Filters for coarse water purification in the country and in a private house. Filter for rough mechanical water purification for apartments Filter for rough mechanical water purification performance

Since the quality of tap water in most cities is far from ideal, apartment owners must take care of cleaning it from impurities on their own. For this, manufacturers offer various filtration, softening, disinfection and mineralization systems, with their help you can make tap water tasty and healthy. But before that, it needs to be freed from large mechanical impurities: for this, a coarse filter must be present in the home water supply system.

Design and purpose of a coarse filter

A coarse water filter (another name is a pre-filter) is usually installed in the pipeline system in front of the water meter: this will protect not only the taps, but also all household appliances that use tap water for operation.

The most common type of prefilter for mechanical cleaning is a fine-mesh metal mesh. Most modern models provide the ability to backwash the mesh, so to clean it, the device does not have to be dismantled and reinstalled. In the most modern pre-filters, such washing is carried out automatically without the participation of the home owner. Water purification with such a filter is carried out for several purposes:

• Freeing water from coarse impurities: silt, sand, clay and other foreign components that can penetrate through the water intake. Installing such a filter will allow you to forget about cloudy or rusty water coming from water pipes.
• Protection of household appliances. Water with mechanical impurities contributes to the rapid formation of scale, which can damage any device. The pre-filter helps free water from impurities, and it will not affect the performance of household appliances.
• Increasing the service life of water meters. If you do not take care to install such a filter, very soon the water meter readings will begin to be distorted due to the accumulation of foreign impurities in the mechanism. As a result, you will have to do premature verification or replace the installed meter with a new one.

Installation of coarse filters

These filtration systems are inexpensive and can be installed quickly. Typically, this work is performed before installing water meters in the house: the durability of the metering devices and the protection of household appliances is ensured. Coarse filtration significantly increases the efficiency of other home filters, since the water is already freed from the largest particles of insoluble impurities.

We have a number of well-founded claims regarding the quality, chemical composition and purity of water supplied by the central water supply. They are justified by deteriorating health conditions, rapid wear of equipment and eternal problems with water pressure. Both our physical and economic condition deserve attention, don’t you agree?

To combat the listed negative circumstances, there is a proven method - you need a coarse and fine filter. Depending on the tasks being solved, both individual devices and a group of interconnected devices that perform multi-stage processing are installed.

Here you will learn what kind of work a certain type of device does, in what sequence they are placed, and how they ultimately affect the quality characteristics of water. For a complete understanding of the information, we have included visual illustrations and video tutorials.

The first, most important step in water treatment is mechanical purification. Coarse cleaning devices remove particles of 1 micron and above from water. They perform an irreplaceable function in the filtration process, without which further water purification is impossible.

Rust, sand, clay particles, scale from old water pipes - everything is removed to obtain clear water at the output.

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Coarse filters for apartments and private houses

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If a city apartment is connected to a general water supply system, then drinking liquid is supplied to a country house or country house from a well or borehole. The purity of life-giving moisture is in question for both rural residents and city dwellers. From our article we will learn how to choose coarse water filters for an apartment and a country house. Let's get acquainted in detail with the types of cleaning devices and the rules for their operation.

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How to choose a coarse water filter for your garden or home

The liquid in an individual water supply is not always of high quality. The main reason for this statement is considered to be high pollution in areas far from megacities, especially considering that a huge amount of wastewater is collected in groundwater.

Drinking liquid from a well is pure only at first glance; in fact, it may contain a huge amount of harmful substances. This can be checked by settling for 3-6 days. If during this time flakes form at the bottom of the vessel, then the water is dirty. Other qualities of life-giving moisture can be tested in the laboratory.

Analyzes and screenings can identify the following harmful substances:

• heavy metals;
• pathogens;
• hard impurities;
• iron salts;
• nitrogen and hydrogen sulfide.

Based on these analyzes and tests, a certain type of water pre-treatment filter is selected. Here you need to take into account the following characteristics of the liquid:

1. For water with normal mineralization, a sorption block or a regular filter element is required.
2. For water with increased mineralization, an ion exchange and mesh filter element are selected.
3. If the drinking liquid contains other impurities, absorption, mesh, and ion exchange elements are installed sequentially.

