If you are planning to buy a luxury home for sale in Mexico, you may wonder about the water quality there. The quality of tap water in Mexico has improved dramatically over the past decades. But, like nearly everywhere in the world, your home can still benefit from a water purification system.
By removing minerals from your water, you will improve the function and longevity of your appliances and your hair and skin health.
Some municipal water supplies, holding tanks, or unknown pipe composition may introduce contaminants in the water supply. If you wish to drink your tap water, a reliable purification system can also remove them.
There are many filtration and purification choices to provide your home in Riviera Maya with high-quality water. But, which one is right for you? Below we describe several options to help you make your choice.
Countertop options
If you want to avoid using plastic bottles for drinking and cooking, you can get a countertop filtration system for potable water. It is quick to set up, easy to maintain, environmentally friendly, and economically convenient.
Countertop filtration systems typically use carbon or ceramic filters. They are reliable because they use gravity or water pressure to pull the water through the filter. Furthermore, they do not require electricity to operate.
Carbon and Ceramics
It is essential to understand that carbon and ceramic filters are different. Carbon filters remove the unpleasant taste and smell in some tap water by removing chlorine and hydrogen sulfide. They are also best to filter out pesticides and can reduce contamination from heavy metals. On the other hand, a ceramic filter does not filter out pesticides or heavy metals but can remove most pathogens such as protozoans and bacteria. Please note that a ceramic filter will not kill viruses. If viruses are a concern, you should choose a UV option described later in this blog.
Look for a ceramic countertop filter with an integrated carbon cartridge to maximize your peace of mind. Or you may choose a ceramic countertop filtration device to remove pathogens first and then follow the treatment with a simple carbon filtration pitcher.
In-line shower and sink filters
Water treatments that apply to a single faucet are often called point of use (POU) systems. These are water purification units that apply to a single shower or sink.
For healthy skin and shiny, sleek hair, many people enjoy the benefits of using a small, cartridge-style filter in their showers. These filters do not usually require any special hardware or skill to install. Some have an attached shower head, so you simply unscrew the existing showerhead and replace it with the new unit. Other shower filters are cartridge units only. These are screwed into the outlet pipe, and then the original showerhead attachment is screwed into the cartridge unit.
To make your sink a reliable source of pure water, you have a wide variety of options. Many under-sink models contain carbon filters and provide the same benefits of carbon countertop filters explained above. Other styles use ultraviolet (UV) light to kill pathogens. UV light is the most effective water purification system to kill pathogens, and a strong UV light will reliably destroy all kinds of protozoa, bacteria, and viruses. A purification unit that includes two stages of treatment, both UV light and a carbon filter, is an excellent choice for most home needs.
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are also available for in-line use under your sink. These systems use a semipermeable membrane to filter out the smallest particles of any filtration system. RO systems typically incorporate multiple filtration steps and are highly effective at removing bacteria, viruses, minerals, and heavy metals. But it may surprise you that these excellent filters are not recommended for drinking water. According to the World Health Organization, RO and distillation systems actually remove substances that your body needs. The demineralized water will draw out from your system essential electrolytes, such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Drinking this water for a long time can increase the risk of health problems.
Whole-house systems
For the best protection of your appliances, alongside the convenience of a single-unit for water purification of all your sinks and showers, single-unit systems cannot beat a whole-house water treatment system. These are also called point of entry (POE) systems.
Whole house filtration systems usually contain multiple stages of treatment, combining two or more of the options discussed above. They are more expensive to purchase and usually require professional installation.
As with the under-sink options, a reliable choice to purify municipal water for your whole home is to combine carbon and UV filtration. In most cases, this will make your water safe to drink, protect your appliances from damage from scaly mineral buildup, and improve your shower experience.
Before making this investment, it is practical to purchase a water testing kit to be aware of any serious contaminants that you need to mitigate. It’s a great idea to share your results with your neighbors. Hence, everyone using the same municipal water source can understand how contaminants may change seasonally or consistently increase or decrease over time.
A final, practical, and cost-effective approach to water filtration in your Mexico home is to protect your appliances and shower with a single, whole house carbon filter. Then, add extra protection to your kitchen sink with an under-sink UV filter or ceramic countertop option.
Before you buy
Online information about water treatment can only be used as a guideline because results from each system will vary. A third party should test the quality of the water purification units you buy. You can check these tests to ensure that you are getting the performance you expect for the type of system you have chosen.