Are the Aquasana Water Filters Eco-Friendly?

All of the Aquasana range is built with the environment in mind. Made from 100% recyclable plastic, not only are we reducing the amount of wasteful plastics in the world we also campaign for the reduction of single use plastic bottles that have become one of the biggest polluting industries we face today. In the US they produce and discard over 60,000,000 plastic bottles every day!

Billions of dollars are spent on advertising campaigns to give consumers the perception that bottled water comes from pristine mountain springs or pure underground aquifers. The truth is that bottled water is often little more than tap water in a bottle.

The reality of bottled water is that you pay from $1 to $4 a litre for the perception of higher quality, when in fact the quality of bottled water is at best an unknown!
With the Aquasana Water Filter each filter cartridge set can replace over 2000 single serve water bottles.

Cartridge end caps should be recycled and the cartridges themselves can be buried in the garden, as they are a great fertilizer
Quality home water treatment is by far the most economical, the most convenient and the best way to produce truly healthy, great-tasting water. It is also the right choice environmentally!

Does the Aquasana Remove Chloramines?

The Aquasana Countertop will reduce chloramines by up to 99%, but not for a full 2000 litres. Because chloramine is a combination of ammonia and chlorine, chloramines will exhaust the filters after about 1500 litres (which means testing showed that the system was actually good for 3000 litres), or about 5 months. The Rhino ‘Whole of House’ Water Filter will treat 12,000,000 litres for chloramines, or about 4 years for the average Australian.

Does the Aquasana Remove Creosote?

Yes, the Aquasana Water Filters, including the Aquasana Rhino ‘Whole of House’ water filter will remove creosote from rain water tank systems. If there is creosote in your water supply, it is recommended that you install a whole of house water filter because creosote is very cancerous to the skin, lungs and eyes.

Aquasana Water Filter vs Ceramic Filtration

A ceramic water filter system has a larger pore size, 1 micron (compared to the Aquasana filter pore size of 0.5), this means the Aquasana will remove particles 200 times smaller than a human hair. While asbestos fibres will pass through a ceramic filter, they cannot pass through the Aquasana filter.

The ceramic filters do not use the ion exchange technology, which in the ‘B’ cartridge helps the filter to concentrate on heavy metals like lead and mercury and enhances pH balance by adding potassium to the water.

The ceramic filters will typically not utilize coconut shell carbon either. Coconut shell carbon is the purest form of carbon known to man, and can remove SOC’s, VOC’s, and complex chemicals which are created when certain chemical combinations bind and make new chemicals.

These are called trihalomethanes and poly-chlorinated-biphenyls. The unique patented technology of the Aquasana allows it to produce higher quality water, at a better price, than any other product on the market.

Do the Aquasana Products Remove Chlorine?

Aside from all the health risks related to chlorine in our drinking water, it is the primary cause of bad taste and odor in drinking water. The good news is that chlorine is one of the easiest substances to remove from our water.

Chlorine is a fairly large sized particle, and all of the water filters in the Aquasana range adequately remove 99.99% so long as the replacement cartridges are replaced regularly. A great advantage with the Aquasana products is that they will also remove the more complex contaminants like lead and synthetic chemicals.
Aquasana utilizes a patented, high tech multi media block filter which incorporates ion exchange resin - a process whereby lead ions are replaced with potassium ions, improving taste, water quality and ph levels.

When chlorine is added to our water, it combines with other natural compounds to form trihalomethanes (chlorination byproducts), or THMs. These chlorine byproducts trigger the production of free radicals in the body, causing cell damage, and are highly carcinogenic.

Is the Aquasana Countertop Water Filter suitable for tank water systems?

For households that are supplied with tank water or who have sediment in their water for various reasons, it is recommended that you install a pre-filter.
If sediment is an issue with your current water supply, installing the pre-filter kit will ensure long life for your replacement cartridges so your water quality is not compromised.

