Water filter demand up
Demand for tapwater filters is increasing as Christchurch’s water supply is chlorinated.
Doctors Samantha and Mark Bailey had a filter installed in their home earlier this month to filter out the taste and smell of chlorine. They also wanted to guarantee water quality and safety for their children Weston, 7, and Augie, 5.
‘‘We got the filter as we started to question the city council’s ability to maintain a first-class water supply. Probably like most residents we had assumed for years that there would never be any major issues with Christchurch’s water.’’
City plumbers and a filter supplier said they had been busy over the past couple of months with families and businesses wanting to filter their water. They expected demand to ramp up as residents start to notice the chlorine taste and smell in their water.
Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Ramon Pink said water filters were not necessary from a health perspective as ‘‘very low levels of chlorine’’ were added to the supply.
‘‘Chlorine has been safely used worldwide for around
120 years. It keeps millions of people all around the world – including most of New Zealand – safe from waterborne illness,’’ he said.
Chlorine kills bacteria that can get into water supplies and spread disease.
He believed the water supply was safe and chlorination was a precaution while engineers carry out remedial work to fix substandard well heads.
Installing filter units can cost anywhere from $500 to
$2000, depending on the size and age of a house.
Sue Kelly Water Systems owner Sue Kelly said she had seen a ‘‘substantial increase’’ in inquiries and purchases since the council announced the water supply would be chlorinated in January. ‘‘We are having stock imported by sea and air to keep up with the demand.’’
People often installed filtering units in their garage, by the water tap or valve.
Kelly warned consumers to look into maintenance costs and carbon volume before buying a filter. Some filters were cheaper to buy, but expensive to maintain.
Dewaters Plumbing & Gas owner Charles Philipse said his business had gone from rarely installing filters to 10 a week over the past couple of months. He expected demand to ramp up as people started to taste chlorine in their water.
Plumber Alex Cowden said he had noticed an increase in demand. He advised consumers to choose quality filters with a warranty ‘‘to avoid false economy’’.