Water Filtration vs Water Purification

Aqua Fresh defines water filtration and water purification and highlights their key differences and uses.  

If you’ve ever investigated water filtering for your home, you may have come across both of these terms: Water filtration and water purification. These processes that are often used interchangeably, however there are some key differences between the two, especially in regards to the applications they are used for. In this blog, we clarify this confusion by defining both terms, and providing the different ways these processes applied in everyday life.  

What is Water Filtration? 

Water Filtration involves the passage of water through a medium, such as a filter or membrane, which traps and eliminates particles, sediments, and other undesirable substances. The goal of water filtration is to provide clean and safe drinking water, reduce health risks, and to enhance the overall quality of water for various applications. 

What is Water Purification? 

In comparison, water purification is a comprehensive process that is aimed at eliminating and reducing contaminants, pollutants and impurities from water. This process involves a combination of physical, chemical and biological methods to achieve very high water quality standards. These processes often include purification through ultraviolet light or chemical treatments to neutralise harmful substances.  

How are they used differently? 

As you have just learned, water filtration and water purification have one main feature in common: they aim to improve water quality. However, where they differ is their processes and applications.  

In general, water filtration involves the physical removal of impurities. Thus, it is often used for improving the taste and clarity of water. In comparison, water purification is a broader process that includes filtration, but goes beyond just eliminating physical contaminants – it is also used to remove harmful bacteria, viruses and other pollutants.  

Because of these differences, water filtering tends to be used for residential purposes, while purification is essential for public water supplies, healthcare facilities and industrial applications where stringent water quality standards must be met.  

However, both water filtration and water purification can be implemented in your home to ensure that the water you drink is free from sediments, particles and illness-causing microorganisms.