Sekuyiminyaka engaphezu kwengu-120 senza ucwaningo oluzimele nokuhlolwa kwemikhiqizo. Uma uthenga ngezixhumanisi zethu, singase sizuze ikhomishini. Funda kabanzi mayelana nenqubo yethu yokubuyekeza.
Uma uthembele emanzini kampompi ukuze uthole amanzi nsuku zonke, kungase kube isikhathi sokufaka isihlungi samanzi ekhishini lakho. Izihlungi zamanzi ziklanyelwe ukuhlanza amanzi ngokususa ukungcola okuyingozi njenge-chlorine, umthofu nezibulala-zinambuzane, nezinga lokususwa liyahlukahluka kuye ngobunkimbinkimbi besihlungi. Bangakwazi futhi ukuthuthukisa ukunambitheka kwamanzi futhi, kwezinye izimo, ukucaca kwawo.
Ukuze uthole isihlungi samanzi esingcono kakhulu, ochwepheshe be-Good Housekeeping Institute bahlole futhi bahlaziya izihlungi zamanzi ezingaphezu kuka-30. Izihlungi zamanzi esizibuyekezayo lapha zihlanganisa izihlungi zamanzi zendlu yonke, izihlungi zamanzi ezingaphansi kukasinki, izitsha zokuhlunga amanzi, amabhodlela okuhlunga amanzi, nezihlungi zamanzi okugeza.
Ekupheleni kwalo mhlahlandlela, ungafunda kabanzi mayelana nendlela esizihlola ngayo izihlungi zamanzi elebhu yethu, kanye nakho konke odinga ukukwazi mayelana nokuthenga isihlungi samanzi esingcono kakhulu. Ingabe ufuna ukwandisa amanzi owasebenzisayo ngenkathi usohambeni? Bheka umhlahlandlela wethu wamabhodlela amanzi angcono kakhulu.
Vele uvule umpompi bese uthola amanzi ahlungiwe afinyelela ezinyangeni eziyisithupha. Lolu hlelo lokuhlunga olungaphansi kukasinki lususa i-chlorine, izinsimbi ezisindayo, ama-cysts, ama-herbicides, izibulala-zinambuzane, ama-organic compounds aguquguqukayo 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 kuye ekhofini, ngakho isisefo samanzi esiphezu kwetafula besingeke singisebenzele,” usho kanje. "Lokhu kusho ukuthi asikho isidingo sokugcwalisa amabhodlela amanzi noma izitsha." Inezinga lokugeleza eliphezulu kodwa idinga ukufakwa.
Esinye sezihlungi zethu zamanzi eziphezulu, isihlungi se-Brita Longlast+ sisusa ukungcola okungaphezu kuka-30 njenge-chlorine, izinsimbi ezisindayo, ama-carcinogens, iziphazamisi ze-endocrine, nokuningi. Siyakwazisa ukuhlunga kwayo okusheshayo, okuthatha amasekhondi angu-38 nje indebe ngayinye. Uma iqhathaniswa neyandulelayo, ihlala izinyanga eziyisithupha esikhundleni sezimbili futhi ingashiyi amachashaza amnyama ekhabhoni emanzini.
U-Rachel Rothman, owayeyisikhulu esiphezulu kwezobuchwepheshe kanye nomqondisi omkhulu wezobuchwepheshe we-GH Research Institute, usebenzisa lesi sitsha emndenini wakhe onabantwana abahlanu. Uyakuthanda ukunambitheka kwamanzi kanye neqiniso lokuthi akudingeki ashintshe okokuhlunga njalo. Okubi kancane ukuthi ukugeza izandla kuyadingeka.