In a standard situation, after installing a coarse water filter, a multi-stage block with a set of flasks is installed. To destroy all pathogenic microorganisms, a special installation with ultraviolet irradiation is used. If you need to clean a small amount of liquid, you can purchase a filter jug ​​with replaceable cartridges.

A multi-stage unit purifies water well, but if small children live in an apartment or private house, then finally an element for forced mineralization is installed on all filter elements, during which the user can receive liquid beneficial to the body.

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Some consumers use reverse osmosis for purification, but this is not necessary. Laboratory studies have shown that this element produces a dead, chemically inactive distillate. To obtain normal high-quality liquid, reverse osmosis is connected to a forced mineralization device. In front of this block, a filter for fine and coarse cleaning, as well as a device for destroying pathogens, is additionally installed.

Another disadvantage of reverse osmosis is low performance, so purchase models with a storage tank. Such a container will provide a small family with life-giving moisture.

The cost of a specific system includes:

• price of a single cartridge;
• the number of filter components until the end of the device’s service life;
• motor resource

Let's give a specific example for the Barrier and Aquaphor models. These devices cost about the same, but the cartridge of the last element passes a third less water before replacement. In this regard, the Barrier wins in terms of basic functions and performance. Other filters are selected using this analogy.

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Types of coarse filters

Depending on the design solution, several options for coarse water filters are used. Let's take a closer look at them.

Reticulate

The mesh filter is considered the cheapest and simplest. It is mounted on pipes with hot and cold water in an apartment or individual water supply in a private house. There are mesh filters that are mounted directly on the tap. This option is acceptable for use in the country. These devices are easy to install; if necessary, they can be reinstalled on the tap in the apartment.

The products have different diameters of cleaning holes. In addition, there are devices on the market with mud traps that can be cleaned manually. Similar improved models have a self-cleaning function. Mud can be oblique or straight. The last element is installed on horizontally directed pipes. At the same time, a hard water filter can be installed on a pipe with an oblique mud trap in any direction.

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Modern models contain pressure regulators to maintain constant water pressure parameters. A useful filter mechanism is two pressure gauges, which are mounted before and after the cleaning device. It is recommended to clean the system even if there is a slight difference in instrument readings.

The main advantage of such models is considered to be durability and reliability, resistance to temperature changes in the pipeline, as well as the low cost of the device. The disadvantage of the system is the retention of large particles and the need for constant cleaning of the mud trap if the system does not have a self-cleaning function.

Disk

Such filter elements are equipped with special disks made of plastic. Each element has grooves that, when compressed, pick up dust particles and push liquid through. Such models allow you to retain particles from 5 to 250 microns. Manufacturers paint products in different colors depending on the cell diameter. The advantages of the models are considered to be high strength, good performance, and the ability to use in a wide temperature range.

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Cartridge

Such filters for rough water purification in an apartment are considered part of a complex system that is installed autonomously under the sink. The degree of liquid purification in these models is from 0.5 to 30 microns. They retain small debris well if the water is supplied under low pressure. If there is a strong supply of liquid flows, powerful devices will be needed.

The work of the filter is to retain contaminants with special granules, which are located in the container under a certain gap. Dust particles settle on their surface during the passage of a water flow. The device consists of a plastic or metal body, which is highly durable and resistant to temperature fluctuations. A filter element is installed in the middle of the device.

Many modern models are equipped with transparent plastic housings, which makes it possible to control the level of cleaning and, if necessary, install a new polyester filter element or mesh insert. The last material can be removed from the device and washed. Polyester filter elements need to be replaced.

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Pressure

In such models there are pressure regulators due to the fact that water is supplied to them under pressure. These are bulky devices with a high degree of purification. Depending on the diameter of the water supply, pressure filters can be domestic or industrial. The degree of liquid purification depends on the cell diameter.

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How to install a coarse water filter

Any of the listed filters are installed on the water supply after entering an apartment or private house. The device is located after the locking parts in front of the meter. Installation of the element is quite simple; tow or other sealant is wound around its threads, then the threaded connections on the pipe are clamped to avoid leaks.

