While mains water providers are ultimately responsible for maintaining the quality of water supplied for human consumption, filtration systems enable consumers, business owners and facilities managers to further enhance its quality and taste. We asked a number of experts in the field of water filtration what their customers should be concerned about when it comes to the quality of their water, and what products and systems they would recommend to ensure the best possible taste, function and purity.

Patrick Aigeldinger, director of product management at ultra-violet (UV) disinfectant technology expert Crystal IS, identified microbial contaminants such as bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that can be present in water as a potential health risk, and something homeowners and facilities managers should be vigilant against.

He also cites chemical contaminants as a possible hazard. “Substances like PFAS, chlorine and heavy metals affect both health and taste and have been found post-treatment for many residential water sources,” he said.

Aigeldinger recommends high-power UVC LEDs to combat these hazards to water quality.

“We’ve developed LEDs with higher output and longer lifetimes, reducing maintenance costs and improving disinfection performance for higher flow rate systems,” he told Refreshment. “Compact UVC reactor designs offer smaller, more efficient reactors that integrate seamlessly into point-of-use and point-of-entry systems. Their efficient use of system design allows them to offer competitive solutions to existing lamp-based systems on the market today.”

Debora Screpanti, marketing manager at Blupura, a manufacturer of eco-friendly water coolers and dispensers, noted that municipalities typically monitor and regulate mains water quality, conducting regular checks to ensure it meets safety standards up to the consumers’ taps. However, she highlighted factors such as ageing plumbing, local contamination and maintenance issues as potentially having an adverse effect on water quality within a home or an office.

“To ensure optimal water quality, it’s advisable for consumers to have their tap water analysed first,” she recommended. “Then, by engaging with a water quality expert such as a certified dealer, they can receive tailored recommendations based on this analysis. This approach ensures that any specific concerns are addressed.”

Last year, Blupura launched its first dedicated line of water filters, Blutron. “This range has been designed to address a variety of water quality challenges, ensuring safe and great-tasting water for diverse environments such as domestic, office, vending and Horeca sectors,” Screpanti said. “Building on this foundation, we have added and continue to add new filtration solutions that remove contaminants, improving the taste and odour of tap water in different scenarios.”

Grace Chang, product manager at Caware Water Filter Solutions, spotlighted contaminant levels, water hardness and microbial content as key concerns for Caware’s professional customers. She noted that these factors affect both water safety and appliance longevity for Horeca businesses.

“The quality of water used in brewing will impact the coffee experience,” Chang commented. “The best coffee bean needs the right water quality to bring out its best features. The Specialty Coffee Association recommends optimal café water quality, with total alkalinity and total hardness specified, and highlights the best calcium-tomagnesium ratio for a perfect brew.”

Caware’s Café Purist product platform and advanced patented Micro · Kh technology, explained Chang, are designed to ensure that the optimum water is used to prepare coffee. “Taste and odour play an essential role, as they directly impact the drinking experience and overall satisfaction with water quality,” Chang added.

Antonio Zerilli, managing director at Italian manufacturer of water dispensers Zerica, recommends that home- and business-owners focus on the quality of their incoming water supply. “While our chillers are designed to ensure optimal performance without altering the water’s chemistry, maintaining the quality of the water at the source is crucial,” Zerilli said. “Using pre-filtration systems that target specific impurities ensures both the safety and taste of the dispensed water. It’s also important to consider regular maintenance and the choice of filtration solutions tailored to local water conditions.”

Zerica’s recent innovations have aimed to deliver chilled and sparkling water solutions that still preserve the natural integrity of the supplied water.

“Our patented mini Ice Bank Direct Chill and Silver Turbo Clean technologies are standout features, as they cool water efficiently without creating an environment conducive to microbiological growth,” Zerilli said. “While Zerica products don’t alter the quality of incoming water, we offer optional high-quality filters that can be integrated to reduce impurities like chlorine or fine particles, ensuring that the end product is as close to the natural quality of the source water as possible. Our systems are also engineered to minimise stagnation, further enhancing water safety and freshness.”

The where and the why

Geography plays a critical role in water quality challenges, with different methods of filtration recommended for different compositions of water.

"Geographic factors, including water source type, mineral content and contamination risks will determine the filtration methods needed," Tracy Corroll, technical manager at the Water Dispenser and Hydration Association (WHA), told Refreshment. "For example, areas with hard water may require more advanced resin filtration rather than standard bacteriostatic filtration. The WHA advises its members to adapt technologies and services to local conditions, ensuring the highest water quality regardless of location."