Eyaziwa ngokungakahleleki ngokuthi "inhloko yeshawa ye-inthanethi," ngokungangabazeki u-Jolie usengomunye wamakhanda eshawa aziwa kakhulu emhlabeni, ikakhulukazi ngenxa yokwakheka kwawo okubushelelezi. Ukuhlolwa kwethu okubanzi kwekhaya kuqinisekisile ukuthi ihambisana ne-hype. Ngokungafani nezinye izihlungi zeshawa esizihlolile, i-Jolie Filter Showerhead inomklamo wocezu olulodwa odinga umzamo omncane ukuyifaka. UJacqueline Saguin, owayengumhleli omkhulu webhizinisi kwa-GH, uthe kumthathe cishe imizuzu eyi-15 ukusungula.
Sithole ukuthi inamandla amahle kakhulu wokuhlunga i-chlorine. Izihlungi zakhona ziqukethe inhlanganisela yobunikazi ye-KDF-55 ne-calcium sulfate, umkhiqizo othi ingcono kunezihlungi zekhabhoni ezivamile ekucupheni ukungcola emanzini ashisayo, anengcindezi ephezulu. Ngemva kwesikhathi esingangonyaka esetshenziswa, uSachin wabona “ukugcwala okuncane eduze komsele kabhavu,” wenezela ngokuthi “amanzi athambile ngaphandle kokuncipha.”
Khumbula ukuthi ikhanda lokugeza ngokwalo liyabiza, njengenani lokushintsha isihlungi.
Le mbiza encane kodwa enamandla yokuhlunga amanzi inesisindo esingamaphawundi angu-6 kuphela uma igcwele. Ilula futhi kulula ukuyibamba futhi ithele ekuhlolweni kwethu. Ibuye itholakale ngepulasitiki, eyenza ngcono ukunambitheka nokucaca kwamanzi. Qaphela ukuthi kuzodingeka ukuthi uyigcwalise kabusha kaningi njengoba ibamba kuphela izinkomishi ezingu-2.5 zamanzi kampompi futhi siyithole ukuthi ihlunga kancane kakhulu.
Ukwengeza, le jeke isebenzisa izinhlobo ezimbili zokuhlunga: isihlungi se-membrane encane nesihlungi se-carbon esicushiwe esine-ion exchanger. Ukubuyekezwa kwethu kwedatha yokuhlolwa kwelebhu yenkampani yangaphandle kuqinisekisa ukuthi isusa ukungcola okungaphezu kuka-30, okuhlanganisa i-chlorine, i-microplastics, i-sediment, izinsimbi ezisindayo, ama-VOC, iziphazamisi ze-endocrine, izibulala-zinambuzane, imithi, i-E. coli, nama-cysts.
I-Brita iwumkhiqizo osebenza kahle ngokungaguquki ekuhlolweni kwethu ngelebhu. Omunye umhloli uthe bayalithanda leli bhodlela lokuvakasha ngoba bangaligcwalisa noma yikuphi futhi bazi ukuthi amanzi abo amnandi. Ibhodlela liza ngensimbi engagqwali noma epulasitiki—abahloli bathola ukuthi ibhodlela lensimbi engenasici elinezindonga ezimbili laligcina amanzi epholile futhi esemasha usuku lonke.
Iyatholakala futhi ngosayizi wama-ounces angu-26 (ilingana nabaphathi bezinkomishi abaningi) noma usayizi wama-ounces angu-36 (okuwusizo uma uhamba amabanga amade noma ungakwazi ukugcwalisa amanzi njalo). I-loop eyakhelwe ngaphakathi futhi yenza kube lula ukuyithwala. Abanye abasebenzisi baye baqaphela ukuthi ukwakheka kotshani kwenza kube nzima kakhulu ukuphuza.
I-Brita Hub iwine Umklomelo we-GH Kitchenware ngemva kokuhlaba umxhwele amajaji ethu ngesikhithi saso samanzi se-countertop esikhipha amanzi ngokwenza noma ngokuzenzakalelayo. Umkhiqizi uthi isihlungi singashintshwa ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha. Kodwa-ke, uNicole Papantoniou, umqondisi Welabhorethri Yekhishi Nezinto Ezintsha E-GH Research Institute, udinga kuphela ukufaka isihlungi njalo ngemva kwezinyanga eziyisikhombisa.
