Clean drinking water is essential on yachts. There are various water filtration systems available to remove harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses, heavy metals or chemicals. SeaHelp lists the most important options.
Clean drinking water on board a yacht is essential. On smaller boats and yachts or for short (day) trips, you can certainly make do with bottled water that you have filled at home or bought in bottles from the supermarket (but you should use deposit systems to protect the environment).
But if you want to spend a long time at sea and “fill up” on large quantities of drinking water in marinas and ports, you should think about water filters, because the water in different ports can vary greatly in terms of cleanliness and taste.
Depending on the type of contamination, there are different filter systems
Filters can help here. In general, water can be filtered in different ways, depending on the type of contamination: in addition to mechanical filtration, which removes larger particles such as sand or rust, there are activated carbon filters, which absorb chemicals such as chlorine, pesticides and unpleasant odors.
UV disinfection filters, which kill bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms, and so-called reverse osmosis filters, which remove salts, minerals and (almost) all pollutants, as well as ceramic filters, which have the task of filtering bacteria and sediments out of the water.
Inexpensive, easy to use and ideal for smaller yachts (or for emergencies) are portable filters, so-called “compact solutions“. Examples include Brita and LifeStraw filters. The disadvantages of these compact solutions are that they are limited to small quantities and can only disinfect to a very modest extent.
Activated carbon filter systems are better. These are suitable for tank water or tap water on board and can usually reliably remove odours, chlorine, pesticides and organic substances. However, bacteria and viruses remain in the water and the filters need to be changed regularly.
Ceramic filters on board can reliably remove suspended matter, bacteria, protozoa and sediments from the water. A key advantage of these systems is that they can be reused after cleaning and that they are very robust. Disadvantage: ceramic filters cannot absorb chemicals or viruses from the water.
UV water sterilization filters, on the other hand, can reliably “sterilize” water (after it has been mechanically filtered), and this type of filter is usually effective against bacteria and viruses. However, it is important to bear in mind that these systems do not provide any protection against chemical contamination and that a power supply is essential for them.
So-called reverse osmosis systems are often used for (salt) water desalination. In addition to salts, heavy metals, microorganisms and chemical residues are also filtered out of the water. However, this special type of filtration is associated with very high electricity and maintenance costs, and pre-filtering is also required here.
So-called ion exchangers are also often used: they are used in particular to “soften” water in the case of hard water (water with a high mineral content). This can be a relatively reliable way to prevent limescale deposits in pipes and certain appliances. What these special filter systems cannot do is sterilize the water, so an additional sterilization system is essential. Combined systems have proven themselves in practice, and are the only way to ensure comprehensive protection. Since there are many pollutants to be filtered out, combining different systems on yachts is a good idea if you want to be sure that clean, clear and “healthy” water comes out of the tap. This is the only way to ensure comprehensive protection, especially on long trips.
Examples of “combined systems” are: mechanical pre-filter + activated carbon + UV lamp, ceramic filter + activated carbon + reverse osmosis, and a water maker with reverse osmosis + activated carbon filter. The quality of the water source (whether tank, harbor or seawater) is always crucial – this ultimately determines the level of purification measures.
With regard to water consumption, every skipper should decide before the trip whether only small amounts of water are needed – in this case, portable filters should be sufficient; for larger quantities, complex systems are always necessary.
Maintenance issues should also be planned in advance: for example, regular filter changes and cleaning of the systems are essential; systems that do not require electricity, such as ceramic filters or mobile devices, require less maintenance but are often not as powerful.
Caution is always advised with tank water; two filter systems are recommended here – one before and one after the tank.
Finally, there are also some very practical things to bear in mind. In general, you should exercise the utmost caution with tank water, especially if you are spending a long time in warmer regions. This water should always be cleaned and disinfected. Two filter systems are recommended here – a so-called filling filter system (in front of the tank in the boat) and an additional one between the tank and the tap.
The skipper should also ensure that all the necessary spare parts for the filter systems are always on board. This particularly applies to replacement filters and the necessary disinfectants.
With a little caution, a good basic knowledge and the right combination of filtration systems, clean water on board should no longer be a problem – even without dozens of plastic bottles on board or harmful chemicals in the tank. If you want to be on the safe side, can also boil the filtered water (on the special topic of “Watermakers on board: water on board!” href=”https://www.sea-help.eu/en/guide/watermaker-yacht-boat-water/”>Watermakers on yachts).