Category: Health Blogs

Water purifiers have become a modern-day need rather than a luxury since the tap water supply in many homes across the country may be contaminated with traces of sewage or even chemicals [1].
This is where an under-the-counter water purifier can help you. An under-sink water purifier is much like its regular wall-mounted counterpart. However, considering how people nowadays want neat and compact kitchen spaces, an under-counter water purifier can be installed under the counter or the sink, leaving space on the walls for cabinets and other storage racks.

What is the Technology behind Under-the-Counter UTC Water Purifiers?

 

Under-the-counter water purifiers make use of reverse osmosis technology, so that water can be supplied from a single outlet.  The design makes it compact to fit under your counter. The use of high-end technology and its 6 stage purification make it an efficient water purifier to meet the requirement of the customer to get purified water. The RO filtration system comprises several stages of filtration to remove impurities from potable water, such as arsenic, chlorine, and others. [2]

Main factors to consider when buying UTC Water Purifiers

Several factors can influence your choice of a UTC water purifier, some of them include:

Easy Installation 

Ensure that the under-sink water purifier can be set up easily under your kitchen counter without making excessive changes or renovating the section. Generally, the water purifier installation should be hassle-free and can be completed within an hour.

Scope of Cleaning

If you want to fit the water purifier under the counter, ensure that you are able to access the spot for regular cleaning. Since you will be getting your potable water supply from the purifier, the surrounding area should be clean and free from dust particles, debris, crumbs, etc.

Power Supply

Be sure to check if your UTC water purifier will be able to store enough water in case of an unsteady power supply in your home. Hence, in case of a power cut, you should still be able to get clean drinking water. Electric water purifiers can store up to 5- 8Ltr of water.

Budget

While you should not compromise on the quality of your under-counter water purifier to save some money, you can do a cost-benefit analysis between a few UTC water purifiers before choosing one that fits your budget and works efficiently. Consider this an important investment for your home!

Benefits of UTC Water Purifiers

Saves Space

The design and installation of UTC water purifiers can save a lot of countertop space. Also, since the purifier is located under the counter, it gives your kitchen wall a clutter-free appearance.

Better Water Flow

An under-sink water purifier uses a hydropneumatic tank that uses optimal pressure, resulting in better water flow and pressure. As a result of this, you need not spend a long time filling water bottles[3].

Clean Potable Water

Since the reverse osmosis technology used in the UTC water purifiers filters out traces of contamination and impurities, you get clean water that is safe for consumption, be it for your family or your pets!

With these benefits and many others, check out the A. O. Smith India range of UTC water purifiers for more!

References

Citations

1. Deaths Due to Lack of Clean Water

2. Global Under Sink RO Water Purifiers Market Demand Outlook

3. Available Water Purifier technologies & emerging trend of Under the Counter Water Purifiers

Everyone wants clean water. Whether it’s for your well-being, or the sake of your loved ones – hydration is always priority number 1. But how clean is your water? How do you get rid of as much of the impurities and bacteria that you can? Here’s where SCMT comes in.

How do you purify your water?

If you’ve ever looked into water purification – you’ve heard of some of the ways you can clean your water. UV, UF, RO – they’re all great ways to get the best water you can. But what if we told you there’s a better way?

 

What is SCMT? 

SCMT (Silver Charged Membrane Technology) is the future. A combination of RO + UV gets rid of your bacteria and viruses, but there’s a lot more to purify [1]. A combination of RO + UV + UF goes much further, but it still can’t get rid of phosphates and isn’t capable of chemical reduction [2]. A combination of RO + SCMT takes care of all of these, making your water safe for drinking. The impurities in your feed water are taken care of , thanks to this highly advanced filtration technology [3].

 

Double protection with RO+ Silver Charged Membrane Technology

Water keeps us hydrated and healthy. The quantity of the water consumption may vary from person to person, but the quality should be as per the Drinking water standard. The water quality cannot be predicted with the number of additional filtration technologies apart from RO , in fact it’s all about selecting the cutting-edge technology to give double protected baby safe water.

Even though reverse osmosis is the best technology available for microbial and chemical reduction, the market demand for the secondary disinfection technology for reassuring the quality of the water they drink. In the market there are chemical and mechanical secondary filtration techniques which can be combined with RO.

Silver charged membrane technology reduces a wide range of pathogens, and cellular debris when compared to other secondary disinfection technology available in the market. The charge field covers the entire depth and the void volume of the media makes it more efficient. The crystal structure with strong positive charge attracts the negatively charged submicron particles. The depth filtration is made even more efficiently by tightly holding the contaminants.

