# Do home water purification systems exist?



## mr_manny

My Preciosa Esposa asked me if Mexican homes had Water Purification Systems.
She was curious If this was an option, as opposed to purchasing the 5gallon jugs that are pretty common across the country.

I know the return on investment may not make sense, but wondered if anyone had any experience with such systems.

Also curious if anyone knows how the practice of buying drinking water got started?

I can remember when these water delivery services (or the practice of purchasing water from the local store) didn't exist. Boiling water was the norm.

thanks


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## Cristobal

mr_manny said:


> My Preciosa Esposa asked me if Mexican homes had Water Purification Systems.
> She was curious If this was an option, as opposed to purchasing the 5gallon jugs that are pretty common across the country.
> 
> I know the return on investment may not make sense, but wondered if anyone had any experience with such systems.
> 
> Also curious if anyone knows how the practice of buying drinking water got started?
> 
> I can remember when these water delivery services (or the practice of purchasing water from the local store) didn't exist. Boiling water was the norm.
> 
> thanks


Yes they exist. We have a small one installed in our home. We had a whole house unit in our other home and I had several other whole house units installed in homes I have built. My wife's dear friend had one installed in a cooking school she owned. 

I use a company named Puritronics in Guadalajara. . I have had a couple serviced in their factory and was very satisfied with the results. A very well run, modern and efficient company. They build units from very small capacity to large industrial size. I would link to the site but I believe that is frowned upon on this message board.


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## Isla Verde

Cristobal said:


> . . .
> 
> I use a company named Puritronics in Guadalajara. . I have had a couple serviced in their factory and was very satisfied with the results. A very well run, modern and efficient company. They build units from very small capacity to large industrial size. I would link to the site but I believe that is frowned upon on this message board.


Posting links to commercial websites is a bit of a gray area. Posting the name of the company is all right.


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## lagoloo

In the Lake Chapala Area, a company called H2O Ole installs either partial or whole house water purification systems. We have had one of the latter for around 5 years. The payback time over using those garafons is short, not to mention the convenience. There may be other suppliers as well. Our city water is dirty in the downtown area.


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## mr_manny

Also, lifting those jugs will get old pretty quick.
I don't mind looking for another form of exercise when I'm 80yrs old 

Looks like a robust partial to cover the kitchen and ice maker is going to be added to the list.

Thanks for the replies.


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## grotton

We purchased a Rotoplas three filter reverse osmosis system from Home Depot for around 4200 pesos and we love it. It was installed in our house two years ago and recently had a problem with the pump running more than normal. I called Rotoplas and they sent out a technician who fixed it totally free of charge. Very happy with Rotoplas.


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## mr_manny

So with these water systems, no more 5gal water jugs...right?


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## grotton

mr_manny said:


> So with these water systems, no more 5gal water jugs...right?


No more jugs. We've never had one in our house. Our filtration system is mounted beneath the kitchen sink with a separate gooseneck spigot. It provides plenty of water for drinking, vegetable cleaning, and cooking. We use regular tap water for washing dishes etc.


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## lagoloo

Home Depot and some other hardware stores also sell a purification unit that fits on a kitchen sink outlet. Has its own small faucet so you can siphon off a glass of water for drinking or some for cooking. Fairly inexpensive, and works well enough for the price. Replacement filters available at same stores. Good solution for renters.


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## Hound Dog

_


grotton said:



No more jugs. We've never had one in our house. Our filtration system is mounted beneath the kitchen sink with a separate gooseneck spigot. It provides plenty of water for drinking, vegetable cleaning, and cooking. We use regular tap water for washing dishes etc.

Click to expand...

_I don´t get it grotton. Your heading implies that you have as of yet not determined where you will reside in Mexico but you have installed a wáter purification system for drinking wáter in a residence. I hope it´s portable.

We used a wáter puriufication system in our rural home in Northern California for years before moving down here in 2001 but we had no choice as our sole source of residential wáter back there in the boonies was a deep well so we used the infra-red, reverse-osmosis system and, over the years, never got sick. However, we learned back then that the infra-red light to kill the bacteria could be ineffective even with a thin covering of dust so consistent maintenance over time was essential and that was a pain-in-the-ass so, here in Mexico, we use aljibes in both Jalisco and Chiapas to store municipal water and drink from garafones sold by wáter trucks that pass by our homes periodically. One must have faith in those companies that purify, package and deliver these garafones of "purified" wáter and it´s all a gamble. 

Drink beer and wine, I say and keep your mouth shut in the shower.


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## grotton

Hound Dog said:


> I don´t get it grotton. Your heading implies that you have as of yet not determined where you will reside in Mexico but you have installed a wáter purification system for drinking wáter in a residence. I hope it´s portable.


Well Hound Dog, I guess I haven't updated that information yet, and I suppose I like to be a little private. But let me give you a hint. I've eaten at your house several times and you've eaten at my house once.


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## Hound Dog

grotton said:


> Well Hound Dog, I guess I haven't updated that information yet, and I suppose I like to be a little private. But let me give you a hint. I've eaten at your house several times and you've eaten at my house once.


Memory appropriately jogged. We´ll be in your town in July for a while. We must get together. I hope this finds you all doing well.


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## coondawg

Hound Dog said:


> Memory appropriately jogged. We´ll be in your town in July for a while. We must get together. I hope this finds you all doing well.


Maybe the Dawg has the better wine?


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## JaunMadera

lagoloo said:


> Home Depot and some other hardware stores also sell a purification unit that fits on a kitchen sink outlet. Has its own small faucet so you can siphon off a glass of water for drinking or some for cooking. Fairly inexpensive, and works well enough for the price. Replacement filters available at same stores. Good solution for renters.


