Sesilokhu senza ucwaningo oluzimele kanye nokuhlola imikhiqizo iminyaka engaphezu kwengu-120. Uma uthenga ngezixhumanisi zethu, singase sithole ikhomishini. Funda kabanzi ngenqubo yethu yokubuyekeza.
Uma uthembele emanzini ompompi ukuze uthole amanzi nsuku zonke, kungase kube yisikhathi sokufaka isihlungi samanzi ekhishini lakho. Izihlungi zamanzi zenzelwe ukuhlanza amanzi ngokususa izinto ezingcolisayo eziyingozi njenge-chlorine, i-lead kanye nezibulala-zinambuzane, kanti izinga lokususwa liyahlukahluka kuye ngobunzima besihlungi. Zingathuthukisa nokunambitheka kwamanzi, futhi kwezinye izimo, ukucaca kwawo.
Ukuze bathole isihlungi samanzi esingcono kakhulu, ochwepheshe base-Good Housekeeping Institute bahlole futhi bahlaziya ngokuphelele izihlungi zamanzi ezingaphezu kuka-30. Izihlungi zamanzi esizibuyekezayo lapha zifaka phakathi izihlungi zamanzi zendlu yonke, izihlungi zamanzi ezingaphansi kwesinki, amabhodlela ezihlungi zamanzi, amabhodlela ezihlungi zamanzi, kanye nezihlungi zamanzi eshawa.
Ekupheleni kwalesi siqondisi, ungafunda kabanzi mayelana nendlela esihlola ngayo izihlungi zamanzi elebhu yethu, kanye nakho konke okudingeka ukwazi mayelana nokuthenga isihlungi samanzi esingcono kakhulu. Ufuna ukwandisa umthamo wamanzi owaphuzayo ngenkathi usohambweni? Bheka umhlahlandlela wethu wamabhodlela amanzi angcono kakhulu.
Vele uvule impompi bese uthola amanzi ahlungiwe afinyelela ezinyangeni eziyisithupha. Lolu hlelo lokuhlunga olungaphansi kwesinki lususa i-chlorine, izinsimbi ezisindayo, ama-cysts, ama-herbicides, izibulala-zinambuzane, ama-volatious organic compounds nokunye. Lo mkhiqizo usetshenziswa futhi ekhaya likaDkt. Birnur Aral, owayengumqondisi we-GH Research Institute's Beauty, Health and Sustainability Laboratory.
“Ngisebenzisa amanzi ahlungiwe cishe kuyo yonke into kusukela ekuphekeni kuya ekhofini, ngakho-ke isihlungi samanzi esisekhawunteni ngeke sisebenzele mina,” kusho yena. “Lokhu kusho ukuthi asikho isidingo sokugcwalisa kabusha amabhodlela noma izitsha zamanzi.” Inesivinini esikhulu sokugeleza kwamanzi kodwa idinga ukufakwa.
Esinye sezihlungi zethu zamanzi eziphezulu, isihlungi se-Brita Longlast+ sisusa ukungcola okungaphezu kuka-30 njenge-chlorine, izinsimbi ezisindayo, izinto ezibangela umdlavuza, iziphazamisi ze-endocrine, nokuningi. Siyakwazisa ukuhlunga kwaso okusheshayo, okuthatha imizuzwana engama-38 kuphela ngendebe ngayinye. Uma kuqhathaniswa neyangaphambili, sihlala izinyanga eziyisithupha esikhundleni sezimbili futhi asishiyi mabala amnyama e-carbon emanzini.
URachel Rothman, owayeyisikhulu sezobuchwepheshe kanye nomqondisi wezobuchwepheshe ophethe i-GH Research Institute, usebenzisa le pitcher emndenini wakhe wabantu abahlanu. Uthanda ukunambitheka kwamanzi kanye neqiniso lokuthi akudingeki ashintshe isihlungi kaningi. Inkinga encane ukuthi ukugeza izandla kuyadingeka.
