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Carbon Water Filters have been used for centuries to filter impurities from drinking water. Carbon is a very powerful absorbant; one pound (half a kilogram) of carbon contains a surface area of 125 acres (0.5 square kilometers). The material has millions tiny pores, usually invisible to eye, and can absorb thousands of water contaminants. Several carbon forms are commonly used in water filtration: Granular Activated Carbon ( GAC ), and Carbon Block. Activated Carbon is a material that has a positive charge, which helps attracting even more impurities. Generally, Carbon Block Filters have higher contaminant removal capability than GAC filters, and they usually have a higher cost. Carbon Water Filters are sometimes called " charcoal water filters ".

 

Activated Carbon and Carbon Block Water Filters a usually rated by size of the particles it can remove. Typical ratings are from 50 micron (least effective) to 0.5 micron (most effective). We generally use 5 micron carbon block filters in our systems, because it gives us very effective absorbtion capabilities in combination with acceptable water flow rates.

 

Although various types of carbon exist, three are generally used for drinking water filtration: bituminous, wood, and coconut shell carbon. Coconut shell carbon is most effective out of three; we only use coconut shell carbon (<< here sold in bags) in our systems.