During installation, it is important to position the device correctly. The filter element can be oblique or perpendicular. Regardless of its position, the part is positioned so that the lid on the sump is located at the bottom. If these requirements are not met, dirt particles will be located on top, which will lead to improper operation or breakdown of the device.

Unlike a conventional coarse filter for hot water, cartridge devices allow you to remove not only large particles, but also other substances dissolved in the liquid. The device consists of a housing and a filter element; the filler here is carbon or an adsorbent substance.

The procedure for installing the device is as follows:

1. We choose a place convenient for installation.
2. The filter must be installed so that the user can easily replace the cartridge.
3. Turn off the valve on the riser and drain the water from the taps.
4. We cut a pipe of the required length to connect the cleaning device.
5. We install a tap under the filter to shut off the liquid supply. This valve is used when replacing a cartridge.
6. We fasten the cover with the couplings using special couplings and use seals.
7. Install the cartridge into the device body.

At the final stage of work, turn on the water and check the device for leaks. If necessary, tighten the connecting elements.

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How to install a filter under the sink

Many users encounter certain difficulties when installing a complex water purification system under the sink. The filter is supplied already assembled, but it still needs to be connected to the water supply. The work consists of several simple operations:

1. We tightly connect the tap to the tee; the threaded connections are sealed with tow or fumig tape. The filter inlet is connected to the cold water supply, the other is attached to the mixer pipe. The equipment is connected through a tee to the water supply.
2. We fix the filter using a bracket on the wall, leaving 10 centimeters between the device and the enclosing structure.
3. We attach the faucet to the countertop and connect the filter element to it, connect the hoses.

Next, you need to open the water supply and check the tightness of all connections. Do not wait for the liquid to appear quickly from the tap; the filtration process must first go through. Wait until clean water appears and only then close the valve.

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Reverse osmosis

The installation process of such a system is almost no different from the previous version. First, turn off the water, install the tap and install the tee. The difference between reverse osmosis and other types of filters is the need for a drainage device for contaminated liquid. After the molecules pass through the filter element, the other side produces a dirty solution that must be disposed of down the drain. A special pipe is used for this.

Operating rules

Over time, various dust particles accumulate in the filter element. To clean the device from dirt, you need to unscrew the dirt trap and rinse the mesh under high water pressure. If this element is worn out, it is replaced with a new one. Some filters have a self-cleaning system. Here you just need to unscrew the special tap and flush the dirty water down the drain.

In the absence of the specified mechanism, debris is removed manually. To do this, shut off the liquid in the main line, unscrew the dirt trap and clean the mesh of contaminants. Such events should be held at least once every three months.

Even if the water in the area is crystal clear, and the chemical composition is impeccable, you will still have to clean the stream from impurities and particles of different sizes. Otherwise, household appliances will quickly become unusable, and there will be sand in the soup. Mechanical coarse filters solve problems of this kind; you just need to understand their types and types and choose a reliable manufacturer.

Rough cleaning is the first stage of water preparation. After the flow passes through the well filters, a lot of solid particles remain in the liquid, making the water unsuitable for use. Therefore, preliminary water treatment is mandatory, even if good well filters are installed.

The tasks of coarse filtration are simple; it is cleaning from solid inclusions of any kind. These include elements of sand and gravel rocks with a minimum size of 15 microns. The particles, visible to the naked eye, settle on the filters, so the stage is called coarse filtration, and is called “mechanical” because of the peculiarities of the technology, which is reminiscent of filtering water streams through a sieve. Filtration equipment is installed after the pressure tank in the supply pipeline section.

Regarding the number of devices, efficiency does not always depend on the presence of 2-5 filters if they are absolutely identical. In this case, the pressure only drops and the level of resistance in the line increases significantly, which leads to increased loads on the pump. If there is an urgent need for additional devices for the primary purification of water from a well, then it is better to select filters of different sizes, while installing a pump of increased power.

Important! Primary filtration devices are able to maintain efficiency under sudden pressure changes and temperature changes and ideally cope with contaminants of increased diameter.

Types and types of primary treatment devices

When choosing coarse filters, it is better to pay attention to fairly simple devices. The complexity of the design is not needed, and simple and functional models will last much longer.