The pre-filter can be attached to both countertop and undersink units.

The pre-filter for the countertop is $60, which includes 1 cartridge and is a replacement for your current tap divertor plus hoses.

The pre-filter for the undersink unit is $35; this is just the housing + 1 cartridge and can be installed directly into the ‘incoming’ water hose under the sink

If you are purchasing a new Countertop with a pre-filter, the cost is an additional $35 to the price of the Countertop and this price includes 1 pre-filter cartridge.
The pre-filter cartridges are to be replaced approximately every 3 months (the pre-filter cartridges are visible when installed and need to be replaced when there are no white areas left). The replacement cartridges are $12 each and can be added to the Water 4 Life program for auto shipping.

A more permanent solution for those who own their own home, is to install a Rhino Whole of House Water Filter. The Rhino is perfect for Tank, Bore and Dam water systems.

What sort of prices are involved in attaching a water filter system to our office sink?

The Aquasana Countertop will fit 99% of Australian homes - to install the Aquasana as a Countertop, that is on the benchtop, is incredibly easy and there are no costs involved provided you don’t have a designer tap!

The problem with designer taps is that sometimes the end of the tap is an unusual shape or there’s no thread. In this case you would either need to replace the designer tap with a standard tap or install the Aquasana Countertop under the sink using the Undersink Conversion Kit. Click here to view the Aquasana Water Undersink Filter Kit

To install the Aquasana Countertop, you just need to unscrew the very end of your flickmixer or tap with a shifting spanner. This will reveal the thread on your actual tap and after you remove the little filter from inside your tap, you can just screw the Aquasana tap divertor straight on.

To install the Countertop under the sink, a plumber or handyperson needs to drill a hole in the benchtop and depending on your setup under the sink, he/she may need to cut the pipe to install the ‘t’ piece supplied with the Undersink Conversion Kit.

Underbench installation takes between 1/2 - 1 hour’s labour charge, unfortunately we don’t have a plumber referral service up and running as yet, but you could price check in your area or contact your local plumber supply shop such as Tradelink for a good referral.

Can I still use the hot water from the tap since this filter can only be used for cold water?

You pull out the diverter pin when you want the water to travel through the filter, so for hot or unfiltered water you don’t pull out the pin, and the water just flows out of the tap as normal. The tap fittings supplied with your Aquasana are stainless steel; they are strong and made to last. The Aquasana water tastes great and I’m sure you will be satisfied with the result.

Does the Aquasana filtration system remove bacteria?

The Aquasana Countertop will remove Cryposporidium and Giardia, which has become prevalent because these bugs have become resistant to chlorine. To remove bacteria, you would need to use a UV filter in conjunction with the Aquasana Rhino Whole of House filter.

It may be an idea to have your water tested to see if bacteria is an issue. Generally its customers who are using bore, tank or creek water who need to invest in a UV filter due to faecal pollution from local wildlife.

The initial cost of the UV filter is $990

The replacement bulb which will provide 1 year of life is $350 (with 6 months safety window built in ie. it is really good for 18 months), wattage is 22.
There is no other filtration system available that has the certification and documentation to match or even come close to the Whole of House water filter with the UV.
The Rhino uses standard fittings, so you if you prefer, you can add the UV filter of your choice or add a UV filter at a later date, as required.

Frequently asked questions about the UV filter…

Is the flow rate of the UV filter compatable with the Rhino?

The Rhino Whole of House filter limits the flow to 27 litres per minute and the UV is designed to work at up to 45 litres per minute. It is designed this way so that with heavy use eg. dishwasher, bath, washing machine etc all at the same time, the UV properties are not compromised.

Which way around does the Rhino and UV filter work and why?

After heavy rain, the tannins in the water which cause discolouration can compromise the reading of a UV filter and the structure of the DNA in the bacteria (faecal and viruses) won’t be killed. This is why the water is pretreated with the Rhino before it passes through the UV filter, ensuring the complete removal of all harmful substances - without risk or compromise!

