Water, water, everywhere, and now you can actually drink it: Zuvo Water Filtration System
Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at 6:15AM Does anybody actually drink their tap water? I don't. I prefer to make myself feel 'safer' by drinking bottled water from our cooler, despite the fact that said cooler never gets serviced, is likely growing all kinds of bacteria, and the water sits there in a plastic jug that is probably leaching BPA.
But actually, tap water is more stringently regulated than bottled water. Bottled water manufacturers aren't required to provide their source, quality reports, or test for e. coli regularly. And I know all this, which means that my penchant for bottled water has less to do with 'safety' and more to do with the fact that my tap water tastes like ass.
So even though I don't really "do" many reviews, when Zuvo contacted me about trying out their Water Filtration System, I said yes. Because it sounded pretty ingenious, and cost-effective as well. Basically, it sounded too good to be true.
They sent me one to test and it promptly sat in my kitchen for a week, because I looked briefly at the instructions and thought I couldn't put it on my tap because you can't run hot water through the unit and I only have ONE tap, because I live in a wartime house the size of a peanut, and now I'm going to have to get a new sink or put it downstairs and run back and forth all the time and aaaaggghhhhhhxxxzzGAH toolazy! can'tfunction!
But, ahem, reading comprehension for the win, because you CAN put it on and just bypass the unit when you're running hot water. Duh.
I wasn't chosen for my technical expertise, okay? I was chosen for my razor wit and environmental alarmism. Anyway, the Zuvo is super easy to install counter-side, though the hoses running to your tap are kind of a pain. You can also install it under the sink, but it's a more complex process, and did I mention I was lazy?
At any rate, if you install it under the sink you don't get to see it in action, which is the cool part. The Zuvo uses a five step process to filter, purify, and generally de-stank your tap water:
1. Ozonation: mixes ozone with the tap water to improve taste & smell.
2. UV Light: kills microorganisms.
3. Photo-Oxidation: ozone and UV! Together! Releases the power of Grayskull! Further treats contaminants.
4. Filtration with lead removal: an activated carbon filter, similar to your standard 'pitcher' filters.
5. Post-filtration UV: More UV! In case you didn't have enough pretty blue light (also stays on for 30 seconds after it's cycle to ensure that things don't grow in the water in the unit...unlike my cooler, ahem.)
...and then you get a tiny trickle of water. That's probably my biggest complaint about the Zuvo, is that the flow? It's pretty low. But I think most on-tap filtration systems are similar.
I'll just resign myself to walking away and having a cup of coffee while my water pitcher fills up, because the results are AMAZING. I had a glass of water from the first batch, and my initial impression was that it tasted better, but still a little like tap water. Maybe, I thought, that's just the temperature? So I stuck it in the fridge and came back later and tried it again, and yeah - that little glowy space-age unit took all the grossness out of my tap water, both the kind you can taste and the kind you can't see.
I drink a lot of water. The Zuvo has been in my house for a week now, and I think I'm in love.
The Zuvo Water Filtration System retails for $300. Which, I know, doesn't sound cost-effective at ALL. However, you only have to replace the filter twice a year, at a cost of $30, and the UV light is good for 10,000 cycles, or approximately 7-10 years (each time you turn it on is a 'cycle', whether you fill a glass or a pitcher). When you stack that up against replacing your Brita filter or buying bottled water, it works out. Here's the math.
And, obviously, drinking any kind of filtered water is WAY better for the environment than drinking bottled water. I mean, I'm sure all you guys recycle, but 4 out of 5 water bottles end up in a landfill. So, be good to the earth, yadda yadda, even though I'm pretty sure she'll be fine after we all poison ourselves with chemicals and die.
(And, as a bonus, the Zuvo doubles as toddler entertainment. My son asks to turn it on about every 3.46 seconds or so. We've probably gone through half of it's ten thousand uses already. Which, now that I think of it, isn't much of a 'bonus'...so never mind.)
So! In addition to saving your health and saving you money, the lovely folks at Zuvo would like to give one away! (I can't help but feel they're shooting themselves in the foot with all this cost-effectiveness and generosity.) Here's what you have to do:
Go over to the Zuvo site and then leave me a comment telling me one thing you learned that you didn't already know about water, water filtration systems, or Zuvo's 5-step process. Make sure your Blogger profile is email-enabled, or that you leave your email in the comment, so I have a way to contact you!
