Home > Education > Treatment Options > Benefits of Drinking Water Treatment​​
Picture
Better Quality of Life
Proper use of POU devices can reduce the risk of stomach illness, and may even be life-saving, particularly in vulnerable situations. 
Picture
New & Drug -Resistant Strains
Given that we all use water each day, waterborne illness is rare. However, emerging and drug-resistant contaminants highlight the importance of prevention at the tap. 

POU: A Barrier Against Contaminants

Chemical exposures and outbreaks of disease related to drinking water are not common in the U.S., but they do still occur and can lead to serious health consequences, particularly in high-risk populations. Point-of-use (POU) devices provide a constant, predictable barrier against contaminants at the point of drinking water consumption.

Remove Contaminants 
Treatment of water at the point-of-use allows for the removal of contaminants that might have entered the water after it left the treatment plant. Thus, no matter how effectively water treatment plants remove contaminants, there is always the potential for recontamination in the plumbing that carries water to your home. Further, POU devices can remove harmful carcinogens in water that lead to an increased risk of cancer deaths in the population. 

Life Saving Option
POU treatment is a long-term solution for consistent water security at the tap despite varying environmental source conditions. Proper use of well-maintained POU devices can reduce risks of diarrheal disease and stomach upset related to exposure to waterborne pathogens and chemicals. They may even be life-saving given that, in rare cases, waterborne illness could result in hospitalization or death, particularly in immunocompromised populations (children, elderly, pregnant women and chronically ill persons). 

Cost Benefits of POU Devices 
The WQRF study, Cost-benefits of Point-of-Use Devices in Reduction of Health Risks from Drinking Water, found the calculated lifetime loss to the Flint, MI community from lead exposure was $435M, whereas it would have cost $11M to fund a 5-year community intervention strategy supplying POU activated carbon filters with lead adsorption capabilities, or $26M for a 5-year POU RO intervention strategy. ​
Benefits of Point-of-Use Treatments
Marc Verhougstraete, PhD Interview
Related Articles
  • 05/2015 Why a POU Device? [Link] ​
  • 11/2015 Drinking Water Disinfection: Options and Hazard Management [Link]
  • 08/2016 Eliminating Chlorine Residuals from Tap Water [Link]
  • 01/2017 POU Filtration: A Water Safety Plan Essential [Link]
  • 03/2017 Household POU Filters: Sentinels for Long-term Tap Water Quality Monitoring [Link]
  • 12/2018 POU Devices for Risk Mitigation [Link]

Our Sponsors