Njengoba aziwa ngokungakahleleki ngokuthi “i-shower head ye-inthanethi,” uJolie ngokungangabazeki ube ngomunye wabashawa abadumile kakhulu emhlabeni, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yomklamo wawo omuhle. Ukuhlolwa kwethu okubanzi kwekhaya kuqinisekisile ukuthi kuyahambisana nedumela. Ngokungafani nezinye izihlungi zeshawa esizihlolile, i-Jolie Filter Showerhead inomklamo owodwa odinga umzamo omncane ukuwufaka. UJacqueline Saguin, owayengumhleli webhizinisi omkhulu kwa-GH, uthe kwamthatha cishe imizuzu eyi-15 ukusetha.
Sithole ukuthi inekhono elihle kakhulu lokuhlunga i-chlorine. Izihlungi zayo ziqukethe ingxube ekhethekile ye-KDF-55 kanye ne-calcium sulfate, okuyinto lo mkhiqizo othi ingcono kunezihlungi zekhabhoni ezivamile zokubamba ukungcola emanzini ashisayo, anomfutho ophezulu. Ngemva cishe konyaka esetshenziswa, uSachin waphawula "ukwakheka okuncane kwesikali eduze komsele wokugeza," wanezela ngokuthi "amanzi athambile ngaphandle kokulahlekelwa umfutho."
Khumbula ukuthi ikhanda leshawa ngokwalo liyabiza, njengoba kunjalo nangentengo yokushintsha isihlungi.
Le mbiza encane kodwa enamandla yesihlungi samanzi engilazi inesisindo esingamakhilogremu angu-6 kuphela uma igcwele. Ilula futhi kulula ukuyibamba nokuyithela ezivivinyweni zethu. Iyatholakala futhi ngepulasitiki, okuthuthukisa ukunambitheka nokucaca kwamanzi. Qaphela ukuthi kuzodingeka uyigcwalise kaningi njengoba iphatha kuphela izinkomishi zamanzi angu-2.5 futhi sithole ukuthi ihlungwa kancane kakhulu.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, leli jagi lisebenzisa izinhlobo ezimbili zezihlungi: isihlungi se-micro membrane kanye nesihlungi se-activated carbon esine-ion exchanger. Ukubuyekezwa kwethu kwedatha yokuhlola yelebhu yangaphandle yalo mkhiqizo kuqinisekisa ukuthi isusa izinto ezingaphezu kuka-30 ezingcolisayo, okuhlanganisa i-chlorine, i-microplastics, i-sediment, izinsimbi ezisindayo, ama-VOC, iziphazamisi ze-endocrine, izibulala-zinambuzane, imithi yezokwelapha, i-E. coli, kanye nama-cysts.
I-Brita iwuphawu oluhlala lusebenza kahle ezivivinyweni zethu zelebhu. Omunye umhloli uthe bayayithanda le bhodlela lokuhamba ngoba bangaligcwalisa noma kuphi futhi bazi ukuthi amanzi abo anambitheka kamnandi. Ibhodlela liza ngensimbi engagqwali noma ngepulasitiki—abahloli bathole ukuthi ibhodlela lensimbi engagqwali elinezindonga ezimbili ligcina amanzi epholile futhi ehlanzekile usuku lonke.
Itholakala futhi ngosayizi wama-ounces angu-26 (ifanela iningi lezibambi zezinkomishi) noma usayizi wama-ounces angu-36 (okuyinto elula uma uhamba amabanga amade noma ungakwazi ukugcwalisa amanzi njalo). Iluphu yokuthwala eyakhelwe ngaphakathi nayo yenza kube lula ukuyiphatha. Abanye abasebenzisi baphawule ukuthi ukwakheka kotshani kwenza kube nzima kakhulu ukuphuza kuwo.
I-Brita Hub iwine umklomelo we-GH Kitchenware Award ngemuva kokuhlaba umxhwele abahluleli bethu ngomshini wayo wokukhipha amanzi ekhawunteni okhipha amanzi ngesandla noma ngokuzenzakalelayo. Umenzi uthi isihlungi singashintshwa ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha. Kodwa-ke, uNicole Papantoniou, umqondisi we-Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Laboratory e-GH Research Institute, udinga kuphela ukushintsha isihlungi njalo ezinyangeni eziyisikhombisa.