“Inomthamo omkhulu ngakho ngeke kudingeke ukuthi uyigcwalise njalo. [Ngithanda] ukuthela okuzishintshayo ngoba ngingahamba kugcwele,” kusho uPapantoniou. Yikuphi ukushiyeka ochwepheshe bethu abakubonayo? Lapho nje inkomba ebomvu yokushintsha into yokuhlunga ikhanya, iyayeka ukusebenza. Vele uqiniseke ukuthi unezihlungi ezengeziwe ezitholakalayo.
I-Larq PurVis Pitcher ingahluza ukungcola okungaphezulu kwama-45 okufana nama-microplastics, izinsimbi ezisindayo, ama-VOC, iziphazamisi ze-endocrine, i-PFOA ne-PFOS, imithi nokunye. Le nkampani iphinda iqhubekele phambili ngokusebenzisa ukukhanya kwe-UV ukuze yenze i-E. coli kanye namagciwane e-salmonella anqwabelene ezitsheni zokuhlunga amanzi lapho ehlunga i-chlorine.
Ekuhloleni, sithande ukuthi i-app ye-Larq isebenziseka kalula futhi ilandelela ukuthi udinga nini ukushintsha izihlungi, ngakho-ke akukho ukuqagela okuhilelekile. Ithela kahle, ayichitheki, futhi iphephile umshini wokuwasha izitsha, ngaphandle kwenduku encane eshajwa kabusha esithole kulula ukuyigeza ngesandla. Sicela uqaphele: izihlungi zingabiza kakhulu kunezinye izihlungi.
Uma ibhizinisi seliphelile, ungabonisa ngokuziqhenya le mbiza yesihlungi samanzi etafuleni lakho ngokubukeka kwayo okuchachile nesimanje. Akugcini nje ngokugqama ngomklamo wayo oyingqayizivele, kodwa ochwepheshe bethu bathanda nokuthi umumo we-hourglass wenza kube lula ukuwubamba.
Ihlunga i-chlorine nezinsimbi ezine ezisindayo, okuhlanganisa i-cadmium, ithusi, i-mercury ne-zinc, ngesihlungi se-cone esifihleke ngobuhlakani esingaphezulu kwe-carafe. Ochwepheshe bethu bakuthole kulula ukukufaka, ukugcwalisa nokuthela, kodwa kudinga ukugeza izandla.
"Kulula ukuyifaka, akubizi futhi ihlolwe kumazinga we-ANSI 42 kanye ne-53, ngakho-ke ihlunga ngokuthembekile inhlobonhlobo yezinto ezingcolisayo," kusho uDan DiClerico, umqondisi we-GH's Home Improvement and Outdoor Lab. Wayethanda ikakhulukazi umklamo kanye neqiniso lokuthi uCulligan ungumkhiqizo osungulwe.
Lesi sihlungi sikuvumela ukuthi ushintshe kalula usuke emanzini angahlungiwe uye emanzini ahlungiwe ngokumane udonse i-valve yokudlula, futhi awekho amathuluzi adingekayo ukuze ufake lesi sihlungi kumpompi wakho. Ihlunga i-chlorine, intlenga, umthofu nokunye. Okubi okunye ukuthi kwenza isimpompi sibe bulker.
E-Good Housekeeping Institute, ithimba lethu lonjiniyela, osokhemisi, abahlaziyi bemikhiqizo nochwepheshe bokuthuthukisa ikhaya basebenza ndawonye ukuze bathole isihlungi samanzi esingcono kakhulu sekhaya lakho. Eminyakeni edlule, siye sahlola izihlungi zamanzi ezingaphezu kuka-30 futhi siyaqhubeka nokubheka izinketho ezintsha emakethe.