RO in combination with the SCMT makes water baby safe. There are many other secondary disinfection technologies which comes in combination with the RO water purifier. The choice of the right combination gives you safe water. AO Smith water purifier comes with a promise of double purified water with RO + SCMT.

 

Conclusion 

Contaminants in water are a big threat to the health of you and your loved ones. Technology has made it convenient & safer to drink pure and healthy drinking water, with A.O. Smith water purifiers leading the revolution. The question is – will you join us?

Check out our range of RO + SCMT purifiers here.

 Is your water safer to drink?

Clean water is a basic necessity, you need safe water to drink. The water you drink may be crystal clear with no discoloration or visible particles, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t contaminated [1]. So how do you ensure your water is as pristine as it can be? Let’s take a look at some of the water purification technologies that help keep your water safe.

UV

You might have seen UV technology in a lot of water purifiers without knowing exactly what it entails. This is an age old technology for getting microbiologically safe water. UV light is a powerful bacteria deterrent, and this helps your purifier inactivate nasty disease-spreading microorganisms in your water. This leaves you with a microbe-free supply of drinking water, but doesn’t remove any other impurities like physical and chemical [2].

UF

Ultrafiltration or UF is a membrane technology that helps get rid of more physical impurities. By forcing your water through a semipermeable membrane, your purifier gets rid of tiny particles in the water [3]. Think of it as a strainer for your water; getting rid of larger particles and bacteria while retaining healthy minerals.

RO 

Reverse Osmosis or RO is a membrane technology, which is considered to be the heart of water purifiers. Similar to UF, it works with a semi-permeable membrane, along with a high-pressure pump to completely remove both physical chemical and microbiological in your water, leaving you with water cleaner than any of the previous methods we’ve mentioned [4].

SCMT

Silver Charged Membrane Technology (SCMT) is the most potent water purification technology we’ve seen yet. Using a filter media with a high electropositive charge on its nano-fibres, this technology not only takes out viruses and bacteria but also takes out some of the chemical impurities like phosphates, colloids etc. [5]

What works best?

While all these different methods of purification are powerful on their own, they work best in tandem. Most water purifiers use RO + UV or RO + UV + UF combinations, but to obtain water that can be considered even baby safe, you need to look further at RO + SCMT [5]. Getting rid of the most contaminants, your water is significantly cleaner as compared to any of the previous combinations.

With A. O. Smith water purifiers, we use all of these technologies in conjunction with an 8 stage purification process, providing you with purified water to take care of yours & your family’s health. You can check out our line of water purifiers here.

1 – Human perception of water appearance
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00288330.1995.9516637 
2 – Ultraviolet radiation and its germicidal effect in drinking water purification.
https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20113034661 
3 – Hybrid forward osmosis/ultrafiltration membrane bag for water purification
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S001191641930579X 
4 – A Review on Reverse Osmosis and Nanofiltration Membranes for Water Purification
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/11/8/1252 
5 – Disruptor® for Residential Use
https://www.ahlstrom-munksjo.com/products/filter-media/water-filtration/residential-use/

Only 8% of India uses water purifiers.

1.1 It’s important to know that water that looks and smells clean is not always clean

1.2 What is TDS?

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) refers to minerals, salts, metals, etc., dissolved in water. It is measured in ppm (parts per million).

1.3 What is hardness?

• Hardness is a measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water, while TDS is the measure of all dissolved solids.
• Hence, hardness is a part of TDS, and so, the more the hardness of water, the more the TDS will be.

1.4 What does heavy metal contamination mean?

It is the excessive presence of metals like lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, arsenic, etc., in water.

2.1 What is a water purifier?

A water purifier is a device that removes undesirable chemicals, biological contaminants and suspended solids from water ensuring you get pure, clean and safe drinking water.

2.2 – Step 1

1. Find out the Water Source at home.

2.3 – Step 2

2. Choose the Purification Technology

Here’s how a water purifier works

2.3 A – Pre-purification

Sediment Filter/Pre-filter

• It is generally an external filter, put separately on the wall, it is included with all A.O. Smith water purifiers.
• It removes suspended solids like dirt particles, sand, rust, etc.,from water.

Pre-carbon Filter

• A.O. Smith Pre-carbon filter provides treatment for organic chemicals, VOC’s, pesticides, herbicides, and chlorine and its by-products.
• It removes odour and improves the taste of water.

