Frequently Asked Questions About Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems
Used by over 3 million people across the globe, Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems are among the most effective drinking water treatment systems available. Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems solve aesthetic problems in tap water as well as reduce contaminants of health concern. Below are some of the most commonly asked questions about Multi-Pure®'s Solid Carbon Block technology products.
1. Why should I choose Multi-Pure for water filtration?
 Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems are one of the most effective, economical, convenient and reliable home water filters available today. Multi-Pure® systems are certified by NSF International to reduce a wide range of contaminants of health concern, as well as aesthetically improve the water. Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems reduce MTBE, chlorination by-products, PCBs, chloramine, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals like lead and mercury, and many other contaminants. Also:
- Beneficial minerals remain in the water.
- Nothing harmful is added to the water.
- A variety of systems are available to suit any budget.
- Healthier, cleaner water is conveniently available right at your kitchen sink.
- Below Counter systems can be attached to a refrigerator or instant hot dispenser.
- Countertop systems are portable and easy to move.
- Multi-Pure® water costs about 8 cents per gallon.
- There is a Lifetime Warranty on the stainless steel and plastic housings (provided that the filter be changed at least once a year) and a 1-Year Waranty on the accessories!
2. What makes Multi-Pure so effective?
 Nationally recognized standards established for the drinking water treatment industry confirm that the most effective systems for the removal of both aesthetic and harmful contaminants are those that utilize solid carbon block filters.
The Multi-Pure® densely compacted Solid Carbon Block filter has the ability to micro-strain every molecule of water through microscopic pores. The large surface area allows the water to be in contact with the carbon for a longer period of time, providing greater adsorption of the many different chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and certain heavy metals. Contaminants with a physical size are removed when water passes through the pre-filter, which helps keep the carbon block from clogging prematurely.
The developer of the proprietary solid carbon block filter technology, Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems, has been a leading manufacturer in the industry since 1970 (the first year Earth Day was celebrated) and has earned a reputation for performance and quality.
3. How is Multi-Pure treated water better than tap water?
Municipalities are required by law to deliver water to your home or business that is considered “safe” by the EPA. That is to say, the municipalities focus on reducing contaminants of health concern that have been specifically identified by the EPA. However, they do not necessarily remove all contaminants that may be present in the water. Also, they generally do not filter treated water to remove tastes and odors. They employ a variety of technologies that typically include some form of disinfection, but the chemicals employed for disinfection (e.g., chlorine or chloramines) leave tap water with a very noticeable taste and smell.
 Additionally, once the water leaves the treatment plant it must travel through miles and miles of pipes to reach homes and offices, including the water pipes inside your building. There are many opportunities for water to pick up contaminants along the way, and sometimes the disinfection chemicals actually promote the process of leaching contaminants into the water, such as lead.
A Multi-Pure® Drinking Water System serves at the point of use to remove contaminants of health concern that may be present in tap water. A Multi-Pure® filter removes chemicals like chlorine as well as rust particles, dirt, small living organisms like cysts, asbestos, lead, and much, much more. The water you consume from a Multi-Pure® Drinking Water System is free of unwanted tastes and odors so that you may enjoy fresh, clean drinking water as it was meant to be.
4. Where can I obtain a municipal water report for my city?
All municipalities are required by the Safe Drinking Water Act to publish reports on the quality of water delivered through their systems. You may locate the water authority for your locale by visiting either of the two public web sites identified below:
5. Where can I purchase Multi-Pure commercial products?
Please contact Multi-Pure by telephone (702-304-7960) or email (sales@carbonblocktech.com) with any questions you may have regarding Multi-Pure® products or to request a price quote.
6. Who do I call for product support and training for Multi-Pure commercial products?
You should call Multi-Pure Contract Sales Customer Support at 702-304-7960. A Multi-Pure Customer Service Representative will review your needs and then put you in touch with the most appropriate person in Multi-Pure Technical Services to assist you.
7. Why may Multi-Pure® products cost more than other water filter solutions?
 All drinking water filtration systems are not created equal. Quite simply, Multi-Pure® offers a superior product, and it costs more to design, test, and manufacture a higher performance product.
There are many drinking water system choices available to you, and at first glance they may seem comparable. But they are not. Even among companies employing solid carbon block technology in their products, they do not match the proven performance of Multi-Pure® products. Superior performance equates to a better value for you over the life the product, and it gives you the peace of mind and satisfaction of knowing you are making a safe choice.
8. Are Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems certified to reduce contaminants of health concern?
Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems (MPADC, CB-VOC and CB-As product lines) have been tested and certified by NSF® International under NSF/ANSI Standard No. 53 (Health Effects) as well as No. 42 (Aesthetics). The CBTPlusRO system also has been tested and certified under NSF/ANSI Standard No. 58 (Reverse Osmosis).
9. Why is NSF certification important?
 NSF® is an internationally recognized, not-for-profit, third-party testing organization that tests and certifies products to ensure they meet strict public health standards. Certified water filtration products are tested to verify that they meet certain standards for health and aesthetics. The end result for the customer is the assurance that a system will do what the literature says it will do.
Certification by NSF® assures the consumer that:
- Claims of contaminant reduction are true.