Caware's Chang agreed, commenting: "Different regions have unique water quality challenges". For example, areas with high mineral content require softening solutions, while regions near agricultural sites may need specialised filters for pesticides and nitrates. "Tailoring filtration methos based on geographic concerns is essential, often involving customisable solutions that address local contaminants," she continued.

Emma Redford, marketing director at H2O Direct, a water filtration provider for coffee, vending and Point-of-Use (POU) watercoolers, shared a similar view: "Some areas have hard water, causing limescale build up in hot and sometimes cold machines, whilst other areas can have very soft water, which can cause acidic water if the pH is low. Testing the water before installing any water reliant drinks machine is essential to understand what filtration is required."

In regions with poor infrastructure, Aigeldinger of Crystal IS recommends UVC LED solutions, which offer reliable disinfection without chemicals. "Some of these systems are even being used in locations impacted by the war in Ukraine where water infrastructure has been severly impacted," said Aigeldinger. "In cold climates, LED systems are designed to operate efficiently in low temperatures, ensuring year-round performance."

Zerica, meanwhile, addresses the problem of geographic variation by providing modular filtration options that can be selected based on local needs. "For example, in areas with hardness, filters to manage scaling might be used, while in regions with chlorine-heavy water, carbon-based filters are more suitable," said Zerilli. "Importantly, our filtration systems work in harmony with our chillers, focusing solely on optimising the water from the network without altering its intrinsic characteristics. This ensures consistent quality regardless of location."

Tackling the PFAS problem

PFAS contamination is a growing concern worldwide – but what are the dangers and how can filtration help?

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, commonly known as PFAS, are man-made chemicals that come from industrial and consumer use. Released into the environment from a wide variety of sources, they have been making media headlines worldwide in recent years as the public becomes more aware of their potential hazards to long term health.

“PFAS, known as ‘forever chemicals,' can accumulate in the body and lead to serious health issues, including cancer and developmental delays,” the WHA’s Corroll told Refreshment.

A 2022 study found that levels of PFAS found in rain water worldwide greatly exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency’s lifetime drinking water health advisories. In 2024, meanwhile, a worldwide study of 45,000 groundwater samples found that 31% contained levels of PFAS that were harmful to human health.

The severity of PFAS-associated health effects can vary based on the length and level of exposure and the prior health status of the individual.

“There is still more research to be undertaken to understand the full implications,” Corroll cautioned. “The UK government has already banned a number of these chemicals and is currently working with agencies to reassess and possibly expand this ban.”

Filtration methods have been shown to effectively reduce PFAS levels in water, Corroll explained, but these filtration methods must have been tested and certified for any claims made.

H2O’s Redford expanded on the topic of PFAS, which she considers one of the greatest issues in water currently: “Exposure to PFAS can cause a variety of health issues, including increased cholesterol, hormone disruption and in some cases, increased risk of cancer. The long-term dangers have not as yet been fully confirmed, but certainly PFAS chemicals are being thoroughly investigated by the WHO and the European Drinking Water Inspectorate.”

Redford highlighted H2O’s FX filters and its new FP range for successful elimination of PFAS from drinking water.

“H2O, along with our manufacturing partner Microfilter, has created a filter range, the FX for Microplastics removal,” she told Refreshment. “We are the first company in the world to receive NSF401 Certification, and the FX range won 'Best Product Innovation' at the Watercoolers Europe Acqua Awards in 2023.”

In addition to this, H2O is set to launch the FP range for total PFAS removal at the Aquatech show in Amsterdam this year. This new filter will be certified to NSF53: Total PFAS Reduction.

Blupura’s Screpanti told Refreshment that the manufacturer is “actively addressing” the challenge of PFAS contamination. “We are developing tailored filtration solutions to effectively remove PFAS from water. We plan to preview these innovations in 2025, showcasing our commitment to providing safe and high-quality water to our customers.”

Zerica’s Zerilli, meanwhile, noted that "addressing PFAS contamination requires advanced filtration technologies specifically designed to target these substances”.

“While Zerica’s chillers do not treat PFAS directly, we recommend compatible pre-filtration solutions for areas with known PFAS issues. Technologies like granular activated carbon (GAC) or highpressure reverse osmosis (RO) systems have shown effectiveness in reducing certain PFAS compounds. However, it’s important to note that the performance of these filters can vary depending on the specific types of PFAS present, as well as their concentration in the water.”