For an additional entry, you can tweet this giveaway. Leave me a comment saying you did, and either include the link in the comment or include my Twitter handle (@superkeely) in the tweet. You can enter this way once per day.
The contest will be open for one week, until July 21st at midnight CST. Open to US and Canadian residents.
...Aren't you thirsty now?
Reader Comments (31)
The one thing I learned was that you have a weird obsession with water?
Now, to find my twitter account info...where did I put that binder full of passwords?
Oh wow. Can I learn anything else from the website that you didn't educate me on?
Sounds very cool! I have a reverse osmosis water filtration system and love it. The best part (besides the water tasting great and all) is the flow. Great flow!!
Glad you like yours
Oh and mine is under sink...they installed it! Very cool!!
Hugs
SueAnn
The Zuvo Purator uses UV light at the wavelength of 254nm for supplemental germicidal treatment of disinfected public drinking water.
Considering that I pass our water reclamation plant on a daily basis and it SMELLS...this makes me feel good!
I learned that... ozone purifies water? I'm a little fuzzy on the details.
But I'm down to try Zuvo!
I learned that if they can treat my water with ozone, they should probably try to fix the hole in ours.
It sounds great, we currently buy a ton of bottled water and though we do recycle, I feel bad about it still.
Well, first I went to the cost breakdown page because I like to pretend that I'm actually budget conscious. Gah! We could actually take a vacation with what we spend on bottled water! (Although Safeway frequently has our brand on sale for $4/case) A vacation! (I think I remember what that is...) Then I looked at the number of bottles and felt like a terrible person who kicks puppies. Next, I went to the main website and learned stuff I never knew about Ozone! The way they put it, it sounds like the Zuvo is Actually Bottled Lightening! Wow! I want that in my kitchen! Seriously, I do! I'm going straight to my family-only blog and putting it on my Christmas list!
Thanks for the info!
Laurie
I've no idea if I'm "email enabled" so... loudlife - at - comcast - dot - net
(sorry, don't want the spammy web-crawlers to get me)
I just think it's cool that it can be install underneath the counter.
Okay, I tweeted, too!
When you said that we'd all end up poisoning ourselves and die - does that entail a global outbreak of zombie-ism? Because I still haven't stocked up on ammo. And I know, I know, living in Texas, I totally should because it is so readily available.
I'll get on that right after I buy a tap water filtration system.
(BTW: I drink unfiltered tap water).
When I lived in Windsor, ON (aka the tenth circle of hell) my water tasted like someone had actually taken a sh&%t in it, and then farted in it for good measure. So I totally get you. Fortunately, I live in Vancouver, BC now, so my water tastes pretty good. Otherwise, I'd totally be in for this.
I like how it mimics the natural processes that would be taking place if we hadn't fucked our planet six ways to Sunday. Good info.
jibssa at gmail dot com
Also, I twitted.
well I learned it may take 6 years to get the best value but it looks worth it! Count me in!!
rubberbacon@bellsouth.net
We have well water, and have a pur faucet filter in the kitchen, but it still will use 59 filters in 5 years, compared to 16 of the zuvo. Sounds like a better deal.
Yup. Sounds better than the Brita filter we had a while back. I'd give this thing a shot.
Yup. Sounds better than the Brita filter we had a while back. I'd give this thing a shot.
Can't I just drink tap water and let my stomach parasites battle it out for supremacy on their own?
All I drink is water. I prefer it out of a filtration system but I'll go tap if I'm not in a foreign country. I don't drink at bars so I'm known as "The water girl".
Wow. I think that's the first time I ever read somebody's post that didn't sound like a June Cleaver knock-off when doing a review.
Thanks for the honesty! I'll have to check it out.
I learned that the filter allows the water to retain the good minerals, which are gone in bottled waters!
katidyd at hotmail dot com
That my water might contain parasitic cysts is a little alarming, especially considering I don't know what the fuck those are, they sound dangerous.
I'm sure we could use a fancy shmancy water filter, it would probably be an improvement over the one I have on our tap now, which hasn't been replaced since ??? Because my husband is lazy and apparently I like water that tastes like ass.
Hmm... if I won then I'd finally have an excuse for fixing the leak under my sink.
That is one small machine! I have a reverse osmosis filter system and complain about the space it takes all the time! UV light killing germs...too bad we can't make that work to our advantage in the environment. :)
I learned that there should be little, if any, noticeable change in your electricity bill as a result of using the Zuvo Water Purator. The system uses electricity only when it is on. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com