Does the Aquasana water filter remove fluoride?

The Aquasana reduces fluoride by 40-60 % as it will only get two of the five isotopes of fluoride with activated carbon. This does get the influent levels down to around 0.5 ppm. All research showing negative effects have shown it at levels above 1 ppm. The Aquasana System will typically reduce fluoride to below 0.5 ppm or lower but if you need a greater amount removed there are some specialty filters with activated alumina as a filter media. Aquasana will not make an activated alumina cartridge until it is known what the health effects of consuming water high in alumina are.

Does the Aquasana Countertop remove Ammonia?

The Aquasana Countertop(AQ-4000) and the Rhino Whole of House Filter(EQ-300) are currently being tested for chloramine removal; the AQ-4000 is about 3,000.00 a contaminant and the EQ-300 is 80,000.00 a contaminant to test. Preliminary results have been 99.9% removal but we have been experimenting with the filter media to try and remove flouride better and also sulfates with activated alumina. The results will be publishable as we become satisfied with the media ratios. We knew before that we removed it because chloramine is a chlorine compound, and it has the formula…..

Does the filtered water have small black particles, as found in my filtered water using Brita filter?

You will not have any black particles in your countertop water filter even when you run water through your filter for the first time. With the shower filter, you need to turn the tap on for around 1 minute the first time you use it as there will be some initial granules which are there due to installation. After this first minute during the initial time you use the shower filter, the water will run clear for the life of the cartridge and beyond.

How is the cost of $1.80 per week for running the Aquasana filter worked out?

The cost of $1.80 per week is based on the idea that your replacement cartridges are $70 and will last for 9 months (39 weeks).
If you are on the Water 4 Life program, the cartridges cost $66 which makes this weekly amount slightly lower.
A 9 month cycle is acceptable for maximum performance in removing the chemicals and pesticide residues.
The anti-bacterial properties of the cartridges will begin to break down after 7-8 months, but will not reach dangerous levels until 12-14 months. Some customers prefer to change their replacement cartridges after 6 months, to keep the bacterialogical qualities of their filter at peak performance.
If you change the cartridges every 6 months, the cost is more like $2.60 per week or a little less if you’re on the Water 4 Life program.

Why Does Bottled Water Taste Metallic?

The Aquasana water has a lovely sweet taste. This is because of the ion exchange resin in the second “B” cartridge which replaces ions such as lead with potassium.

On the last episode of “Sixty Minutes” on Channel Nine or NBN, there was a story called “Liquid Gold” which mentions that the results from laboratory tests performed for the show, contaminants such as aluminium were found in some brands of bottled water. Click here for the full bottled water article “Liquid Gold”

Are essential minerals that make water healthy and fluoride left in the water after filtration?

High quality pure water doesn’t need to cost the earth and the Aquasana delivers beautiful, pure water at a very competitive price.
The Aquasana leaves all the trace minerals in the water in tact and the result is lovely clean, soft water.
The Aquasana reduces fluoride by 40-60 percent as it will only get two of the five isotopes of fluoride with activated carbon. This reduces the influent levels approx 0.5 ppm.

All research showing negative effects has shown it at levels above 1 ppm.

The Aquasana System will typically reduce fluoride to below 0.5 ppm or lower, however if you need a greater amount removed there are some speciality filters with activated alumina as a filter media.

Aquasana will only make an activated alumina cartridge when the health effects of consuming water high in alumina are known.

How does Aquasana compare with Pure Water Filters?

The ‘Pure Water Filters’ twin cartridge water filter is a standard carbon filter system.

These are the most common styles of countertop and under-the-sink systems (point of use). Granular carbon filters and carbon block systems use the same process of contaminant removal, adsorption, by which the contaminant bonds chemically or physically to the surface of the filter medium. Activated carbon is recognized by the U.S. EPA as the best available technology for filtering VOCs and THMs.

