{"id":119283,"date":"2024-03-08T22:33:44","date_gmt":"2024-03-09T03:33:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/?p=119283"},"modified":"2024-04-07T11:45:36","modified_gmt":"2024-04-07T15:45:36","slug":"water-filtration-how-did-we-get-to-the-present-day-water-filters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/water-filtration-how-did-we-get-to-the-present-day-water-filters\/","title":{"rendered":"Water Filtration! How Did We Get to the Present-Day Water Filters?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Thu T. A. Nguyen, Publishing Associate: Researcher and Writer at Save the Water\u2122 | March 08, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n

The rising amount of toxins found in drinking water sources has made water filtration more and more necessary. Water filtering has been in practice for thousands of years, <\/span>as early as 4000 B.C<\/span><\/a>. Water treatment has been found in all major civilizations: Mayas, ancient Egypt, Chinese empires, <\/span>the Romans<\/span><\/a>, and so on. Water filtering methods have advanced over time, and surprisingly, many of them are still used to this day. Therefore, knowing the history of water filters can help us use them well. This article aims to introduce you to the most basic ideas behind water filtration.<\/span><\/p>\n

What can be in the Water?<\/span><\/h1>\n

In the early days, cloudiness (or turbidity) was the main reason for water filtration. But as science progressed, we\u2019ve found bacteria, sediments (sand, clay, and other soil particles), chemicals, and toxins in water. In rare cases, <\/span>small radioactive particles<\/span><\/a> have also been detected in water.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Water Filtration Methods in Ancient Times<\/span><\/h1>\n

Ancient Sanskrit and Greeks used <\/span>charcoal, sunlight, boiling, and straining<\/span><\/a> as methods for cleaning water.<\/span><\/p>\n

From around 1500 B.C., aluminum sulfate, called alum, has been added to water to make it clearer. Alum forces dirt out of water, and <\/span>lake managers still use it to improve water quality today<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Greek and Roman engineers<\/span><\/a> used zeolites 2700 years ago to build large water-related structures, such as bridges, dams, and harbors. Furthermore, the ancient Mayans used <\/span>quartz and zeolite<\/span><\/a> to make complex water-cleaning systems between 2500 to 1100 years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

They used quartz as a sieve and zeolite (a mineral from volcanoes) as a sponge to hold and separate particles from water. These natural crystal materials can <\/span>remove microbes, metals, and toxins from drinking water<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Water Filtration Methods in Modern Times<\/span><\/h1>\n

In the 1800s, <\/span>people in Europe used sand filters<\/span><\/a>. During this period, scientists also started to better understand contaminants that couldn\u2019t be seen by the naked eye.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This base knowledge became a major driving force for more effective water treatment in the U.S. in the 1900s. In addition to filtering and reducing turbidity, chlorine was used for the first time in 1908 in New Jersey. Moreover, <\/span>ozone\u2019s antimicrobial <\/span><\/a>properties were discovered in Europe around this time and <\/span>became widely used in the 1970s and 1980s<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting in the 1960s, it was agreed upon that man-made chemicals were also a problem found in drinking water. At this time, using <\/span>charcoal for odor<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>organic chemical removal<\/span><\/a> became more common.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In many cultures, people have tentatively used charcoal to treat water as early as 400 B.C. Activated charcoal (or activated carbon) is a form of charcoal that undergoes further processes to filter out more toxins. This material is often seen <\/span>in many applications<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n