Drinking water filtration

On the current boat, all the water goes through a standard carbon filter. Which I replace once a year, occasionally more often, if we've had suspect water.
In the galley I have a third tap, connected to a General Ecology filter, used for drinking water, so the volume filtered is small, I change that every few years, but follow the instruction to disconnect it and dry it out for the 6month of the year it's not in use.
Slight overkill, but prior to installing the filters we had the occasional stomach upset which we blamed on the water. Since fitting them, we haven't had any upset stomachs.
I also have a General Ecology filter fitted to a third tap in the kitchen at home, and I can tell the difference, by taste and smell, between the tap water, and the filtered water.
 
When collecting rainwater we filter it first with a coarse filter and then with a standard 10 inch 5 micron paper filter. Both filters are used before the water enters the main water tank.

We also have a seperate small stainless day drink water tank with its own tap in the galley. We fill this with the best quality water and the relatively small size ensures the turnover is high. This means we can avoid any chemical purification.

The taste is always excellent so there is no need for a carbon filter with this set up.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
On the current boat, all the water goes through a standard carbon filter. Which I replace once a year, occasionally more often, if we've had suspect water.
In the galley I have a third tap, connected to a General Ecology filter, used for drinking water, so the volume filtered is small, I change that every few years, but follow the instruction to disconnect it and dry it out for the 6month of the year it's not in use.
Slight overkill, but prior to installing the filters we had the occasional stomach upset which we blamed on the water. Since fitting them, we haven't had any upset stomachs.
I also have a General Ecology filter fitted to a third tap in the kitchen at home, and I can tell the difference, by taste and smell, between the tap water, and the filtered water.
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Carbon will remove chlorine which is why you can tell the difference in taste. You can also remove chlorine just by letting it evaporate in a jug for a few hours.
No filter other than RO filters will stop stomach upsets. That is at a bacterial level that micron filters can't deal with. UV filtration is best for dealing with bugs once you have filtered it to 1 micron. Chlorine works very well we don't use it routinely. If we have left the boat for the Caribbean Sumner, we will dose the tank when we return and then dump it before refilling with RO water.
RO water and UV filtration work very well together as the super low particulate in RO water leaves nothing for bugs to hide behind whilst being zapped by UV.
 
noelex said:
When collecting rainwater we filter it first with a coarse filter and then with a standard 10 inch 5 micron paper filter. Both filters are used before the water enters the main water tank.

We also have a seperate small stainless day drink water tank with its own tap in the galley. We fill this with the best quality water and the relatively small size ensures the turnover is high. This means we can avoid any chemical purification.

The taste is always excellent so there is no need for a carbon filter with this set up.
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Do you just let the rainwater run through the filter under gravity?
 
Kelpie said:
Do you just let the rainwater run through the filter under gravity?
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No we have a seperate rainwater tank. The coarse filter is via gravity, but this water is then pumped through the 5 micron filter and into our main water tanks.
 
noelex said:
When collecting rainwater we filter it first with a coarse filter and then with a standard 10 inch 5 micron paper filter. Both filters are used before the water enters the main water tank.

We also have a seperate small stainless day drink water tank with its own tap in the galley. We fill this with the best quality water and the relatively small size ensures the turnover is high. This means we can avoid any chemical purification.

The taste is always excellent so there is no need for a carbon filter with this set up.
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5 micron isn't really fine enough filtration for filtering rainwater. 1 micron filters are way better. They will remove cysts where 5 micron may not.
 
geem said:
5 micron isn't really fine enough filtration for filtering rainwater. 1 micron filters are way better. They will remove cysts where 5 micron may not.
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Fortunately we have remained remarkably healthy with almost no stomach issues during 16 years of full time cruising. About half this time we have used rainwater and the other half watermaker water, but I might try 1 micron filters next time we switch to rainwater (we are currently using watermaker water).
 
A quote from General Ecology's website:

"Structured Matrix technology has been Independently tested and documented to meet the EPA Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers against bacteria, cysts, and viruses."

That's why I use it for drinking water.
I have no way of knowing how true the claims are, but they have been sell these filters for many years, and I've been using them for at least 15 years.
So obviously not as good as reverse osmosis, but good for a passive system.

In NW Scotland, in remote places, the water may come "off the hill" and although it is often filtered, that's the only processing.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
A quote from General Ecology's website:

"Structured Matrix technology has been Independently tested and documented to meet the EPA Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers against bacteria, cysts, and viruses."

That's why I use it for drinking water.
I have no way of knowing how true the claims are, but they have been sell these filters for many years, and I've been using them for at least 15 years.
So obviously not as good as reverse osmosis, but good for a passive system.

In NW Scotland, in remote places, the water may come "off the hill" and although it is often filtered, that's the only processing.
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What level of filtration do they provide? I suspect they won't say. Commercial filter material doesn't seem to go below 1 micron. 1 micron will remove some bacteria and cysts but nothing like what RO will do. You can buy 1 micron filter online for £2 each. We buy them in boxes of 12. You decide if you are paying through the nose for a filter with an unspecified filtration level
 
Ian_Edwards said:
In NW Scotland, in remote places, the water may come "off the hill" and although it is often filtered, that's the only processing.
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Water that comes off the surface is generally treated as you don't know what has been going to the toilet in it.cows, sheep, deer, foxes, etc.
Water than comes from an aquifer or well or bore hole often isn't treated when supplying private property. It can be filtered. These wells often contain bacteria. The local inhabitants can build up a resistance to these bugs, such that they are no risk to health. A bit like when you go on holiday to Spain and they say don't drink the water. The locals do, but they are used to it.
In Stafforshire, 70% of the water comes from ground water but the water authority still chlorinate it. Water authorities don't take the risk.
In many of the Caribbean islands they make water using RO. They don't chlorinate it as it goes from production to use with little storage and being RO, it's bug free.
 
Thanks to the OP for posting. I have no filtration system (UK, WCoS) and just use tabs in the water tank to purify. I have been thinking of upgrading the fresh water system, so thread is very useful and will be watched.

General Ecology is an incredibly expensive system for water filtering.

General Ecology Marine Water Purifiers and Elements | ASAP Supplies

This company offers products at the 1 micron level for significantly lower cost that General Ecology Water Filter Systems - Water Treatment Products
 
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