Mechanical filters for pre-treatment of water from a well are selected solely based on the amount of suspended solids in the flow, as well as the average daily volume of water consumption: high intensity requires the installation of a powerful system.

Sump

This is the simplest and at the same time one of the best filters for coarse water purification from a well. Installed at the direct inlet of the flow and retains particles up to 300 microns in size. Structurally, mud collectors are divided into:

• horizontal;
• vertical;
• Y-shaped.

The advantages are cleaning up to 90%, operation at temperatures up to +150 C, functionality at pressures up to 6 MPa and long service life. But the use of the device requires supervision of hydraulic resistance. The body of the mud tank can be equipped with a removable bottom, have a side hatch and devices for venting air masses and draining the water flow.

Based on the connection principle, devices are divided into welded and flanged. Users will be pleased with the possibility of using mud collectors without registering with regulatory authorities, as well as equipping the devices (in addition to the mesh) with magnetic catchers for selecting metal particles from the flow.

Important! Mud collectors are used in wells where the flow has sufficient power or is highly saturated with foreign large fragments. To expand the functions, it is possible to use a mesh fabric with a reduced hole diameter.

Coarse mesh filters

The devices are equipped with a mesh fabric with small cell sizes - up to 20-500 microns. When choosing a design, it would be correct to pay attention to the photo and understand the technological features. For example, there are devices with an automatic backwash function. This means that the user does not have to disassemble the filter to remove residual dirt.

As a rule, strainers are equipped with a pressure control valve located at the outlet. In addition, for apartments, devices are made of transparent plastic (for cold water) or durable metal (for hot water). The advantages of the model include the function of protecting the internal pipeline and household appliances from water hammer, pressure surges and debris. Combining a pre-filter with a pressure gauge will help regulate the output pressure of the fluid flow.

Small dimensions, strength, practicality and ease of use are clear advantages of this equipment. But it is important to know that filters with a backwash function require installation only in a well system equipped with a drainage pipe, where the flow of liquid with impurities will be drained.

Coarse cartridge filters

This is a cartridge system, which is a flask body with several replaceable cartridges. The ability to retain particles up to 30 microns, a variety of models, and a division for installing devices for cold/hot water determined the popularity of the models. However, despite all the advantages, equipment for cleaning flow from a well has a number of disadvantages:

1. The need to frequently replace cartridges, especially if the well is drilled into sand;
2. Mandatory inspections and pressure adjustments;
3. The inapplicability of such devices for high-power flows.

But at the same time, cartridge models capture even the smallest dust particles extremely well, as well as chlorine compounds (this applies to charcoal appliances). But the stocking-type device will cope with fibrous contaminants such as mud, algae and even clay slurry.

Bag filters

As you can see in the photo, this is a type of cartridge device where an empty flask is filled with granular material. The increased cleaning efficiency competes with the very high price of the equipment. As for washing, it is better to entrust bag structures to specialists.

High speed cleaning structures

Such filters are more used for primary water treatment on an industrial scale. Representing a column-container filled with filter material, the design has enormous throughput and can retain particles of different fractions, starting from 30 microns.

Although the best designs for pre-purifying water from a well, the devices have some disadvantages:

1. Serious dimensions;
2. The device should be placed only in rooms where a warm temperature is maintained;
3. To ensure regeneration processes, water filters require a drainage pipeline, which will have to be installed additionally.

About the manufacturers

When choosing a device for primary water purification from a well, you should pay attention to the manufacturers. Only a few offer truly good quality products, so do not neglect reviews, photos of models and descriptions of technical characteristics.

The most famous are the following:

• Honeywell. The company offers equipment that removes small debris, sand, clay and mud. The devices are distinguished by good protection against pressure surges, ease of installation and use.
• Arkal. Provides water purification equipment equipped with special polymer discs that are non-corrosive and perfectly resistant to pressure surges. The devices of this Israeli company are characterized by absolute reliability and long service life.
• Rusfilter. These are devices that are 100% adapted to our working conditions. They are used where the flow is saturated with small particles of suspended sand, mud and clay. A distinctive feature is extreme control over the quality of equipment. Among the models, defective devices are extremely rare. Disadvantage: poor ergonomics and difficulty of maintenance.
• Valtec. A huge range of equipment for every taste and budget. Advantages: materials are brass and bronze, and the filtration element is always made of stainless steel. Long service life (up to 30 years), convenient maintenance and practicality. There is only one drawback - this is a joint project, so you need to be extremely careful when choosing models and it is better to buy from an official dealer.