“Inamandla amakhulu ngakho ngeke kudingeke uyigcwalise njalo. [Ngiyayithanda] i-othomathikhi yokuthulula ngoba ngingahamba isagcwele,” kusho uPapantoniou. Yimaphi amaphutha ochwepheshe bethu abawaphawulayo? Lapho nje inkomba ebomvu yokufaka esikhundleni se-element yesihlungi ikhanya, iyayeka ukusebenza. Vele uqiniseke ukuthi unezihlungi ezengeziwe ezitholakalayo.
I-Larq PurVis Pitcher ingahlunga izinto ezingaphezu kuka-45 ezingcolisayo njenge-microplastics, izinsimbi ezisindayo, ama-VOC, ama-endocrine disruptors, i-PFOA kanye ne-PFOS, imithi yezokwelapha nokunye. Le nkampani iphinde iqhubeke nokusebenzisa ukukhanya kwe-UV ukuvimba amagciwane e-E. coli kanye ne-salmonella anganqwabelana ezitsheni zokuhlunga amanzi lapho ehlunga i-chlorine.
Ekuhloleni, sithande ukuthi uhlelo lokusebenza lwe-Larq kulula ukulusebenzisa nokuthi lugcina umkhondo wokuthi udinga ukushintsha izihlungi nini, ngakho akukho ukuqagela okuhilelekile. Luthulula kahle, aluchitheki, futhi luphephile ekuhlanzeni izitsha, ngaphandle kwenduku encane eshajwayo esithole kulula ukuyigeza ngesandla. Sicela uqaphele: izihlungi zingabiza kakhulu kunezinye izihlungi.
Uma ibhizinisi seliphelile, ungalibeka ngeqholo leli bhodlela lesihlungi samanzi edeskini lakho ngokubukeka kwalo okuhle nokunesimanje. Aligcini nje ngokugqama ngomklamo walo oyingqayizivele, kodwa nochwepheshe bethu bathanda nokuthi ukuma kwe-hourglass kwenza kube lula ukubamba.
Ihlunga i-chlorine kanye nezinsimbi ezine ezisindayo, okuhlanganisa i-cadmium, ithusi, i-mercury kanye ne-zinc, ngokusebenzisa isihlungi sekhoni esifihliwe ngobuhlakani phezulu kwekharafu. Ochwepheshe bethu bathole ukuthi kulula ukuyifaka, ukuyigcwalisa nokuyithulula, kodwa idinga ukugeza izandla.
“Kulula ukuyifaka, ayibizi futhi ihlolwe ngokwezindinganiso ze-ANSI 42 kanye ne-53, ngakho-ke ihlunga ngokuthembekile izinhlobo eziningi zokungcola,” kusho uDan DiClerico, umqondisi we-GH's Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab. Uthande kakhulu umklamo kanye neqiniso lokuthi iCulligan iwuphawu oludumile.
Lesi sihlungi sikuvumela ukuthi ushintshe kalula usuka emanzini angahlungiwe uye emanzini ahlungiwe ngokumane udonse i-bypass valve, futhi awekho amathuluzi adingekayo ukufaka lesi sihlungi empompini wakho. Sihlunga i-chlorine, i-sediment, i-lead nokuningi. Inkinga eyodwa ukuthi senza impompi ibe nkulu kakhulu.
E-Good Housekeeping Institute, ithimba lethu lonjiniyela, osokhemisi, abahlaziyi bemikhiqizo kanye nochwepheshe bokuthuthukisa ikhaya basebenzisana ukuthola isihlungi samanzi esingcono kakhulu ekhaya lakho. Eminyakeni edlule, sihlole izihlungi zamanzi ezingaphezu kuka-30 futhi siyaqhubeka nokufuna izinketho ezintsha emakethe.
