Health Risks: Drinking from an old filter can expose individuals to harmful chemicals and heavy metals that the filter was initially designed to remove. This can lead to health issues, especially in vulnerable populations like pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
A weak water filter cannot effectively filter out impurities like heavy metals, bacteria, lead, and more. This is why you should check and change the filter regularly. Water from a weak filter tastes like tap water, with a funny taste and odor. The contaminants will make their way into your body and lead to problems.
Possible Risks of Drinking Dirty Water
You and your family experience gastrointestinal problems, including diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramping. Your water has an off taste, which makes the food you prepare with it taste different than it should.
It can be dangerous to drink filtered water after the water filter needs to be replaced because bacteria builds in the filter over time and then the water which subsequently flows through the bacteria-filled filter will be contaminated with the same bacteria. The longer you wait, the more bacteria collects.
The more common illnesses caused by viruses, bacteria, and parasites can result in stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fever, and kidney failure. Infectious diseases such as hepatitis can also occur.
Some of the possible health effects of contaminated water include: Gastrointestinal illness. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by microorganisms in drinking water. Illness can begin soon after the person is exposed to the contaminated water.
Symptoms of Waterborne Illness
The incubation period (the time between exposure to the pathogen and onset of symptoms) may begin within hours after being exposed or may begin days later.
An increase in illnesses, especially gastrointestinal discomfort, can be a sign that your water filter is not adequately removing harmful pathogens from your water. Drinking contaminated water can lead to a range of health issues, from minor stomach upsets to serious bacterial infections.
An unchanged water filter can produce water with a foul odour or a strange taste. A dirty or clogged water filter can also affect the mechanical actions within your refrigerator, such as the Ice dispenser. A refrigerator with a water dispensing function is a significant investment and really should be treated as such.
She says that her study, which tested faucet filters with Ann Arbor city water, corroborates previous studies that found water filters support bacterial growth. “The count of the bacteria coming out of the filter increases relative to what was going into the filter.
So, when water runs through the saturated filter, it will not filter efficiently. This means that some of the bacteria and other impurities will stay in the water, contaminating it. Drinking water with bacteria can lead to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, cramps, fatigue, fever, and even fatal condition.
Alkaline water may be one of the healthiest waters to consume. The pH level of regular drinking water is a neutral 7. Alkaline water has a pH level of 8 to 9.5. It contains properties that may even protect your body from free radicals, which are often linked to inflammation and many chronic diseases.
Boiling water does not reduce lead levels and may actually increase them. Test your water. The only way to know if lead has been reduced by letting it run is to check with a test. If letting the water run does not reduce lead, consider other options to reduce your exposure.
Testing for water quality is done annually, and the results are sent to every customer in a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). You can check the website of your local public water system for a current CCR.
Contaminants Build Up, Hampering Filter Effectiveness
If consumers continue to drink the water directly at this point, they may unknowingly ingest harmful impurities that can negatively impact their health.
It actually may be worse for you to drink from a pitcher with an unchanged old Brita filter than from the tap because Brita filters, over time, will grow bacteria.
In short, no, unused water filters do not expire. There is no set shelf life for water filters, as long as they're not exposed to any moisture. That's the key — moisture is what makes water filters work, and without that, they're sitting pretty and ready for use at any time.
Symptoms of illness from contaminated water include gastrointestinal distress, skin rashes, and flu-like symptoms.
An expired water filter may no longer effectively remove contaminants, compromising the quality and safety of your drinking water. It can result in poor-tasting water and potentially expose you to harmful substances.
A filter provides first-line defence against toxins
Some of these are common, including Cryptosporidium, which is an extremely nasty parasite which causes severe gastrointestinal discomfort and sickness.
While diarrhea and vomiting are the most commonly reported symptoms of waterborne illness, other symptoms can include skin, ear, respiratory, or eye problems.
If you suspect water contamination exposure, immediate medical attention is crucial. Healthcare providers can perform specific tests to identify the contamination source and provide appropriate treatment.
Your body removes excess water through your pee. In a day, this equals about 32 to 64 ounces (about 1 to 2 liters). In some people, water intoxication symptoms can develop after drinking about a gallon (3 to 4 liters) of water over an hour or two.