I don't think those provide any sort of biological filtration, just particle filtration, right?


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## citlali

The only things that work for virus, and bacterias are the reverse osmosis systems and or the UVs. According to what I just read the reverse osmosis system works well without the UV.
I know that we had a reverse osmosis system for ourselves in California and it worked well and we used the UV system for the koi ponds although bacterias woud get to the fish from outside sources too.


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## ojosazules11

A system I have been considering taking to Mexico is the Big Berkey - depending on the size you buy it can filter 7 to 26 gallons per hour. It apparently does eliminate viruses, bacteria, protozoa, cysts as well as chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, organic solvents, VOCS, etc. It is a filtration system, neither RO nor UV. They even have portable versions which they indicate have been used in remote areas and disaster zones to purify untreated raw water.

It is a stand apart system - I haven't seen anything on their website about whole house purification. Just google Big Berkey and you'll find them. A lot of re-vendors of their system will come up in the search, but I find the parent company's website the most informative.


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## RVGRINGO

In 13 years living in Ajijic and Chapala, we simply used two filters, 2x20 inches each. Never had a problem. I see no need for anything more sophisticated and have noted that the more fastidious folks are the ones who always complained of stomach problems, etc. Perhaps their immune systems were without sufficient stimulation.


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## lagoloo

The reality is that every body is different, so your statement is anecdotal evidence based on your own personal experience and can't be generally applied. 

Some people can live on street cart servings with no after effects. Some can't. There is a reason that some people who visit or live in Mexico experience "Montezuma's revenge" and some don't.


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## Isla Verde

lagoloo said:


> The reality is that every body is different, so your statement is anecdotal evidence based on your own personal experience and can't be generally applied.
> 
> Some people can live on street cart servings with no after effects. Some can't. There is a reason that some people who visit or live in Mexico experience "Montezuma's revenge" and some don't.


Quite true. I have also found that Mexican friends tend to be more careful about washing their hands before eating than I am, but I don't seem to suffer more tummy aches than they do. I wonder why.


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## lagoloo

Isla Verde said:


> Quite true. I have also found that Mexican friends tend to be more careful about washing their hands before eating than I am, but I don't seem to suffer more tummy aches than they do. I wonder why.


Refer to posting: "every body is different". A bunch of Mexican workers were on our house remodeling project. Some brought their own bottle of water (or drank a lot of Coke). Some drank from the garden hose fed from the street. Couldn't see much difference in who was off sick.........or not.
:juggle:


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## ojosazules11

RVGRINGO said:


> In 13 years living in Ajijic and Chapala, we simply used two filters, 2x20 inches each. Never had a problem. I see no need for anything more sophisticated and have noted that the more fastidious folks are the ones who always complained of stomach problems, etc. Perhaps their immune systems were without sufficient stimulation.


You've got a point here, RV. There's a growing body of evidence that our obsession with everything sterile and antibacterial has contributed to the increased incidence of autoimmune diseases and allergies. We need to be exposed to friendly bacteria and good old-fashioned dirt. At least that's what I tell myself of when my house is looking anything but sterile - which is a lot of the time! OK, enough of a break - back to my Saturday cleaning ...


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## RVGRINGO

I will, in just a few minutes, nuke a couple of tamales for lunch, since my wife is having lunch with friends. I have no idea who shredded the meat, mushed up the salsa ingredients in a molcajete or formed each tamal into the corn husk, or how many bare feet may have tread upon those husks before they were packaged and transported to the Mexican grocery on the south side of Tucson. All I know is that they were steamed, frozen and now nuked ......... deliciouso. Since they have been so sterilized, I suppose I will have to find my daily dose of “dirt“ elsewhere; like petting the dogs, then eating peanuts with unwashed hands while I watch TV, or touch the outside of the bottle of ***** Modelo, then wipe my lips after a swig.


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## lagoloo

Saying on a Pediatrician's wall:
"Baby lies at my feet on a sterilized sheet, cutting teeth on the tip of my shoe"

There's clean, and there's obsession. Gotta know the difference.


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## JaunMadera

Well, I'm not a germaphobe. I don't go around wiping things down with bleach and I'll eat things that make my wife cringe. I was born on the cusp of Boomer's and X's, so I had the benefit of getting to play in and eat a little dirt. In all the years of visiting Mexico, I've never gotten sick.

That said, considering water has played a major role in pretty much every major plague and epidemic humans have been exposed to, I prefer to know my water doesn't have any harmful biological contamination.


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## mr_manny

JaunMadera said:


> I was born on the cusp of Boomer's and X's, so I had the benefit of getting to play in and eat a little dirt. In all the years of visiting Mexico, I've never gotten sick.


Maybe those early dirt diets boosted your immune system?
I know mine is working fine 

Each year I visit the family farm, mornings would not be the same without a Pajarete.
Trust me, the lines are short due to sensitive stomachs.

Originally I was thinking of bringing a filter system from the states, but now think we will pickup something in Mexico.


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## lagoloo

mr_manny said:


> Maybe those early dirt diets boosted your immune system?
> I know mine is working fine
> 
> Each year I visit the family farm, mornings would not be the same without a Pajarete.
> Trust me, the lines are short due to sensitive stomachs.
> 
> Originally I was thinking of bringing a filter system from the states, but now think we will pickup something in Mexico.


Suggestion: Check out the Home Depot site. They have everything from a faucet mounted filter to complete reverse osmosis systems.


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