Water delivered to a home through a water supply system contains a certain percentage of impurities in the form of sand, scale fragments, corrosion, lime particles, etc. In order to protect people and household appliances, it is imperative to install a filter on the water pipe for coarse and sometimes fine purification (the second option is used to eliminate odors, organic and chemical contaminants, and individual microorganisms).

How do coarse filters work and what are they?

All devices that perform mechanical filtration of water are characterized by structural similarity. The housing is equipped with an internal metal mesh or other filtering device. These can be special discs for cutting off coarse sand, corrosion, etc. An important part of the design of such a filter is the outlet that collects retained debris.

When the sump tank is completely filled, the water must be turned off and the outlet cleaned and rinsed. The frequency of such cleanings is directly affected by the degree of water contamination. For prevention purposes, this procedure should be carried out at least 4 times a year.

Regardless of the specific model, all mechanical cleaning filters operate on a similar principle. In this case, a number of design features may differ: we are talking, first of all, about the type of filter, its configuration, installation method and method of removing dirt that has accumulated in the pipe.

Mesh and cartridge filters

The mesh dirt filter has a cleaning element in the form of a metal mesh, the manufacture of which is made of stainless steel. This mesh has cell sizes ranging from 50-400 microns. When mounting the filter on a water pipe, you need to make sure that the inspection cap is facing down. Installation into the pipeline system is carried out using conventional tools included in a standard plumbing kit. When making threaded connections, it is important to achieve complete tightness to avoid water leaks.

The popularity of the mesh filter is explained by its good service life, without the need to replace the filter element. This is precisely why they compare favorably with another model of coarse filter - cartridge (cartridge). These devices are mainly wall-mounted due to the large bulb included in their design. The flask itself can be transparent or opaque: inside it is equipped with a replaceable cartridge, for the manufacture of which polyester, twisted polypropylene thread, or pressed fibers are used. When installing the filter, a plumbing sealant is used, which will help prevent leaks in the future.

The cleaning abilities of such cartridges may vary: coarse mechanical filtration of water is carried out by products of 20-30 microns. A dirty filter element must be replaced with a new one: it is prohibited to rinse and reuse the used cartridge. When installing water filters on pipes in an apartment, most often cartridge models are combined with mesh ones, which significantly increases the effect of mechanical water filtration. In this case, it is better if the mesh filter is in front of the bulb filter, because this extends the service life of the latter.

Straight and oblique mesh water filters

Any type of mechanical filter is characterized by the presence of two pipes - inlet and outlet, as well as a special sump where water is cleaned. Based on exactly how this sump is located, mesh filters are divided into straight and oblique. In the first case, the settling tanks are located at a slight inclination to the water flow, which is very convenient in situations where the pipeline runs above the floor. In addition, such models are equipped with vertical pipeline sections.

In the second case, the sump is perpendicular to the water supply. The direct filter for the pipeline is of considerable size, which requires a lot of space for its installation under the water communication. The large size of the settling tank allows vertical filters to achieve a good level of purification. To close it there is a convenient threaded plug or flange cover.

Strainers with flanges and couplings

Depending on the type of insert with which filters are installed on pipes for water purification in the water supply system, they can be flanged or coupling. It is customary to equip pipes with a cross-section of over two inches with flanged products. First of all, we are talking about main water pipelines and junctions located in the basements of high-rise residential buildings.

Bolts or studs make it possible, if necessary, to quickly dismantle such a filter: while all other parts of the water supply remain in place. Sections of highways that are equipped with flanged filters are identified at the stage of drawing up project documentation. As for pipes with a diameter of up to two inches, they are equipped with threaded filters. In such a situation, quick-release union nuts (so-called “American” nuts) are used as connecting elements.