 

2.3 B – Primary Technology

RO

The RO Water filter uses pressure to push water through a membrane which allows only pure water to pass to the other side.

 

Ordinary RO+ UV Water Purifiers

• This technology bypasses some water directly to UV, without passing it through the RO membrane.
• Water bypassing the RO membrane may contain harmful substances like TDS, lead, arsenic, fluoride, pesticides and other chemicals.
• Long term usage of a bypass system can lead to severe health issues.

A.O. Smith Water Purifiers – 100% RO

• There is no bypass, 100% water passes through the RO membrane.
• All harmful substances get removed.

• A. O. Smith’s RO membrane has a design patented Side Stream RO technology.
• Patented RO membrane and ART Max help ensure protection and good life of RO membrane while also reducing water wastage.

UV Technology

• UV technology is generally used where TDS<500.
• When water passes through this UV filter, the UV rays deactivate the virus, bacteria and other microorganisms by altering the DNA of the cell using electromagnetic radiation.

2.3 C – Secondary Technology

RO+SCMT – Silver Charged Membrane Technology

• It is a patented design by A.O. Smith.
• It consists of a membrane charged with silver particles. This technology is more effective than UV, UF and MF, as it not only removes bacteria, virus, cysts but also colloids, particulates and endotoxins.

RO+UV – UV Technology

UV lamp filter is also used as a secondary source of water purification along with RO, it uses the same mechanism as described above.

UF – Ultrafiltration

It is a type of membrane filter that removes cysts, bacteria, etc., but not all viruses and phosphates.

MF – Microfiltration

This also is a type of membrane filter having pore size bigger than UF. It does not remove any viruses, colloids or phosphates.

 

2.3 D Post Treatment

Post Carbon Filter

This removes the bad taste and odour which improves the taste of the water.

Mineral Filter

A. O. Smith mineral filter balances the pH value of the water from 7-8.5 by adding essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.

In-tank Protection

UV LED in tank
Some water purifiers have UV lamp in the tank, this helps keep the purified water stored in tank fresh and pure by activating UV LED inside the tank to prevent microorganisms from growing

2.4 – Step 3

Choose the storage capacity

Generally, the storage capacity varies from 0 to 10 litres.

• The water storage tanks in most water purifiers are generally made of food grade plastic.
• A.O. Smith water purifiers are made using 100% food grade plastic, which is absolutely safe for water storage.

 

2.5- Step 4

Decide where to place it

There are 3 suitable options
• Wall mount – On the wall.
• Table top – Placed on the table/ slab.
• Space under the counter for a water purifier – Several new apartments these days have space under the counter for a water purifier with a faucet/tap connecting to the counter.

 

2.6 – 3 Additional points to be considered

a. Value Added Features

Hot Water:

• Hot water helps boost immunity through different benefits like relief from nasal congestion and sore throat, it also helps enhance blood circulation, digestion and helps detox your body.
• A. 0. Smith 28, 29 and 21 models allow you to dispense mineralized hot water at the press of a button. You can choose warm or hot, as per your preference at 45 degree Celsius or 80 degree Celsius.

Night Assist:

• This feature allows you to use your purifier in the dark without switching on the lights, moreover, it makes the water purifier look really nice.

b. Water Saving

• In RO technology, impure water is rejected out of the RO membrane upon purification and the amount of pure water that passes through the RO membrane is the water recovered.
• Water recovery means the percentage of water that passes though the RO membrane and is recovered as pure water, which is the percentage of water saved.
• 90% of the RO water purifiers in the market recover only one glass of pure water to every 4 glasses of input. So, the recovery is only 25%.

• A.O. Smith Green Series water purifiers ensure that you not only take care of your family but also your planet. Its patented Advanced Recovery technology helps you save 9000L of water annually.

c. Warranty

• Most brands offer warranty against any manufacturing defects which doesn’t include any filter replacement.
• A. O. Smith offers comprehensive warranty on all of its products, which covers any issues with the machine as well as the filters.

Water contamination and water scarcity are the most discussed points, and both are linked to each other. Reframing water scarcity as safe water scarcity is the right way to frame it.

Water is available everywhere, but there is still a shortage of pure fresh drinking water. It could be due to many factors, such as collapsed infrastructure and distribution systems, contamination, conflict, or poor management of water resources — it is clear that climate change and human factors are increasingly denying the right to safe water and sanitation.[1]

Water is a part of our day-to-day life. 70% of Earth’s surface is covered with water [2]. Asia has only 36% of available freshwater reserves with over 60% of the world population [4]– the result is that water has become a scarce commodity. Water pollution is another major concern, affecting the water supply and human health conditions.

