Solutions for Eliminating Bacteria and Viruses from Water

Although there should be no bacteria and viruses in water, this happens frequently and we must protect ourselves against them.

If your water source is a well or spring, you should know that microorganisms can appear in the water. Before installing any filtration solution, we recommend carrying out both a physico-chemical analysis and a bacteriological analysis of the water. Depending on the results of the analyses, we will be able to recommend an effective solution for water treatment.

However, regardless of the analysis results, you should know that the parameters of groundwater change constantly. It is possible that within a few months, weeks or even days, the water quality may change — for better or worse. To protect yourself, we recommend installing one of the antibacterial solutions listed below.

If your water source is the public network, you can rest a little easier. Water suppliers are required by law to provide the population with microbiologically pure water. This means there should be no bacteria or viruses in the water. However, there have been many reported cases where tap water contained bacteria, even e-coli. The truth lies somewhere in between. Water suppliers chlorinate the water (add chlorine) to eliminate microorganisms.

It often happens that the water supplier adds more chlorine than recommended, and sometimes less. This variation in concentration allows microorganisms to form inside old pipes and thus reach consumers' taps.

Fortunately, there are more and more solutions available for sterilizing water and protecting ourselves against the consumption of water contaminated with microorganisms.

1. Eliminating bacteria through ultrafiltration
Most kitchen water filters can be fitted with a special ultrafiltration cartridge with antibacterial properties. This cartridge is essentially a very fine membrane (0.02 microns) that prevents bacteria from passing through. Bacteria measure over 0.3 microns in size, which is far larger than the pores of the ultrafiltration membrane. We recommend this filtration method for homes connected to the public water network.

2. Eliminating microorganisms through reverse osmosis
The main advantage of reverse osmosis systems is that they are highly effective at eliminating known bacteria and viruses. Thanks to the semipermeable membrane of 0.0001 microns, it is virtually impossible for a bacterium to pass through. Impurities and microorganisms are diverted and discharged into the drain. It is the best and safest filtration method, regardless of your water source. Moreover, it is highly recommended for babies as well.

3. UV lamp sterilization
This method of eliminating bacteria is very effective and can also be implemented to treat large volumes of water. There are small UV sterilizers, which are installed after kitchen water filters, as well as large and extra-large UV sterilizers. The UV lamp emits ultraviolet light that effectively kills everything living in the water (bacteria or viruses). It is the safest method for obtaining microbiologically pure water. In addition, the only maintenance required is replacing the UV lamp when it burns out.
UV lamp sterilization is used in the food industry to eliminate any possibility of contamination of food and beverages. In practice, factories eliminate bacteria and viruses using these UV lamps.

4. Water chlorination
This method is used in water treatment plants. It essentially involves the continuous dosing of the water to be treated with a calculated amount of chlorine. However, as explained at the beginning, it is very difficult to maintain a constant and optimal dosage. Furthermore, after chlorination, the chlorine must be removed from the water before consumption, which represents additional costs.

It is absolutely essential that the water we consume is always microbiologically pure. Only through a system over which we maintain permanent control can we be certain of water quality.