Hands up anyone who’s purchased a water-filter jug and thought that this meant they’d subsequently be drinking purified tap water. Me too!
However, a couple of months ago, I received an unsolicited email that made me think again. I sort of knew from experience that my Brita filtered water wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be because a) in my opinion the water didn’t taste that great and b) it was often contaminated with small granules of dark sediment (presumably charcoal from out of the filters). It’s always disconcerting peering into a glass or mug of water that you’re about to drink when it’s got black bits in, so inevitably it was thrown away.
Three hours of in-depth online research later, and I knew why I’d been feeling peeved with my jug filter. To cut a long story short, the water filter jug being promoted in the email as a superior alternative to Brita also, according to reviews, had serious limitations. No matter, by this time I was on red-alert to all the nasties potentially still lurking in our drinking water and I was determined to find a solution because, when all is said and done, I really don’t want myself or my family to be swallowing any chlorine, chlorination by-products, fluoride, VOCs, pesticides, particulates and pharmaceuticals thank you very much!
Turns out that those in the know recommend gravity-fed water filters (not jugs!) for people who don’t have the space or the funds to install a whole-house filtration system. A brief and helpful phone call with Osmio Water Technology later verified my findings, and consequently I am now the proud owner of the Propur™ Big Stainless Steel Gravity Filter System (thanks Mark!).
I couldn’t wait to taste the difference - though please don’t do what I did, which was to sample the water before we’d flushed the filters out a couple of times - however, since our Propur water filter was fully primed and operational, the pristine quality of the water we now enjoy tells me that, over my lifetime, I must have unwittingly drunk an awful lot of sub-standard, nay toxic, beverages!
Part of the blessing and curse of being an ardent foodie is a heightened sensitivity to taste and smell. However, this means that by taste and smell alone, I can affirm that the Propur gravity-fed water filter really does do what it says it will. My hitherto daggy tap water has been magically transformed into something akin to drinking liquid fresh air!
As a cook, all of this makes me really happy - better tasting Nespresso, cups of tea, homemade soups, sauces, smoothies, nut milks and last but not least, just plain, cool, clear old water out of the tap is finally making a comeback as something pleasurable to drink. I can highly recommend. Click here to buy the Coldstream Sentry Gravity Water System.