Apart from water scarcity, another major issue is water pollution, affecting health. Only 31% of the sewage water generated in 23 major cities is treated, and the rest pollutes 18 major rivers in the country [2].

Poor sanitation, overuse of pesticides, and poor sewage management contribute to water pollution. [3] Did you know that 27% of the villages and about 4 to 6% urban population in India do not have access to clean drinking water? [2]

Safe water is our right so let’s ensure that we keep our families healthy with the promise of safe water. A.O. Smith RO Water Purifiers provide safe drinking water with 8-stage purification and a high recovery rate which aids in water conservation. Additionally, A.O. Smith models P7, P6, P5, Z9, Z8, X7+, and X8 provide secondary purification using the Silver Charged Membrane Technology (SCMT) with its electro adsorption process. So, you get the benefit of safe and healthy baby safe water.

References-

1. Water scarcity- Addressing the growing lack of available water to meet children’s needs.
Available at https://www.unicef.org/wash/water-scarcity, accessed on 18 June, 2021

2. Water scarcity and security in India
Available at https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/water-scarcity-and-security-india, accessed on 18 June, 2021

3. Pesticides and Water Pollution
Available at https://www.safewater.org/fact-sheets-1/2017/1/23/pesticides , accessed on 18 June, 2021

4. Analysis of Demand and Supply of Water in India– Journal of environment and earth science Available at https://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/JEES/article/view/13993, accessed on 18 June, 2021

How to Treat Different Types of Water?

When deciding on the type of Water Purifier to buy for home use, many people are left scratching their heads. However, to choose the correct water filter, you must be aware of the water supply.

Here are Some Types of Water That Require Purification

1. Tap water

Tap water is the most common source of water in India. It is usually full of bacteria, microbes, viruses, and pathogens. These microorganisms possess a real threat to you and your family. Hence, it is ideal for treating tap water thoroughly before consumption. Get a tap water filter for cleaner water.

2. Hard water

Since it runs through deposits of limestone and chalk, hard water has high mineral content. Some of these minerals include iron, calcium, magnesium, and more. Get an Electric Water Purifier or a water softener to treat water. It is necessary to treat hard water as the high mineral content can cause severe infections in the digestive system.

3. Soft water

Unlike hard water, soft water contains lesser ions of calcium and magnesium.
It is mostly known as surface water and is formed by drainage of river basins or where rainfall occurs. This kind of water may contain trace minerals or bacteria. However, it is important to treat this was as it lies in the open.

There is a high possibility of bacterial or viral contamination. Hence, a UV Water Purifier is an apt choice.

A UV Water Purifier kills all the bacteria and microorganisms in the water, making it safe for drinking.

4. Purified water

Purified water is water that has been filtered and purified through a water purification system. This type of water is usually safe for drinking. Nonetheless, you can always ensure dual protection by installing an advanced water purifier like A.O. Smith’s Proplanet P6, which provides 8 stages water purification technology.

5. Distilled water

A kind of water is created through a process called distillation. It turns into steam when water is boiled and evaporates, leaving the contaminants behind. This steam is then caught, cooled off, and transformed into pure water. However, if there are any contaminants in the water with a lower boiling point, it may not be easy to separate them from the water, even through this process. Thus, a Water Purifier plays an important role in ensuring further safety of drinking water. We must take care of ourselves and those around us. Even a subtle mistake can lead to severe health problems.

6. Reverse osmosis- RO

A reverse osmosis Water Purifier system removes the impurities found in the water through a semi-permeable membrane. Anything smaller than water molecules can pass through this membrane. Minerals, as well as dissolved solids, may be removed from the water via this process. The added benefit of A.O. Smith’s RO Water Purifier is the patented SSM (Side Stream Membrane) technology which ensures maximum water recovery and minimal wastage.

Read More about SMM RO here: UV vs RO Purification – Which Water Purifier Is Best for You?

7. Filtered water

Filtered water is water that has been treated by water filter systems. Water is run through a filter, separated from the contaminants, and thus filtered. In most of these appliances, the filter is a carbon one. The filtration only removes impurities from the water, the micro-organisms are still unchecked. Therefore, we need a Water Purifier at home for purifying the supplied water.

For the best Water Purifier, check out our collection of the latest Water Purifier. Choose a water filter as per your requirement and drink the cleanest water.