In my home, the primary water-purification method is filtration (on which, see more, below). However, a good rule of thumb is to have one or more back-up procedures. For a more complete run down of methods, see the AlzheimersProof information article, HERE.

Boiling

For the removal of pathogens, boiling works. It has the distinct benefit of being free. But it depends upon you having access to a working stovetop, portable stove, or similar.

On the negative side, boiling takes a bit of time to perform. Once the water is boiled, it will then need to cool down before it could be safely drunk. I am not too sure how well all this could be accomplished when you are also acting as caretaker for an Alzheimer’s patient.

Using Disinfectants

As mentioned in the main article (HERE), there are two main chemicals used as water disinfectants: chlorine and iodine.

Chlorine

Chlorination is the disinfection procedure of choice when it comes to municipal water supplies. In this case, the name of the game is (arguably) de-chlorination. To put it differently, ideally, you want to find a way to remove the chlorine from your tap water.

But, if you had to choose between pathogen-riddled water and chlorinated water, doubtless you would select the chlorinated. Prudence dictates that you have some of this stuff on hand, in case of emergency.

Bear in mind that chlorination will be slightly different for swimming-pool water than it will be for drinkable water. When it comes to the latter, my go-to for chlorine tablets would definitely be Potable Aqua. (Check the current price on Amazon, HERE.)

Iodine

The second most common disinfectant has got to be iodine. This is not commonly used on a city-wide scale. But campers and other outdoorspeople are well familiar with it.

Once again, Potable Aqua sells the tablets that I prefer. (Check Amazon’s current price, HERE.)

Iodine can leave the water with a distinctive after taste. So you can opt to purchase your iodine alongside “neutralizing tablets.” (See HERE.)

Using Filters

Disinfecting tablets – whether chlorine or iodine – work fine on the go, in the wild, and as a backup in an emergency situation. But, realistically, you’re not going to be dropping chlorine tablets in your water pitchers on a daily basis.

Moreover, disinfection is geared toward killing microorganisms. However, microorganisms are hardly the only contaminants in tap water. To deal with other chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, and so on, you’ll need a more comprehensive strategy.

As I mentioned, overall, my preferred water-purification method is filtration.

My Top Three (3) Water Filters

3. In third place, in my opinion, is a filter made by the company Zero Water. I really thought that the taste was noticeably and undeniably better than tap water. And they include a little “water tester” so that you can have confidence that your end product is free from junk.

And Zero Water removes a lot of junk. According to the company’s promotional literature, it takes out stuff like arsenic, chloramine, fluoride, lead, and pharmaceuticals. It does not, however, take out microorganisms such as pathogenic bacteria and the like of that. As the manufacturers put it, the system is meant to be a complement to your pre-treated municipal water supply. The assumption is that the water you put into the system has already been disinfected — for example, with chlorine.

So, this may be a down side: If the municipal treatment facility goes down, you’ll have to boil the water, or treat it with chlorine or iodine yourself (see above), before you can even pour it into the Zero Water canister.

Another down side to Zero Water is that you have to replace the filter elements frequently — like every couple of weeks. And if your water has contaminants like chloramine, then you might need to replace them more often than that. You keep tabs on things with the supplied tester. When it doesn’t read “0,” you get a new filter element.

But, really, if you’re buying oodles of bottled water, then Zero Water might be doable for you because you’re already used to a recurring water expense. And this stuff is better than what you’d get in most bottled water. (Click HERE to check its current price on Amazon.)

2. My second-place choice is Propur. And honestly, the more I think on it, the more I am tempted to bump them to number 1. They have “combination” filter elements (for more on which, see below) that, according to the manufacturer, removes (or drastically reduces) things like the following:

  • Dioxanes
  • Herbicides
  • Metals
  • Microorganisms
  • Microplastics
  • Non-Metal Contaminants
  • PerFluoroOctanoic Acids (PFOAs)
  • Parasites
  • Pesticides
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Semi-volatile Compounds
  • Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs)

That’s an impressive list. And the ability to remove microorganisms means that your Propur will serve you reliably even if the stuff coming through your tap hasn’t been treated at all.

