Survey Of Drinking Water Treatment Devices - Available On The Canadian Retail Market In 1999

3. Results

3.1 General

The field inspectors filled out 428 forms for a total of 460 devices identified in 76 retail outlets, company brochures, or web sites (Table 1). Of the 460 products identified, a number were found in more than one city and noted on more than one form. In such cases, the duplication was eliminated, leaving a total of 358 models manufactured by 74 companies (Appendix D). Of the companies identified, 39 listed a US address, 32 a Canadian address, two a UK address, and one a Swiss address.

Sixty replacement parts were also noted (Appendix D), but not analysed. Three commercial-type devices and six water treatment additives (e.g., iodine tablets) were noted as well, but were omitted from the data analysis.

More than half of the products and models identified in this survey came from 11 of the 74 companies. These companies are: Culligan International Company; Dyna-Pro; Envirogard; Everpure Inc.; Flotec / Sta-Rite Industries, Inc.; OmniFilter Corporation; PUR / Recovery Engineering, Inc.; Sears, Roebucks Company / Sears Canada (Kenmore); Watertech; Watergroup Companies / USF Watergroup Inc.; and, MacDonald & Sons Ltd.

Table 1. Number of retailers¹ and devices² identified by city

Cities	Number of retailers	Number of devices
Moncton (New-Brunswick)	4	6
Saint John (New-Brunswick)	2	2
Quebec City(Quebec)	3	27
Montréal (Québec)	7	80
Ottawa (Ontario)	1	1
Toronto (Ontario)	14	115
Winnipeg (Manitoba)	4	47
Saskatoon (Saskatchewan)	10	42
Calgary (Alberta)	11	47
Edmonton (Alberta)	6	30
Red Deer (Alberta)	2	11
Spruce Grove (Alberta)	2	17
Stony Plain (Alberta)	1	5
Burnaby (British Columbia)	1	6
North Vancouver (British Columbia)	1	1
Richmond (British Columbia)	1	2
Vancouver (British Columbia)	6	21
Total	76	460
Total number of forms completed: 428

Notes:

1. Also includes company web sites or brochures
2. The number of devices offered by three companies was not available and is therefore not included in the calculation

3.2 Device certification

Of the 358 models identified on the survey forms, 40 could not be analysed to determine certification status because the information collected was incomplete. Of the remaining 318 models, 108 were certified (34%). NSF International certified 92 models, CSA International certified 13 (see note below), and UL, three. Of the devices certified by NSF International, 78 met NSF standards 42 and 53, nine met NSF standard 58, and five met NSF standard 62. Of particular interest, 12 systems bore the NSF name or logo without actually being certified by NSF International (Figure 1).

Note: It is possible that some CSA certifications had been granted for connection to the electrical outlet, not for conformity with NSF standards.

318 models :

• - 62% uncertified
• - 34% certified
• - 4% not NSF certified but bearing the name/logo

Figure 1. Distribution of water treatment devices by certification body and status

3.3 Types of devices by technology

Water treatment devices can be divided into six types of treatment systems: softeners, distillation systems, filtration systems, reverse osmosis systems, microbial purifiers, and UV systems (Figure 2). About half of the devices identified in the survey were filtration systems, while nearly one-quarter were reverse osmosis systems.

Figure 2. Distribution of water treatment devices by technology type

3.4 Types of equipment sold

Figure 3 shows the distribution of devices by equipment type: sports bottles, jugs (pitcher-style), portable treatment systems for outdoors/camping, systems for the entire house (point-of-entry), faucets, and other kitchen systems. This last category primarily refers to systems that fit under the kitchen sink or on the counter, but also includes fountains and ice-making systems. More than half of the devices available on the market are made for use with kitchen water outlets.

Figure 3. Distribution of devices by equipment type

3.5 Performance claims made by manufacturers

Manufacturers' claims about the ability of their devices to modify aesthetic or health-related characteristics of drinking water are shown in Figure 4, against the number of models for which those claims were made. The aesthetic characteristics noted during the survey are taste and odour, chlorine, particulate matter (such as sand and sediments), and total dissolved solids (TDS); these characteristics are not considered to be harmful. The health-related characteristics reported here are microorganisms (all three types, that is bacteria, viruses and protozoa), protozoa only (a subset of the "microorganisms" class, this class captures the claims for reduction in the concentration of protozoa [cysts], but not of bacteria or viruses), metals of all kinds, and volatile organic chemicals (including pesticides); these contaminants may pose a health risk if present in drinking water in concentrations that exceed certain levels. No specific claims were made about 110 devices; these devices, therefore, have not been included in the calculations.

As shown in Figure 4, taste/odour and chlorine were the two aesthetic characteristics most frequently mentioned; the most frequently mentioned health-related characteristic was microorganisms.

In the box inset within Figure 4, devices are classified according to whether the manufacturers claimed their products modified aesthetic characteristics only, health-related characteristics only, or both. Twice as many devices were claimed by manufacturers to reduce both health-related and aesthetic characteristics as those which were claimed to reduce only one or the other. In all, 126 devices (75 uncertified and 51 certified) were claimed to reduce both, while 56 (54 uncertified, two certified) were claimed to reduce only health-related characteristics, and 66 (47 uncertified, 19 certified) to reduce aesthetic characteristics.

Of particular interest, manufacturers of only six devices claimed that their products eliminate (or reduce by 99.99%) either Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria or fecal coliforms. The devices were: New World Twin Pack Filter (manufacturer: Alex Milne Associates Ltd.), Penta Pure Sport Water Purifying Filter (manufacturer: T.R.I.P.S. Health Products), Penta Pure Travel Cup (manufacturer: WTC Ecomaster Corporation), Rainfresh Undersink Inline Water Filter, Rainfresh Under Counter Water Purifer and Rainfresh Drinking Water System III. The latter three are manufactured by Envirogard Products Ltd. (see note on "microorganisms" below).

Figure 4. Performance claims made by manufacturers about their devices' ability to modify various characteristics of water, shown against the number of models for which these claims are made

Claims

*Microorganisms: Certification bodies' databases show that most devices certified for "microbiological performance" are to NSF standard 53. Certification to NSF standard 53 applies only to protozoa, because the standard does not cover other types of microorganisms.