Zerilli continued: “Zerica collaborates with trusted filter providers to ensure that any filtration solutions integrated with our chillers meet the highest standards for safety and efficacy. This approach ensures customers receive high-quality chilled or sparkling water while relying on the filtration stage to address PFAS concerns effectively.”

However, while PFAS elimination is important, consumers and facilities managers must ensure that they focus on the bigger picture of water quality, and not on this single element to the exclusion of other concerns.

“The recent focus on filtering PFAS chemicals from drinking water can create an unintended impact of leaving the treated water susceptible to microbial contaminants,” warned Crystal IS’s Aigeldinger.

He recommends combining UVC LED treatment with activated carbon or ion-exchange systems that target PFAS to ensure comprehensive water treatment. “This provides a higher level of protection to the homeowner,” he maintained.

Whole-house filtration systems

Whole-house filtration systems, where a mains water filter is fitted to the rising main where water enters the building, are rising in popularity with consumers. There are a number of benefits to ensuring all the water used by the household is of a certain level of quality. However, there are drawbacks as well as advantages, so Refreshment spoke to the experts for some more in-depth information.

“Whole-house filtration systems treat all the water entering a building, providing uniform water quality for both drinking and non-drinking uses, such as showers, laundry and appliances,” said Zerica's Zerilli. “While this can be advantageous for non-food-related applications or centralised equipment, it may not always be the best solution for drinking water”.

Zerica specialises in POU systems, which Zerilli believes are better suited for food-grade applications where the focus is on delivering high-quality water directly at the point of consumption.

“POU solutions ensure that the water is freshly filtered, chilled, and dispensed right before use, minimising stagnation and preserving its natural qualities. This makes POU systems a superior choice for drinking water, both in terms of taste and safety, as they target specific filtration needs without unnecessary treatment of water used for nonconsumption purposes.

“For equipment or applications requiring centralised water treatment – such as in industrial or commercial settings – Zerica collaborates with customers to integrate appropriate filtration systems upstream. This dual approach ensures optimised performance for both drinking water and technical uses, tailored to the specific requirements of the context.”

Blupura’s Screpanti identified the “comprehensive approach” of whole-house filtration systems, which ensure water quality by treating water at the point of entry into the home. This means that all water used for drinking, cooking, bathing and cleaning is free of contaminants, as well as has the additional benefit of a positive economic and environmental impact on household appliances.

“[Whole-house filtration] systems protect household appliances from scale buildup and extend their operational lifespan,” Screpanti said. “For families or businesses, this approach simplifies water management by eliminating the need for multiple point-of-use filters. However, whole-house systems are not without drawbacks. They involve higher upfront costs and ongoing maintenance, which may not suit all budgets. Additionally, some systems may not address specific contaminants, such as PFAS, necessitating the inclusion of specialised technologies like reverse osmosis at critical points.”

H2O’s Redford notes a number of drawbacks of whole-house systems. “For now there is not a proven system to remove both microplastics and PFAS,” she said. “This system would be very expensive to maintain and produce, hence why such filtration has not yet been introduced on a large scale for a household. Limescale buildup within a household is a common request, especially in areas of extreme hard water, but the most efficient and cost-effective solution is to use individual filters at points where hard scale reduction is required.”

According to Aigeldinger of Crystal IS: "The primary benefit is full-system protection from heavy metals, chemicals and particulate contamination for all water within the building. Plus, as more of these systems integrate UVC LED treatment, customers benefit from reduced service and maintenance compared to traditional mercury lamp-based treatment.”

Aigeldinger warned, however, that this treatment can leave the home susceptible to opportunistic piping pathogens (OPP), as these filtration systems remove PFAS, but also chlorine, the main protectant to microbial growth in the water.

“Whole-house or whole-building systems remove chlorine at the point-of-entry, creating the opportunity for microbial growth and biofilms downstream in the water within the pipes post treatment, “ Aigeldinger said. “This impacts water in areas like beverage machines, ice makers, refrigerators or humidifiers on the main water feed.”

Thanks to ongoing scientific research, we are aware of many of the factors that affect water quality. However, the risks of emerging contaminants such as PFAS are still not fully understood. To ensure water the quality of their water remains as high as possible, users should partner with experts who can help them to understand both the potential impurities and the composition of their water. This will be crucial when deciding which filtration or purification system will offer the best result for the supplied water, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of taste, odour, appearance and – of course – safety.