The combination filter is worth talking about for a moment. In some gravity filters — like the Berkey (see number 1) — there is a primary charcoal filter element and then there is a secondary element that you can add on to the system. I’m no expert; but… as I understand it, the reason two elements are necessary is that there are two methods for removing crud from the water. The charcoal element basically works by absorbing junk. So, this thing takes out most of the contaminants. But fluoride cannot be removed by absorption, apparently. Rather, it is removed by a chemical reaction.

However, the Propur’s design means that you do not need a secondary (or “post”) filter in order to remove fluoride. The main filter is a composite that does both jobs. If, in addition to other stuff, you want to remove fluoride, then Propur might be for you.

The drawback of the combination filter is that you have to replace the entire element whenever you need a new fluoride filter. Generally, the charcoal filters, when they are by themselves, tend to last longer than the fluoride filter elements.

So, the pro of the combo filter is convenience. It’s easy to set up and to replace. The con is that you can’t just replace the fluoride component when it “goes out.” (Actually, if you’re like me, you just have to schedule your replacements. Unless you bother to test the water — which is probably a good idea — it is unlikely that the taste alone will indicate when the filter is performing sub-optimally.)

The system comes in various sizes, depending on your needs and family size. From smallest to biggest, there’s the Scout (~ 0.5 gallons), the Traveler (~ 1.75 gallons), the Nomad (~ 2.0 gallons), the Big (~ 2.75 gallons), and the King (~ 4.0 gallons).

I am well familiar with Propur as I bought the Scout for my mom to use (since she’s more or less by herself now). And I bought the Traveler as a gift for a friend and her family (of three people). Propurs are respectable units and great investments. I highly recommend them. (If you’d like, click your preferred sizes to check their prices on Amazon: Scout, Traveler, Nomad, Big, and King.)

1. But my number one filter is called the Berkey. I have had my Berkey for many years, and I love the thing.

According to the manufacturer’s promotional literature, the main filter element removes (or reduces to virtually undetectable levels):

  • Bacteria like Escherichia coli (E. Coli)
  • Chlorine
  • Chloramines
  • Dangerous salts like Nitrites
  • General Crud like Rust, Sediment, Silt, and Turbidity
  • Heavy Metals such as Aluminum, Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Lead, and Mercury
  • Herbicides
  • Hydrocarbons such as Fluorene
  • Industrial byproducts like Manganese and PCBs
  • Metalloids like Arsenic
  • Metals like Thallium
  • Nonmetals like Selenium
  • Parasites
  • Perfluorochemicals (PFOAs)
  • Pesticides
  • Petroleum Products such as Crude Oil, Diesel, Gasoline, Kerosene, Mineral Spirits, and Refined Oil
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Plastic Contaminants like Bisphenol-A (BPA)
  • Radiologicals
  • Surfactants like MBAS
  • Trihalomethanes (THMs)
  • Viruses

And, with a secondary (or “post”) filter, you can also get rid of fluoride. If you don’t want to have to mess with the post filter, then you might go with the Propur (see number 2, above).

Teasing out the pluses and minuses of removing fluoride is beyond the scope of my project. I will be very minimalistic and general and simply say the following: if you want more flexibility, the Berkey has the advantage.

In the first place, if you actually want fluoride in your water (for its claimed teeth-strengthening benefits), then just get your Berkey with a black filter element and leave the post filter off.  On the other hand, if you would like to take the fluoride out, then get both elements and stack them in the correct way. (The charcoal element goes in the upper chamber, and the post filter screws on the outflow threads in the lower chamber.)

But, in the second place, the Berkey also allows you to replace both elements on different schedules. With proper cleaning, and assuming that you’re not filtering swamp water daily, your black element might be good for years. The fluoride filters usually last 6 months to a year.

I prefer the stainless-steel models. For light use, or for traveling, try the Travel Berkey (~ 1.5 gallons). (Check the current price, HERE.) Then comes the Big Berkey (~2.25 gallons; HERE), Royal Berkey (~3.25 gallons; HERE), Imperial Berkey (~ 4.5 gallons; HERE), and Crown Berkey (~ 6.0 gallons; HERE). Apparently, there is also personal model, called the Go Berkey (~ 0.25 gallons; HERE). The manufacturer also has a plastic model. Termed the Berkey Light (~ 2.75 gallons; HERE), it’s about the size of the Big Berkey.