Flint water crisis - Water filter for Hot water heater?

Question

I checked with a couple of residents and right now the accepted solution for removing contaminants from the water is boiling, as filters are only being offered for cold water.

It seems to me that they could benefit from a filter placed on the line that feeds the hot water tank as opposed to just a filter on each faucet/similar.

My question is: Do such filters exist? If not, or even if they do, how would one go about making such a filter economically? From a preliminary search it seems 'whole house filters' are quite prohibitively expensive, for example OP mentions here that his cost a thousand dollars. We're doing a drive to help, it'd be nice if we could make the filters ourselves, or give instructions how to, or raise money for reasonably priced filters and then partner with plumbers for installation, etc.

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Update: From the wikipedia page on contaminants found in the water

• Lead
• Coliform bacteria
• Trihalomethane (THMs, a chlorine byproduct of disinfecting water)

There may be others.

Answer 1

There are many systems on the market that could make the tap water safe to drink, but there is no one size fits all solution. These systems also range into the tens of thousands of dollars. You would need to get your water tested by an independent lab to determine what the quality is, and then you would need to have a system designed that will fit your needs. In your situation, you would need a system that has multiple stages in it.

Here is a list of components that would most likely be needed. If you are working with a professional, you may find that some of these are optional. There are also other types of filters on the market which are not listed that could work instead.

This list is respective to the flow of water that is coming from the city.

Whole house sediment pre-filter - This will remove the largest particles out of the water such as sand, rust deposits, etc.

Whole house sediment filter - This filter captures smaller particles than the pre-filter. They go down to at least 5 micron.

Whole house carbon filter - These filters can remove some harmful chemicals that are in the water, but do little, if anything for lead.

Whole house UV filter - This filter will kill off most bacteria and viruses. It has to be installed after the other filters because small particles can block the UV rays, and bacteria and viruses could survive it.

Water softener - This will remove some of the minerals that cause hard water stains.

Reverse osmosis system - This would be the final stage of filtration. These systems can be located under a sink, and filters out virtually everything except pure water. These systems do not produce very much water, and use a pressure storage tank because it takes a while to produce enough water.

The other systems before the reverse osmosis system condition the water in the building well enough to be used for most purposes except for drinking. Under normal circumstances, the water will be safe to bathe in, and do laundry with.

Please note that the addition of these filtration systems could reduce your water pressure significantly. You may need to install a pressure boosting pump and storage tank as well, if there are pressure issues.

However, these steps should all be done by the municipality. It should not be the burden of the homeowner to render the tap water safe to use.

Answer 2

Some of the problems are quickly fixable at the plant. Others affect only certain homes with lead service piping. I would ask more questions and have your water tested before throwing money at the problem. Because if you don't need it, putting unnecessary filtering on your water will help -1 Flinter, i.e not you, and not some other poor fellow who actually does need it.

Also, don't drink hot water. Ever. Anywhere. Hot water is for washing, not ingesting. Hot brings out unwanted chemicals in most piping, plus, it sits around.

Answer 3

Would a sediment filter or carbon/sediment filter be sufficient? There are whole house filters for less than $20. I use 2 on my house. The first one is a bit nicer with a clear cover so I can see the filter and a shutoff valve. The second is the one I have listed below. I use a sediment filter in the first one and a carbon/sediment in the second. Install it as close to the water main as possible. Helps keep your water heater, dish washer, clothes washer, toilet valves, and show heads clean also.

$13.48 - 3/4 in. Inlet Whole House Water Filtration System http://www.homedepot.com/p/3-4-in-Inlet-Whole-House-Water-Filtration-System-GXWH04F/100471282

$6.46 - 2 Pack of Carbon/Sediment Filters http://www.homedepot.com/p/Carbon-Replace-Filter-2-Pack-FXWTC/100034332

Answer 4

The smaller RO units only do 50-100 gallons a day, it would reduce your water flow two much. They make larger units but the cost gets closer to the 1 k price ispring with uv. This is an under sink with a booster pump and the flush water is 30% less than most. 1000 gal per day RO just found this it may do it not a bad price for a whole house unit.