Water filter jugs: Do they work?
Chilling should mask the flavour of chlorinated water, but another option is buying a water filter jug. We put three jugs to the test.
Chilling should mask the flavour of chlorinated water, but another option is buying a water filter jug. We put three jugs to the test.
A common complaint about tap water is the taste and smell of chlorine (adding chlorine to tap water makes it safe). Chilling water and leaving it in the fridge should mask the flavour, but another option is buying a water filter jug. We put three jugs to the filter test.
Brita Marella Water Filter, Prestige Tulip Filter Jug and AlkaJug by Ionza all claim to reduce or remove chlorine and heavy metals, leaving you with better-tasting water. The AlkaJug also claims to turn ordinary tap water into alkaline water with a pH of 8.5-9.5 (tap water has a pH of about 7).
Essentially, these jugs work in the same fashion:
They don’t claim to remove bacteria, so should only be used on treated water.
We sent the jugs to an independent lab to see how much chlorine and heavy metal (cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel and zinc) they removed. We also checked whether the AlkaJug increased water’s pH.
The AlkaJug did meet its alkaline claim. The tap water we tested increased from a pH of 7 to 9.7 after it was filtered.
All the jugs in our test require replacement cartridges – the filter life lasts from 150L (Brita) to 300L (AlkaJug), so this is an ongoing expense. Old cartridges can harbour bacteria because each time the filter is used some water remains in the carbon, along with any remaining bacteria. Eventually they emerge in the water from your filter.
The jugs in our test did reduce chlorine and heavy metals. But a free alternative is filling a jug with tap water and putting it in the fridge. Some of the chlorine will dissipate and the chilling is often enough to mask any remaining flavour. A squeeze of lemon juice also helps.
Most of us don’t need to reduce heavy metals in our water. The Ministry of Health’s (MoH) latest report on drinking water shows 97% of monitored supplies met chemical standards. If you’re concerned about your water, you can check the MoH report at health.govt.nz. Most taps contain heavy metals, which can leach into drinking water. The MoH recommends flushing about 500ml from the cold tap before water is used for drinking, cooking or brushing your teeth.
If you live rurally or have your own private water supply, you may need more than a jug filter. Animal waste and fertilisers may contaminate groundwater, and water collected from your roof can be contaminated by birds or animals.
Brita Fill & Enjoy Marella Water Filter 2.4L
Price: $29, $32 for 3 cartridges
Filter life: Up to 150L
Free chlorine removal: >94%
Heavy metal removal: 98%
Prestige Tulip Filter Jug 2.4L
Price: $49.99, $19.99 for 3 cartridges
Filter life: 175L
Free chlorine removal: 84%
Heavy metal removal: 80%
Availability: From Briscoes only.
AlkaJug by Ionza 3.5L
Price: $60.40, $32 for 2 cartridges
Filter life: 300L
Free chlorine removal: 56%
Heavy metal removal: 50%
Note: Price is what we paid for each jug.
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In October HRV was fined $440,000 after pleading guilty to making unsubstantiated claims about its whole-of-house filters and misleading claims about tap water.
HRV isn’t the only company to fall foul of the Commerce Commission. The commission has filed charges against Kiwipure Limited under the Fair Trading Act. The matter is currently before the courts and Kiwipure is defending the charges.
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