For best performance it is essential that a multi stage process be used to filter out a wide range of contaminants.

The Aquasana Water Filter is a multi-media block filtration system which utilizes all the benefits of activated carbon with several added advantages.

The “A” cartridge filters out sediment and turbidity first; tiny microscopic particles that can cause cloudiness and unpleasant taste and odor in water.

The “A” cartridge also filters out chlorine, the most concentrated and the most competitive chemical in our water.
This allows the following stages in cartridge “B” to focus on the more difficult contaminants like lead and synthetic chemicals.

The “B” cartridge is where the final stages of filtration take place. Lead is filtered out by a complex ion exchange process where lead ions are replaced with potassium ions.
The process is highly effective and also enhances the natural mineral balance of water. Potassium is one of the minerals that gives water a natural spring water taste and a neutral pH.

Next is the most challenging and possibly the most important stage, the adsorption of synthetic chemicals, like herbicides, pesticides and industrial solvents.

The “B” cartridge is also a 0.5 micron mechanical filter effective for chlorine resistant microscopic organisms like cryptosporidium and giardia, two common water borne parasites that can cause flu like symptoms for most, but can also be fatal to small children and the elderly.

Does the filter remove aluminum?

The Aquasana doesn’t remove aluminum, but aluminium may not be in your water supply. It may be a good idea to get your water tested to see which contaminants are in your water when choosing your water filtration system.

How much water flows through the Aquasana filter per minute?

The AQ-4000 filters water at ~ 2 litres per minute. This slower flow rate allows for a longer contact time with the media, and because it was designed to only filter 2400 litres, it can concentrate more heavily on more aggressive contaminants, like VOC’s, MTBE and THM’s.

Does your AQ-4000 faucet filter remove copper?

The Aquasana will reduce copper by only about 60% but copper is a good thing to have in your water at trace levels.

The only water put into our stainless steel kettle is from the Aquasana water filter but there is scale in there. Can you explain where the scale comes from?
If there is a white grainy build up (or precipitation) forming in your kettle, this is a combination of calcium and potassium is an indicator that the cartridge life is nearing its end and needs replacement.

Aquasana Water Filter Certification

Aquasana water filters are required to document the purity of the water they produce. This strict regulation allows consumers to accurately compare the performance.
The most stringent tests have been performed on the Aquasana products in California, USA. California has the strictest requirements in the States, with manufacturers required to have all promotional, advertising, websites and packaging materials reviewed by the Department Of Health for accuracy prior to certification.

The California Certification is one of the best ways to determine a product’s performance capabilities.

Glossary of Terms

CADR
Although there is no universally accepted method for comparing air-cleaning devices, several investigators of portable air-cleaning units have expressed their results as a ”Clean Air Delivery Rate” or CADR. The CADR is the product of the unit efficiency and the airflow rate, and is a measure of the number of CFM of air it cleans of a specific material.

DOP
The DOP Military Standard is the standard set by the federal government to rate particle reduction by HEPA filters. This test rates high-efficiency filters by the percentage of 0.3 micron size particles of dioctylphthalate (DOP) smoke they remove.

HEPA Filter
HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arrested Filter, and like the name says, these filters are designed to remove 99.97% of all airborne pollutants 0.3 microns or larger from the air that passes through the filter (these include tobacco smoke, household dust and pollen).

CARBON
Carbon, the sixth most abundant element in the universe, has been known since ancient times. Many natural substances of base materials are used to make carbon. The most common of these are wood, coal, lignite, and coconut shell. Amorphous carbon is formed when a material containing carbon is burned without enough oxygen for it to burn completely.

ACTIVATED CARBON or AC
Activated carbon is the generic term used to describe a family of carbonaceous adsorbents with a highly crystalline form and extensively developed internal pore structure. Activation creates a fast internal pore network and imparts certain surface chemistries (functional groups) inside each particle. Thus activation gives carbon its unique filtering characteristics.

