Water Filters Countertop Undersink Reverse Osmosis Green Buying Guide

Water filters: green buying guide 
Adapted from the 2/2012 Consumer Reports magazine.
http://easss.com/water/filters

A flood of new filters--everything from simple carafes to permanently mounted systems--can make removing impurities from your drinking water almost as easy as turning on the tap. Some models that connect to the plumbing are now easier to install. And more filters now feature electronic indicators that signal when it's time for replacement.

More than just water that tastes good might be at stake. Dangerous contaminants such as lead, chloroform, arsenic, nitrate, nitrite, radon, and E. coli bacteria are common in tap water. 

Bottled water, often advertised as a "pure" and "natural" alternative to tap water, is generally safe. But it's actually less regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) than municipal water supplies. Bottled-water makers aren't required to disclose where their water comes from, how it was treated, or what contaminants it might contain. Disclosure is purely voluntary (except in California). And the bottled stuff is subject to a less stringent safety standard than tap water. 

In fact, purified tap water is the source of 49 percent of bottled water produced in the U.S., according to industry data. Many consumers could cut out the middleman (and produce far less plastic waste) by investing in a water filter and reusable water bottle to tote when they're on the go. Fortunately, Consumer Reports tests on dozens of the latest water filters found quite a few models suitable for removing many such contaminants. Watch video: Getting the Right Water Filter. 

First find out what's in your water

One way to find out what type of filter you need is to check your Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR. The EPA requires utilities to provide a CCR to their customers every year. You may also find the CCR printed in your newspaper or posted on your local government website.

Consumer Reports reviewed CCRs from the 13 largest U.S. cities and found that few claimed to have no federal water-quality violations. Though none of the other water systems were consistently unhealthful, all had some samples containing significant quantities of contaminants. In New York City, for example, some samples had lead levels several times the federal limit.

Note that a CCR might indicate safe levels of a contaminant when your water actually has experienced potentially harmful spikes. Also, a CCR tells you about the water in your municipality, but not necessarily about what's coming out of your particular tap. Only testing your home supply can do that.

Even if the water coming out of the treatment plant is clean, contaminants could get into water after it leaves the facility. That’s because millions of miles of distribution pipe are nearing their end of life. And household plumbing remains a main cause of lead contamination in homes built before 1986. 

Homeowners with a well on their property face even greater uncertainty, because such water isn't surveyed or reported on in CCRs.

To find the names of state-certified testing labs, call the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791), or go to the EPA hotline that is online. Or you can contact your local health authority, which might offer low-cost or free test kits, or check out www.epa.gov/safewater/labs. Ultimately, you might find that you don't need a water filter.

It's important to know what contaminants are in your water that so you can match the filter to the problem. Claims about contaminant removal vary from product to product, so read the fine print. 

Also, consider how much water you consume vs. how much effort and disruption to your daily routine you're willing to tolerate. Generally, the more contaminants you need to remove, the more complicated the filter, though there are trade-offs.

Green recommendations

If you get one of the top-rated water filters recommended by Consumer Reports, you can get odor-free, clearer, better-tasting water, with fewer dangerous contaminants. Fortunately, there are a lot of good choices.

Not surprisingly, more water-filter manufacturers are touting their products' power to remove impurities, not just improve taste and appearance. In recent tests, Consumer Reports spiked water with lead and chloroform (a surrogate for organic compounds like atrazine and benzene, and for bad taste) to test five different types of filters: carafe, faucet-mounted, countertop, undersink, and reverse-osmosis models. 

Many filters did the job, but some removed less of each contaminant than promised, and even the best can be overwhelmed by sudden surges in contaminants. Undersink and reverse-osmosis models outperformed faucet mounts and carafes, but required professional installation and can be quite expensive. 

Be sure to consider the total cost when choosing a filter. Some have very expensive cartridge refills.

Also note: Many refrigerators now have water dispensers with built-in filtration. Though they're fine at improving taste, in past tests some systems were so-so at removing impurities. Plus replacement cartridges are costly. By installing a recommended undersink filter to the refrigerator's water supply line, you can bypass the appliance's filter and you may get cleaner, more economical results. 

Carafes

Among the carafes tested, the top-rated Lotus Tersano LWT-100 at $229 and the Best Buy Clear20 CWS100A at $15 both removed lead and chloroform effectively without sacrificing cartridge life or flow rate. 

Two ZeroWater models were also recommended although they scored lower and their chloroform removal scores were not available. They are: ZeroWater ZD-013 (8-cup) at $35 and the ZP- 010 (10-cup) at $38.

