Is it profitable to buy a water purifier for home use?

Deciding to buy a water purifier would depend upon the place you reside and the access you have to drink water in its pure form.

For example, if you are residing in a village where using well water is a norm then there is no need to buy a water purifier provided the water in the well is not “hard water”.  You can ascertain this by getting the TDS tested.

On the other hand, if you are residing in a city then it is advisable to not consume the water directly from the tap. You may seek expert advice, test the purity of water and decide on buying a purifier, based on the lab results.

Where the water test results show a high TDS concentration then there are multiple options for you to select based on your needs:

1. Installing a water purifier with different purification technologies such as RO, UV, etc.
2. Opting for government-provided RO filter systems that come at a low price. This is often available in some cities.
3. Consuming water directly from water supplied by the municipal corporation, although this would be at your own risk. In case contaminated water is supplied to your home, it would pose serious health risks.
4. Drinking water from the water cans that you buy from the market.
5. Using your well water for drinking. However, this needs to be tested and certified.

Determining the profitability

Herein we provide you an example of how a mid-size family comprising about 5 members whose total water consumption pattern in a day can be illustrated as below:

1. If we measure the quantity of water needed for drinking per head to be 3 litres, then for a 5-member family it would be about 3×5 = 15 litres.
2. The total quantity of water required for cooking during a day would be around 10 litres.
3. Around 25 litres of drinking water per day (15 litres + 10 litres) would be needed by this family.
4. Total drinking water consumption for a month would be 25 x 30 = 750 litres.
5. And the total drinking water consumption per year would be 750 x 12 = 9,000 liters.

Estimated expenses for consuming water through different sources

Drinking Water Type	Initial Investment	Electricity Costs Incurred	Filter Maintenance Charges	Water Purchase Charges	Water Bill	Total Charges
Having a Water Purifier in Home	Rs. 12 – 15,000	Around Rs. 250 / Year	Rs. 6,000 maximum	Zero	Around Rs. 200 / Year	Rs. 15,250
Buying Water Can from Shop / Supplier [Premium Ones]	Rs. 85	Zero	Zero	85 x 365 = Rs. 31,025 / Year	Zero	Rs. 31,025
Buying Water Can from Shop / Supplier [Normal Ones]	Rs. 40	Zero	Zero	40 x 365 = Rs. 14,600 / Year	Zero	Rs. 14,600
RO Water Provided by the Government	Zero	Zero	Zero	Rs. 2,250		Rs. 2,250
Corporation Tap Water	Zero	Zero	Zero	Zero	Rs. 200	Rs. 200
Well Water	Rs. 2 lakhs (Varies based on your area)	Zero	Zero	Zero	Zero	Zero

From the above calculation, it is clear that the most profitable source of drinking water is the corporation tap water but there is a big risk to health and well-being. Hence, it is advisable to test and certify the water quality at regular intervals. For a long-term solution, well water is an option but there’s a huge initial investment besides the availability of groundwater in the region. If your criteria is matching then you can go for long-term usage with zero maintenance costs. If you are comparing the profitability between RO water purifier and the water can, above calculation shows an advantage over RO water purifier and you will get sufficient amount of water. So if you are staying in an apartment in a metropolitan city then the best option would be RO purifier.

What are the various types of water purifiers?

Copper Water Purifier: Copper is an essential mineral for human bodies. Using a copper water filter daily augurs well in ensuring that we get benefitted. Copper filters easily kill bacteria in the water besides preventing inflammation. Copper also aids in weight loss as it boosts the digestive system and promotes skin health as well. Consuming water stored in a copper vessel has immense health benefits.

Majorly there are three types of technologies available in the market, these being RO (Reverse Osmosis), UF (Ultrafiltration), and UV (Ultraviolet). Some water purifiers combine different technologies such as RO and UV for purifying water.

Suitable water purifier: Customers need to select a suitable water purifier based on their needs as well as the TDS level in the water. If you are not satisfied with the results of water testing then you may go to an authorized water testing center, especially the government-accredited one.

Re-using Waste Water: While using RO and other forms of water purifiers it is certain that a large amount of water goes as waste into the drain. Although this water is unfit for human consumption, you can store this water and use it for car washing, watering your plants, mopping the floor, or using it for your toilet. Some of the brands provide zero wastage of water as they circulate the wastewater back into the sump or tank.

How to increase the life span of water filters: You can install water softeners, clean filters, and replace filters every 3 – 6 months.

Precautions to be taken while using water purifiers: Keep an eye on the alarm which should be in working condition, timely servicing of water purifiers, get the servicing done from authorized dealers, and ensure that all filters are replaced as per company standards).

Sample RO water purifier in different brands

FAQs

What should be the limit of TDS for buying a water purifier?

• TDS between 50 – 150 is excellent for drinking
• TDS between 150 – 250 is good to use
• TDS between 300 – 500 is unhygienic and not safe for use 

What are the key factors to be checked for buying a water purifier?

• Water quality
• Water pressure
• Budget
• Storage capacity
• Maintenance

Which are the recommended water purifiers to buy?

Some suggested brands include:

• Livpure Bolt Mineraliser Water Purifier
• Kent Supreme Copper RO Water Purifier
• HUL Pureit Water Purifier
• Eureka Forbes Acquaguard

Does water purifier reduce TDS?

• Water purifier does not remove TDS completely
• It reduces the TDS to make it safe for drinking

Would boiling water reduce TDS?

• Boiling water will not reduce TDS
• Toxic materials do not vaporize when it is boiled and continues to stay in the water
• Boiling water without removing TDS makes it unsafe for drinking

What is the difference between RO and UV?

• UV kills pathogens in water, but dead bacteria remain in the water
• RO kills bacteria and filters out dead bodies floating in the water

What is PPM?

• Parts per million, a standard unit of measurement in water chemistry
• It gives us the density of a given substance dissolved in water

What should be checked?

• Take water in a can and get it tested from an authenticated centre
• Check for concentration of metals such as magnesium, lead, etc
• Get a chemical analysis done to find concentration of chlorine and fluoride
• Microbiological analysis to measure haziness of water including bacteria, mud, etc

Some of the good RO purifiers

Suggested brands and where you can buy them from! (link directly to the product available)

You can buy from the various options either on e-marketing sites or company websites: These are the preferred brands

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/s?k=water+purifier&ref=nb_sb_noss
• Flipkart: https://www.flipkart.com/water-purifiers/pr?sid=j9e%2Cabm%2Ci45
• Live Pure Smart: shorturl.at/jnAQS
• Kent: https://www.kent.co.in/water-purifiers/
• Croma: shorturl.at/kBPQ7
• AO Smith: https://rb.gy/j4pq3

Contact the customer care of respective brands and book / purchase your product. The company agent will check the TDS and let you know.

Although purchasing online is good in terms of seeing customer reviews and expert opinions, buying from local shops is also a good idea as shopkeepers also give good suggestions on what would work well.  

Those who are concerned about the budget may opt for second-hand products from OLX. However, you may not get the warranty and avail of free service which would be certain when you buy new products.