Ukuze sihlole izihlungi zamanzi, sibheka umthamo wazo, ukuthi kulula kangakanani ukuzifaka, nokuthi (uma kusebenza) kulula kangakanani ukuzigcwalisa. Ukuze kucace, siphinde sifunde incwadi yemiyalelo ngayinye futhi sihlole ukuthi imodeli yembiza iphephile yini ekuhlanzeni izitsha. Sihlola izici zokusebenza njengokuthi ingilazi yezihlungi zamanzi ishesha kangakanani futhi silinganise ukuthi ithangi lamanzi ompompi lingabamba amanzi angakanani.
Siphinde siqinisekise izimangalo zokususa amabala ngokusekelwe kudatha yomuntu wesithathu. Lapho sishintsha izihlungi kushejuli enconyiwe yomkhiqizi, sibuyekeza isikhathi sokuphila kwesihlungi ngasinye kanye nezindleko zokushintsha izihlungi minyaka yonke.
✔️ Uhlobo kanye Nomthamo: Uma ukhetha amabhodlela, amabhodlela kanye nezinye izitsha zokugcina amanzi ahlungiwe, kufanele ucabangele usayizi nesisindo. Izitsha ezinkulu zilungele ukunciphisa ukugcwalisa kabusha, kodwa zivame ukuba nzima futhi zingathatha isikhala esiningi esiqandisini sakho noma esikhwameni. Imodeli yekhawuntara igcina isikhala sesiqandisi futhi ivame ukugcina amanzi amaningi, kodwa idinga isikhala esikhawuntini futhi isebenzisa amanzi okushisa kwegumbi.
Njengoba kunezihlungi zamanzi ezingaphansi kwesinki, izihlungi zompompi, izihlungi zeshawa kanye nezihlungi zendlu yonke, asikho isidingo sokukhathazeka ngobukhulu noma umthamo ngoba zihlunga amanzi ngokushesha nje lapho egeleza.
✔️Uhlobo Lokuhlunga: Kufanele kuqashelwe ukuthi izihlungi eziningi ziqukethe izinhlobo eziningi zokuhlunga ukuze kususwe ukungcola okuhlukahlukene. Amanye amamodeli angahluka kakhulu ezintweni ezingcolisayo azisusayo, ngakho-ke kungumqondo omuhle ukuhlola ukuthi imodeli ihlunga ini ngempela ukuqinisekisa ukuthi ifanela izidingo zakho. Indlela ethembekile kakhulu yokunquma lokhu ukuhlola ukuthi iyiphi indinganiso ye-NSF isihlungi esiqinisekiswe kuyo. Isibonelo, amanye amazinga amboza i-lead kuphela, njenge-NSF 372, kanti amanye amboza nobuthi bezolimo nezimboni, njenge-NSF 401. Ngaphezu kwalokho, nansi izindlela ezahlukene zokuhlunga amanzi:
✔️ Imvamisa Yokushintsha Isihlungi: Hlola ukuthi udinga ukushintsha isihlungi kangaki. Uma wesaba ukushintsha isihlungi noma ukhohliwe ukusishintsha, ungase ufune isihlungi esihlala isikhathi eside. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uma uthenga izihlungi zeshawa, i-pitcher, kanye ne-sink, kuzodingeka ukhumbule ukushintsha isihlungi ngasinye ngasinye, ngakho kungaba ukuhlakanipha ukucabangela isihlungi sendlu yonke ngoba uzodinga ukushintsha isihlungi esisodwa kuphela sendlu yakho yonke.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukhetha siphi isihlungi samanzi, ngeke kusize ngalutho uma ungasishintshi njengoba kunconywa. “Ukusebenza kahle kwesihlungi samanzi kuncike ekhwalithini yomthombo wamanzi nokuthi usishintsha kangaki isihlungi,” kusho u-Aral. Amanye amamodeli afakwe inkomba, kodwa uma imodeli ingenayo inkomba, ukugeleza kancane noma umbala ohlukile wamanzi kuwuphawu lokuthi isihlungi sidinga ukushintshwa.
✔️ Intengo: Cabanga ngentengo yokuqala yesihlungi samanzi kanye nezindleko zokusigcwalisa kabusha. Isihlungi samanzi singabiza kakhulu ekuqaleni, kodwa intengo kanye nokuvama kokusishintsha kungakongela imali ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Kodwa lokhu akunjalo ngaso sonke isikhathi, ngakho qiniseka ukuthi ubala izindleko zokushintsha zonyaka ngokusekelwe kushejuli yokushintsha enconyiwe.