Ukuhlola izihlungi zamanzi, sicabangela umthamo wazo, ukuthi kulula kangakanani ukuzifaka, futhi (uma kusebenza) ukuthi kulula kangakanani ukuzigcwalisa. Ukuze uthole ukucaciseleka, siphinde safunda imanuwali ngayinye yeziqondiso futhi sahlola ukuthi imodeli yembiza iphephile yini. Sihlola izici zokusebenza njengokuthi ingilazi yesihlungi samanzi ishesha kangakanani futhi silinganise ukuthi ithangi lamanzi kampompi lingabamba amanzi angakanani.
Futhi siqinisekisa izimangalo zokususa amabala ngokusekelwe kudatha yomuntu wesithathu. Uma sishintsha izihlungi kushejuli enconyiwe yomkhiqizi, sibuyekeza ubude bempilo besihlungi ngasinye kanye nezindleko zokushintshwa kwesihlungi minyaka yonke.
✔️ Uhlobo kanye Nomthamo: Lapho ukhetha izimbiza, amabhodlela nezinye iziphakeli ezibamba amanzi ahlungiwe, kufanele ucabangele usayizi nesisindo. Iziqukathi ezinkulu zilungele ukunciphisa ukugcwaliswa kabusha, kodwa zivame ukuba nzima futhi zingathatha isikhala esiningi esiqandisini sakho noma esikhwameni sakho. Imodeli ye-countertop igcina indawo yesiqandisi futhi ingabamba amanzi amaningi, kodwa idinga indawo yokubala futhi isebenzisa amanzi okushisa kwegumbi.
Ngezihlungi zamanzi angaphansi kukasinki, izihlungi zompompi, izihlungi zeshawa nezihlungi zendlu yonke, asikho isidingo sokukhathazeka ngosayizi noma umthamo ngoba zihlunga amanzi ngokushesha nje lapho egeleza.
✔️Uhlobo Lokuhlunga: Kufanele kuqashelwe ukuthi izihlungi eziningi ziqukethe izinhlobo eziningi zokuhlunga ukuze zisuse ukungcola okuhlukile. Amanye amamodeli angahluka kakhulu kukungcola akususayo, ngakho-ke kuwumqondo omuhle ukuhlola ukuthi imodeli empeleni ihlunga ini ukuze uqiniseke ukuthi ihambisana nezidingo zakho. Indlela enokwethenjelwa kakhulu yokunquma lokhu ukuhlola ukuthi iyiphi indinganiso ye-NSF isihlungi esigunyazwe kuso. Isibonelo, amanye amazinga amboza umthofu kuphela, njenge-NSF 372, kuyilapho amanye futhi emboza ubuthi bezolimo nobezimboni, obufana ne-NSF 401. Ukwengeza, nazi izindlela ezihlukene zokuhlunga amanzi:
✔️ Filter Replacement Frequency: Hlola ukuthi udinga kangaki ukushintsha isihlungi. Uma wesaba ukushintsha isihlungi noma ukhohlwe ukusishintsha, ungase ufune ukubheka isihlungi esihlala isikhathi eside. Ukwengeza, uma uthenga ishawa, imbiza, nezihlungi zikasinki, kuzodingeka ukhumbule ukufaka isihlungi ngasinye ngasodwa, ngakho-ke kungaba ubuhlakani ukucabangela isihlungi sendlu yonke ngoba uzodinga kuphela ukufaka isihlungi esisodwa ukuze indlu yakho yonke.
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ukhetha siphi isihlungi samanzi, ngeke senze lutho uma ungasishintshi njengoba kunconyiwe. "Ukusebenza kahle kwesisefo samanzi kuncike kwikhwalithi 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.
✔️ Inani: Cabangela kokubili intengo yokuqala yesihlungi samanzi nezindleko zokusigcwalisa futhi. Isihlungi samanzi singabiza ngaphezulu ekuqaleni, kodwa intengo nokuphindaphinda kokushintshwa kungakongela imali ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Kodwa lokhu akunjalo ngaso sonke isikhathi, ngakho-ke qiniseka ukubala izindleko zonyaka zokushintsha ngokusekelwe kushejuli yokushintsha enconyiwe.
