Backwashing Carbon Filters

Q. How does the Backwashing Carbon Filter remove chlorine and sediment from water?
A. The Backwashing Carbon Filter is a large filter canister filled with activated carbon and garnet filter media. Activated carbon removes chlorine in a chemical reaction that oxidizes the carbon surface. Sediment down to 30 microns in size is removed by mechanical filtration.

Q. Will the Backwashing Carbon Filter reduce or remove other chemicals?
A. Possibly. If organic compounds, such as chloramines or other disinfection byproducts are present, they are removed in a process known as "adsorption." However, because municipally treated water meets stringent USEPA guidelines for these disinfection byproducts, the Backwashing Carbon Filter is sold only as a general-purpose de-chlorinator and water polishing system. If you have specific removal requirements, such as MTBE, or TCE or other organic compounds, contact our technical staff for more information.

Q. Is chlorine harmful?
A. Chlorine is poisonous but not in the levels found in municipally treated water. The huge benefit of chlorination: the disinfection of water supplies far outweighs the slight health risks associated with using chlorinated water over a lifetime. Many people prefer to shower in de-chlorinated water, to avoid the taste, odor and irritation that chlorine can cause.

Q. Will the Backwashing Carbon Filter removes hardness minerals or help cut down on scale build-up?
A. No. The system removes sediment and oxidized iron particles, which may cause some spotting, but the minerals remain the same. If scaling or spotting is a problem, a water softener or physical water conditioner is required.

Q. Will the Backwashing Carbon Filter make my water taste great for drinking?
A. This depends on the quality of the incoming water and on your own personal taste. Municipally treated water meets stringent USEPA standards for potability. However, many people drink bottled water for aesthetic reasons. Most of our clients drink home-purified water to remove chlorine after-taste and heavy tastes from minerals or salts.

Q. How does the total dissolved solids ("TDS") affect drinkability?
A. If the water has a moderate to higher total dissolved solids content, then merely filtering the water of chlorine could improve taste, but many people will say the water still tastes "heavy" compared to purified water. Taste is very subjective, and the ability to taste varies widely from person to person. The higher the TDS level, particularly when it reaches over 500 ppm (the USEPA recommended aesthetic guideline) the more people will want to purify the water by using reverse-osmosis, distillation or by purchasing bottled water.

Q. Will the Backwashing Carbon Filter remove parasites or cysts?
A. No. Giardia and Cryptosporidium cysts can be removed by 1 micron absolute filters: see our line of drinking water filters and our ultraviolet/filter combinations for cyst removal.

Q. Is bacteria a problem with activated carbon systems?
A. Yes and no. We have tested many of our Backwashing Carbon Filters for bacteria counts over the years and have not found higher levels after the systems. Since the system backwashes with chlorinated water, bacteria growth is retarded. For this reason, non-backwashing tank-type carbon filter systems should not be used. However if the chlorine levels are very low in the incoming water, then a UV sterilizer should be used to disinfect the water after the Backwashing Carbon Filter.

Q. Will the Backwashing Carbon Filter remove iron, and can I use it on my well water system?
A. Generally, no. In some cases, we do use Backwashing Carbon Filters if the well water is chlorinated, and sufficient contact time has occurred to oxidize the iron or manganese. Even then, it is usually better to use a greensand or a greensand blend filter to remove the iron, then a backwashing carbon filter to reduce the chlorine in the household water.