PRE FILTER
A pre filter is the primary layer of filtration that collects large particles before they reach the HEPA filter. Eliminating these larger particles, dust and hair extends the life of your HEPA filter. Occasional vacuuming of the exterior of the unit will help extend life of the filters. Frequent pre filter changes will also prolong the HEPA filter life.

GAS ADSORPTION
When a gas or vapor is brought into contact with a solid, the solid takes up part of it. The molecules that disappear from the gas either enter the inside of the solid, or remain on the outside attached to the surface. The former phenomenon is termed absorption (or dissolution) and the latter adsorption.

PRECIPATATOR
There are many simple electronic devices that claim to clean the air in your home by making negative ions and ozone. The claim is accurate–they do make both ozone and negative ions, and they do clean the air in your home. However, that’s not the whole story. First, ozone may have the “fresh” smell that occurs after a thunderstorm (a potent producer of ozone), but ozone is a powerful oxidizing agent and chemical irritant that’s considered an environmental pollutant rather than a charming scent. The manufacturers are taking a nuisance effect and touting it as a “valuable feature.” Second, the negative charges emitted by these electronic devices attach themselves to dust, ash, pollen, and smoke particles and cause those particles to bind themselves to your walls and furniture. The air really does become cleaner, but every surface in your home becomes dirtier as a result.

OZONE
Ozone, a lung irritant, is produced indirectly by ion generators and some other electronic air cleaners and directly by ozone generators. While indirect ozone production is of concern, there is even greater concern with the direct, and purposeful introduction of a lung irritant into indoor air. There is no difference, despite some marketers’ claims, between ozone in smog outdoors and ozone produced by these devices. Repeated exposure to ozone pollution may cause permanent damage to the lungs. Even when ozone is present in low levels, inhaling it triggers a variety of health problems including chest pains, coughing, nausea, throat irritation, and congestion. It also can worsen bronchitis, heart disease, emphysema, and asthma, and reduce lung capacity.

MICRONS
A micron is a unit of length equal to 1 millionth of a meter or .000039th (39 millionth) of an inch. Another name for micron is micrometer.
PM10
Particulate Matter Up to 10 Microns in Diameter (PM10)
The number 10 refers to the particle size measured in microns.
PM 10’s are widely considered the most dangerous to human health.

PARTICLE COUNT
A standard developed for measuring particulate matter in a pre defined area.

ELECTROSTATIC
Electrostatic units filter the air using static electricity have a static charge on the filter to allow airborne particles to “stick” to the filter, just like static-charged clothing sticks together.

IONISER
Ion generators act by charging the particles in a room so that they are attracted to walls, floors, tabletops, draperies, occupants, etc. Abrasion can result in these particles being re-suspended into the air. In some cases these devices contain a collector to attract the charged particles back to the unit. While ion generators may remove small particles (e.g., those in tobacco smoke) from the indoor air, they do not remove gases or odors, and may be relatively ineffective in removing large particles such as pollen and house dust allergens. Although some have suggested that these devices provide a benefit by rectifying a hypothesized ion imbalance, no controlled studies have confirmed this effect.

MOULD SPORES
Moulds produce tiny spores to reproduce, just as plants produce seeds. Mould spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When mould spores land on a damp spot indoors, they may begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive. There are moulds that can grow on wood, paper, carpet, and foods. When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mould growth will often occur, particularly if the moisture problem remains undiscovered or unaddressed. Moulds can trigger asthma episodes in individuals with an allergic reaction to mould.

CLEANING CAPACITY
An air cleaner must constantly recirculate indoor air in order to effectively reduce concentrations of airborne particulate contamination. Cleaning the total volume of air contained within a room is the equivalent of completely changing the air in that room. Air cleaner filtration capacity is expressed as the number of air changes per hour (ACH). For air cleaners of equivalent filter effectiveness, a higher ACH rating yields higher levels of air quality improvement.