Ukufinyelela emanzini okuphuza aphephile kuyindaba yomhlaba wonke ethinta imiphakathi kulo lonke elase-United States. Uma ungaqiniseki ngekhwalithi yamanzi akho, i-Environmental Working Group (EWG) ibuyekeze isizindalwazi sayo samanzi ompompi ka-2021. Isizindalwazi simahhala, siseshwa kalula, futhi siqukethe ulwazi lwazo zonke izifundazwe.
Faka ikhodi yakho ye-zip noma sesha isifunda sakho ukuze uthole ulwazi oluningiliziwe mayelana nekhwalithi yamanzi okuphuza ngokusekelwe kumazinga we-EWG, aqine kakhulu kunezindinganiso zombuso. Uma amanzi akho kampompi edlula izinkombandlela zezempilo ze-EWG, ungase uthande ukucabanga ngokuthenga isihlungi samanzi.
Ukukhetha amanzi asemabhodleleni kuyisixazululo sesikhashana samanzi okuphuza okungenzeka angaphephile, kodwa kudala inkinga enkulu enemiphumela emibi yesikhathi eside yokungcola. Abantu baseMelika balahla amathani epulasitiki afinyelela ezigidini ezingama-30 minyaka yonke, okuyi-8% kuphela esetshenziswa kabusha. Iningi layo ligcina selisendaweni yokulahla imfucumfucu ngoba kunemithetho eminingi ehlukene mayelana nokuthi yini engagaywa kabusha. Ukubheja kwakho okuhle ukufaka imali kusihlungi samanzi nasebhodleleni lamanzi elihle, elisebenziseka kabusha—amanye aze abe nezihlungi ezakhelwe ngaphakathi.
Lesi sihloko sabhalwa futhi sahlolwa nguJamie (Kim) Ueda, umhlaziyi womkhiqizo wokuhlunga amanzi (kanye nomsebenzisi ovamile!). Ungumbhali ozisebenzelayo onguchwepheshe ekuhlolweni kwemikhiqizo nokubuyekezwa. Kulolu hlu, uhlole izihlungi zamanzi ezimbalwa futhi wasebenza nochwepheshe abavela kumalebhu amaningana e-Good Housekeeping Institute: Imishini Yasekhishini Nokusungula, Ukuthuthukiswa Kwekhaya, Ngaphandle, Amathuluzi Nobuchwepheshe;
U-Nicole Papantoniou ukhuluma ngokusebenziseka kalula kojeke namabhodlela. UDkt. Bill Noor Alar usize ukuhlola izidingo zokususa ukungcola okungaphansi kwesixazululo sethu ngasinye. U-Dan DiClerico no-Rachel Rothman banikeze ubuchwepheshe ekufakweni kwesihlungi.
U-Jamie Ueda unguchwepheshe wemikhiqizo yabathengi oneminyaka engaphezu kwe-17 yokuklama umkhiqizo kanye nesipiliyoni sokukhiqiza. Uke wabamba izikhundla zobuholi ezinkampanini ezisezingeni eliphakathi nemikhiqizo yabathengi kanye nenye yezimpahla zezimpahla ezaziwa kakhulu nezinkulu kakhulu emhlabeni. U-Jamie uhileleke kumalebhu we-GH Institute amaningi ahlanganisa izinto zasekhishini, imidiya nobuchwepheshe, izindwangu kanye nempahla yasendlini. Ngesikhathi sakhe sokuphumula, uthanda ukupheka, ukuhamba nokudlala imidlalo.
Ukugcinwa Kwezindlu Okuhle kubamba iqhaza ezinhlelweni zokumaketha ezihlangene ezahlukahlukene, okusho ukuthi singase sikhokhelwe amakhomishini emikhiqizweni ekhethiwe ethengwe ngezixhumanisi zethu eziya kumasayithi abathengisi.