Ukufinyelela amanzi okuphuza aphephile kuyinkinga yomhlaba wonke ethinta imiphakathi kulo lonke elase-United States. Uma ungaqiniseki ngekhwalithi yamanzi akho, i-Environmental Working Group (EWG) ibuyekeze isizindalwazi sayo samanzi ompompi sika-2021. Isizindalwazi simahhala, kulula ukusisesha, futhi siqukethe ulwazi lwazo zonke izifundazwe.
Faka ikhodi yakho yeposi noma useshe isifundazwe sakho ukuze uthole ulwazi oluningiliziwe mayelana nekhwalithi yamanzi akho okuphuza ngokusekelwe ezindinganisweni ze-EWG, eziqinile kakhulu kunezindinganiso zesifundazwe. Uma amanzi akho ompompi edlula iziqondiso zezempilo ze-EWG, ungase uthande ukucabanga ngokuthenga isihlungi samanzi.
Ukukhetha amanzi asemabhodleleni kuyisisombululo sesikhashana samanzi okuphuza angaphephile, kodwa kudala inkinga enkulu enemiphumela emibi yesikhathi eside yokungcola. Abantu baseMelika balahla amathani epulasitiki afinyelela ezigidini ezingu-30 minyaka yonke, okuyi-8% kuphela esetshenziswa kabusha. Iningi lawo ligcina lisezindaweni zokulahla udoti ngoba kunemithetho eminingi ehlukene mayelana nokuthi yini engasetshenziswa kabusha. Okungcono kakhulu ukutshala imali kusihlungi samanzi kanye nebhodlela lamanzi elihle, elingasetshenziswa kabusha—ezinye zinezihlungi ezakhelwe ngaphakathi.
Lesi sihloko sabhalwa futhi sahlolwa nguJamie (Kim) Ueda, umhlaziyi womkhiqizo wokuhlunga amanzi (nomsebenzisi ojwayelekile!). Ungumbhali ozimele ogxile ekuhlolweni komkhiqizo kanye nokubuyekezwa kwawo. Kulolu hlu, uhlole izihlungi zamanzi eziningana futhi wasebenza nochwepheshe abavela emalabhorethri amaningana e-Good Housekeeping Institute: Izinto Zokusebenza Zasekhishini Nokusungula Izinto Ezintsha, Ukuthuthukiswa Kwekhaya, Izinto Zangaphandle, Amathuluzi Nobuchwepheshe;
UNicole Papantoniou ukhuluma ngokulula kokusebenzisa amajagi namabhodlela. UDkt. Bill Noor Alar usize ekuhloleni izidingo zokususa ukungcola ezisekelwe kuzo zonke izixazululo zethu. UDan DiClerico noRachel Rothman banikeze ulwazi ngokufakwa kwesihlungi.
UJamie Ueda unguchwepheshe wemikhiqizo yabathengi onolwazi olungaphezu kweminyaka eyi-17 lokuklama imikhiqizo kanye nokukhiqiza. Useke waba nezikhundla zobuholi ezinkampanini zemikhiqizo yabathengi eziphakathi nendawo kanye nenye yemikhiqizo yezingubo eyaziwa kakhulu futhi emikhulu emhlabeni. UJamie uhileleke emalabhorethri amaningi e-GH Institute okuhlanganisa izinto zasekhishini, abezindaba kanye nobuchwepheshe, izindwangu kanye nezinto zasekhaya. Ngesikhathi sakhe sokuphumula, ujabulela ukupheka, ukuhamba kanye nokudlala imidlalo.
I-Good Housekeeping ihlanganyela ezinhlelweni ezahlukene zokumaketha ezihambisanayo, okusho ukuthi singase sithole amakhomishini akhokhelwayo emikhiqizweni ekhethwe ngokuhlela ethengwe ngezixhumanisi zethu eziya kumasayithi abathengisi.