Pay attention to expiration dates
After a certain amount of time and use, a water filter won’t operate as efficiently as it did when brand-new. Manufacturers are aware of this when making water filters and coolers, and will therefore include a warning about the timeframe for filter use before replacement, based on how many litres of water the filter can handle before it’ll start to degrade.
Whenever you get a new water cooler or water filter in your office or building, it’s important that you immediately find this information and make a note in your calendar of a rough date to get the filter changed, as not all filters will come with fancy lights or indicators telling you when it needs to be replaced. Failing to replace the filter - and continued use after the suggested expiration date - could cause the water you drink to become contaminated.
Contaminants and mould
While a common sign that large contaminants are clogging your filter is reduced water flow, once a water filter becomes unable to successfully filter out contaminants it’s possible you won’t even notice a reduced water flow. Contaminants will easily pass through the filter alongside the water, and can cause health risks when ingested.
If your water filter has been overused, or left unused for weeks at a time without cleaning, then there’s a high chance that contaminants have rotted in the filter and started to grow mould – this is especially likely if you’re in a humid location. Mould in your filter should be more noticeable in the taste of the water, but it’s also likely that you won’t notice mould at first and put yourself at risk of ingesting it within the water.
What are the risks?
Ingesting contaminants or mould in the water you drink can cause issues such as headaches, a runny nose, sinus problems, skin rashes, diarrhoea, and vomiting. To avoid all these problems, it’s important to make sure the water you’re drinking is properly purified with a filter that isn’t past its expiration date.
Addressing the problem
If you haven’t replaced a water filter in time, and are now dealing with contamination or mould in the water it produces, it’s likely that it’s time to buy yourself a new water filter or even a new water cooler, depending on the size of the problem. A new filter or cooler can take you back to a high standard of clean water that won’t negatively affect your health – in fact, drinking clean filtered water can even have health benefits!
If you’re looking to find a water solution for your office to replace a busted filter that’s putting you at risk, take a look at the Big Wet online shop, and find the product that’s right for you!
