2O system but they are in very few cities. That said their customer care service is better than anything Eureka Forbes has given to me.
Its a small company all right, but their service personnel are very helpful. You make a call and next day they will be there at your doorstep.

[kpzen]

Eureka Forbes has RO water filters in the name of Reviva. We bought that 3 years back for 14K .
Nowadays KENT is also very popular these days...


Is water filter a gadget?

[navin]

Originally Posted by giri

Get a RO filter--it will remove a vast majority of all the dissolved chemicals in the water, including pesticide residues and fertilizers....As for the urban myth that RO water is bad for health--it is just that--a myth....I would recommend you look at a RO filter from Kent, Ion Exchange or Eureka Forbes..

RO is widely used in places like Bahrain as well. But I was told they use that becuase these places have hard water and only RO cna help in this locations.

Since we are on the topic of water what's this i hear about alkaline and acidic water?

[DCEite]

Originally Posted by giri

As for the urban myth that RO water is bad for health--it is just that--a myth.
The quantity of useful minerals and salts in tap water are so low that you'd have to drink many tens of liters of water a day just to get the RDA (recommended daily allowance). Fruits and vegetables are much better source of these minerals and salts.

OT:
One has to be a little cautious though. If minerals in water were useless for human body, nature wouldnt have put them in water in first place. I am of the belief that every natural food/drink has a purpose. So even though modern techniques like reverse Osmosis are remarkable, one should go overboard using them. And minerals found in water are those which are required in small quantities anyways, and most of them are different from those found in common Fruits and veggies.

[tsk1979]

DCEite, nowadays the only minerals in water are poisons. Take a head bath in Bangalore you won't need a gel. No wonder Garnier hard gel does not sell there.
Noida is much better, but then its river water tapped from above not ground water.
The best ground water I have had is in Punjab.

[Vid6639]

the water here is a little different in taste. I dunno whether i get cauvery or borewell at my place.

Mumbai water little more salty. I love the water in Kolkata. Its sweet compared to other places.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by vid6639

the water here is a little different in taste. I dunno whether i get cauvery or borewell at my place.

Mumbai water little more salty. I love the water in Kolkata. Its sweet compared to other places.

Cauvery water is good. Borewell water in most places, esp near Belandur Lake area is so bad the most people I know drink from Kinley 25 liter cans.
The drinking water and RO industry thrives there.
Some big apartments like Diamond district have their own RO plants in the basement, and they sell their surplus RO water!!

[Vid6639]

I dint know about the diamond district RO plant.

O dang belandhur gets borewell. I have a flat coming up on sarjapur road.

So which is the water one should use for washing car, borewell or cauvery? I'm guessing cauvery.

how do these RO filters work? any linkys. Even I'm thinking now cause the water at my place tastes really bad.

Bangalore, I found Vidyaranipura water tastes pretty good. Dunno where they get it from.

[black12rr]

Originally Posted by tsk1979

I got the water tested in bangalore.

where and how much in bangalore ? Does it take plenty of time to test it or instant ,i want to get it tested ?

[msprabhakar]

I'm using Fontus RO water (:: Fontus Water ::) for last 3 years... excellent performance but poor service. Anyway, you don't need any major service if you know how to replace cartridges yourself.

RO water is very essential in India to control the pesticide residues, more than anything else. I've also observed that RO water brings out the best aroma from filter coffee since residual chlorine gets totally stripped.

[GTO]

At my home and office, I have been using the water cooler + 20 liter water capsules that Atco / Bisleri and most other major players provide. 5 years up and no water-borne sickness in the family.

Basically you have to buy a water-cooler from them for about 5 - 7 grand. Its 3 feet in height and tucks away nicely in a corner. The 20 liter water capsules are delivered as per your need. We keep a stock of 3 - 4 capsules at all times and dont need delivery more than twice a week.

[navin]

Originally Posted by msprabhakar

RO water is very essential in India to control the pesticide residues, more than anything else. I've also observed that RO water brings out the best aroma from filter coffee since residual chlorine gets totally stripped.

There are some systems from Kent and Fontus that offer both UV+RO. Even Eureka Forbes has a system that offers upto 7 stages of water purification and one can choose RO, UV, titanium etc....