Mud collectors and mesh filters with a washing system

Another type of classification of strainers is based on the method of removing accumulated debris from the sump. Mud traps are models that do not provide for flushing. This mainly applies to all oblique mesh filters, as well as some models of the direct type of pipe arrangement. To clean the accumulated dirt, the device must be disassembled and washed. On direct filters with a perpendicular arrangement of the settling tank, where there is a flushing system, an outlet tap is also installed: through it, the settled area is drained into the sewer system and the outlet is cleaned with a water flow.

The principle of fine water purification in pipes

Using rough mechanical cleaning, most of the debris is removed from the water, but some chemical elements and their compounds still remain.

In this case, fine cleaning equipment is used, the main ones of which can be the following filter elements:

• Sorptive substances (activated carbon and aluminosilicate).
• Reverse osmosis membrane.
• Ion exchange resins.

You should know that this filter for water pipes is mainly equipped with replaceable working elements. Each manufacturer indicates the frequency of replacements in the attached instructions: this is influenced by the period of operation of the device and the amount of water volume processed.

Ultrafine multi-stage cleaning

In systems with several stages, after mechanical filtration, the water flow is passed through ultrafine filters, which are located in several groups, one after another. As a result, the output is high-quality drinking water. At the first stage, mechanical debris is removed from it: the water becomes almost transparent, but this is only the beginning of the cleaning process.

The second stage is equipped with an ion exchange cartridge, which allows you to change the chemical composition of water, removing from it all elements and substances harmful to health. As a result, traditional scale formation is not observed during boiling. At the third stage, the water is purified with compressed activated carbon: thus, conditioning of the water flow is achieved.

After this, the water becomes tasty and begins to smell pleasant. It is also given crystal transparency: now it can be safely used for drinking and cooking. Typically, the place to install three-flask systems is under the kitchen sink. This approach allows you not to disturb the overall appearance of the interior. To remove purified water outside, the sink is equipped with an additional tap.

Molecular purification with reverse osmosis filters

It is not for nothing that reverse osmosis systems are called the highest quality water filters: in the process of such purification, the molecular level is affected. For filtration in this case, a thin-film membrane of a semi-permeable type is used, where the pores have a size of no more than 0.0001 microns.

This makes it possible to eliminate almost all impurities (99%). Microscopic membrane pores allow only water molecules to leak through. Before reverse osmosis, water is passed through several purification stages to prevent rapid clogging of reverse osmosis filters with large debris.

Most often, these systems contain the following degrees of purification:

• The first stage is equipped with a cartridge for mechanical pre-treatment: it is capable of ridding water of impurities measuring 15-30 microns.
• The second stage consists of activated carbon to remove gas, chlorine and organochlorines.
• The third stage carries out fine cleaning of debris 1 - 5 microns in size. For additional cleaning, there is also activated carbon.
• The fourth stage is reverse osmosis itself. At this stage, water is passed through a thin film membrane.
• The fifth stage is another carbon cleaning.

Reverse osmosis filtration removes harmful chemicals and metals from water. In addition, in this way water can be purified from many harmful microorganisms, as a result of which it becomes crystal clear and safe.

The disadvantage of this method is that it removes both harmful impurities and beneficial minerals and salts from the water. To solve this problem, some manufacturers of reverse osmosis systems began to include mineralizers and ionizers in the design. If the pressure in the water supply is less than 3 atmospheres, reverse osmosis filters are equipped with special pumps: they help create optimal functional pressure in the system.

How to choose the right cleaning option for your plumbing

When choosing the optimal method for water purification, it is important to determine exactly what goal should be achieved. It is hardly reasonable to purify the entire volume of water entering a home to drinking level. To extract large particles from it, mesh filters or filter flasks are sufficient. Usually a hard water filter is installed on the cold water and hot water pipes. The resulting water can be used for water procedures, laundry, and floor cleaning. The kitchen can additionally be equipped with a multi-stage fine cleaning system, containing or not containing reverse osmosis.

Most often, such a filter is mounted under the kitchen sink, on the surface of which there is an additional tap (if you need to cook food, water is taken from it, if not, from regular taps located nearby). In addition, fine filters can protect plumbing fixtures and household appliances from excessively hard water.