Remember that you must replace the filters on carafe models, which is an added cost. If you’re thinking of a carafe type filter, you should know that manufacturers of carafes don’t have to disclose whether their products contain Bisphenol A, which some studies have linked to reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease. 

All the carafes in our tests are BPA-free, according to their manufacturers. But manufacturers should be required to list the type of plastic used in their carafes and should not use polycarbonate, which leaches BPA.

Faucet-mounted filters

The Culligan FM-15A at $15 and the Brita Base On Tap OPFF-100 at $19 both were judged Best Buys, but their flow rates were only fair, meaning it took longer for the water to flow through the filter. 

The Culligan FM-25 at $20 and the Pur FM 3700B at $30 also did a good job and were recommended. 

Countertop filters

The Shaklee BestWater MTS2000 #82300 at $260 was a Best Buy among countertop models, and the Amway eSpring 10-0188 also was high-rated, but it is priced at about $600. It treats the water with ultra-violet light technology.

Undersink filters

Four models were recommended among this type. They are: Multi-Pure MP750SB at $400 rated highest in the group; the Aqua-Pure by Cuno AP-DWS1000 at $565; the Ecowater EPS 1000 at $390; and the American Plumber WLCS-1000 at $251, which was judged only fair on flow rate.

Reverse osmosis

Three models were judged Best Buys among this type. They are: the Whirlpool WHER25 (Lowe’s) at $146; the Kenmore Elite 38556 at $255; and the similar Kenmore 38156 at $153. The Kenmore’s both were judged only fair on flow rate, however.

Other recommended models in this group were more expensive. They are: the Kinetico K5 Drinking Water Station at $1800, which, unlike most other filters, removes fluoride; the Coway P-07QL at $640; the Ecowater ERO-375 at $675; and the Culligan Aqua-Cleer at $1,000. 

此山中：榴槤飄香

此山中：榴槤飄香
wenweipo
2014-07-11
鄧達智

自己是個榴槤痴，當香港人還未愛上榴槤，馬來品種所知者甚稀的年代，已經每年兩次（十一月及六月初至七月底）飛到大馬大嚼，那是馬來西亞榴槤大造旺季，六月底至七月初尤其厲害，都會城市滿街滿巷，鄉鎮Kampong榴槤處處，頗有上世紀五十年代巨星林鳳演繹（幕後另有代唱），流行一時名曲《榴槤飄香 1959 》的境界。

林鳳 - 榴槤飄香（字幕版） 文千歲李寶瑩榴槤飄香視頻 林鳳 ~ 榴槤香了郎未歸 榴槤飄香 - 胡美儀 方伊琪 鍾舒祺 Cecilia Fong & Sukie Chung 榴槤飄香 森森、斑斑 - 榴槤飄香 (金曲滿天星)

愛麗-榴槤飄香
首版發行：1974年 星加坡 群星唱片 STLP-2107
https://youtu.be/9LukMr81NTU

更不用說榴槤之鄉檳城、太平、彭享等等城鎮的街頭，榴槤山上零售即吃點處處，果園數量以千百計，從五馬幣三個鄉村榴槤（港幣十五元）至優質兼產量極少的黑刺Or Chee六十馬幣一公斤，以豐滿圓大兩公斤一個為例，即一百二十馬幣一個（大約港幣二百五十元）已是當地極品，相比港人熟悉的貓山王，四十馬幣一公斤（空運到港 好幾百元一個）兼出品頗多，吃過美妙的Datin、龍蝦、紅蝦、Champion等等，還有取名奇妙的成龍、林鳳嬌、林青霞，貓山王忽而變得普通！

http://easss.com/food/fruit/durian

品種不論貴賤，幾扣或百扣（馬來華人語「元」），與老友南下檳城、怡保本因悠閒休息，碰上季節性大造，巧合回教齋戒月，超過百分之五十人口為回教徒的大馬，從早上日出至黃昏日落不得飲食，至饞嘴的為食鬼白天時刻受教條規限，直接影響榴槤銷路，價錢因此相比平時更便宜。

六個人三天半內從至便宜的 Kampong（馬來語：鄉村）到號稱最霸道的百年老樹黑刺（Or Chee六十馬幣一公斤），吃了數量總共超過四十個。更見識了千奇百怪的名字，除上述的林青霞、林鳳嬌、成龍、龍蝦、紅蝦等等之外，還分紅肉、橙肉、黃肉、灰肉、白肉，甜的、先甘後甜的、甘苦與共的。

我們一致認同是次吃過極品為榴槤山果園邊上吃到的Datin（拿汀）品種，愛它層次分明，甜苦共融，食後回甘，堪稱是次南洋美食之旅吃過的至高水平！