- The system does not add anything harmful to the water.
- The system is structurally sound.
- Advertising, literature and labeling are not misleading.
- Materials and manufacturing processes do not change.
To ensure that manufacturers continue to meet these requirements, NSF® conducts unannounced inspections of manufacturing facilities at least once a year. Drinking water systems are tested under Standard 42 for Aesthetic Effects (taste, odor, and color) and Standard 53 for Health Effects (contaminants that are considered as established or potential health hazards).
10. What contaminants are Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems certified by NSF to reduce?
Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems have been tested and certified by NSF® for the reduction of the following contaminants/substances (*99% is the maximum rate of reduction certified):
Aesthetic Effects (NSF/ANSI Standard No. 42)
- Chlorine by > 99%
- Particulate matter down to 0.5 micrometer, submicron (Class I)
Health Effects (NSF/ANSI Standard No. 53)
- Turbidity
- Lead
- Mercury
- PCB (Endocrine Disrupter)
- Chlordane (Endocrine Disrupter)
- Toxaphene (Endocrine Disrupter)
- 1,1-Dichloroethane (Endocrine Disrupter)
- Cysts
- Trihalomethanes
- Asbestos
- Volatile Organic Chemicals
- MTBE
- Chloramines
- Arsenic V (MP880 Series)
11. In what states are Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems certified or registered?
Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems have been certified or registered by the states of California, Iowa, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, and Colorado (all the states that regulate drinking water systems).
12. Is there a warranty/guarantee?
 Multi-Pure® Drinking Water System housings are warranted to be free from defects for the lifetime that you own the system (please note that you must change the system's filter at least once a year in order for the lifetime warranty to be in effect), and system accessories are warranted for 12 months.
13. Can the Multi-Pure® Drinking Water System be used during an emergency, or when the water is turned off?
Yes, you can hand pump or siphon water through the Multi-Pure® unit during an emergency situation. Complete instructions are available from Multi-Pure®.
14. Can the Multi-Pure® Drinking Water System be connected to an automatic ice-maker?
Yes. Two of the Multi-Pure® Drinking Water System models (CB-VOC-SI and CB-As-SI) are designed for just such inline applications. Additionally, using a T-connector (not provided with the product), the below counter models (CB-VOC-SB, CB-VOC-SB-PID, CB-As-SB or CB-As-SB-PID) also can be connected to any type of water dispenser or ice-maker.
15. Does the system remove the natural, healthy trace minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium?
No, Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems leave in the healthy, naturally occurring minerals.
16. Why did Multi-Pure® design the filter to take out contaminants like VOCs but not the natural minerals?
Minerals are totally dissolved in solution and do not have an actual physical size; thus, the minerals pass through the filter unchanged. The materials used in Multi-Pure® Drinking Water are specially selected for their ability to react with the chemicals in the water but not with natural minerals. The ability to leave the natural, healthy minerals in while reducing harmful contaminants was a vital factor in the development of Multi-Pure®'s Solid Carbon Block filter. The medical community has always maintained that certain minerals were essential for a healthy body, and a recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that drinking water with high levels of beneficial, healthful minerals may reduce the risk of heart disease.
17. If the unit does not remove minerals, how does it take out lead?
Multi-Pure® was able to devise a Solid Carbon Block filter whereby certain dissolved impurities, such as lead and chemicals, are adsorbed to the carbon surface by chemical reaction and adsorption. Adsorption (as opposed to absorption) is defined as "the adhesion in a thin layer of molecules to the surface of solid bodies with which they are in contact" (Webster's Collegiate Dictionary). Thus the Solid Carbon Block can be analogized to a magnet that metal shavings (lead, in the analogy) adhere to.
18. If a filter can take out Chlorine, can it also take out Trihalomethanes (disinfection by-products)?
Multi-Pure® Drinking Water Systems have been tested and certified to reduce Chlorine and Trihalomethanes. However, not all filters certified to reduce Chlorine can reduce Trihalomethanes (although some disreputable companies would have you believe so!). Chlorine is a substance that is relatively easy to remove. But, chlorine that has interacted with organic material to form Trihalomethanes (thus having a completely different molecular structure) is extremely difficult to remove. Consumers must check with the NSF® (or their state health department, if that state certifies water filters) to see if the filter is certified for Trihalomethanes or VOC reduction.
19. How often do the filters need to be changed?
 Filter life will vary in direct proportion to the amount of water used and the type and level of impurities in the water being processed. It is recommended that the filter be replaced when the first of the following occurs: (a) the product’s rated capacity is reached; (b) annually; (c) the flow rate diminishes (which occurs when the filter becomes clogged with particulate matter); or (d) the filter becomes saturated with bad tastes and odors. The filters cannot be back flushed or rinsed and used again. Even if your filter is still white and the flow rate is still high, according to EPA and state health department guidelines, filters should always be replaced at least once a year, regardless of capacity.
20. Can hot water be run through the filter?
The biggest problem with hot water is the sloughing off of chemicals/compounds that had been adsorbed. The heat causes the carbon pores to open up, which could result in lead or chemicals being released into the water. And, the carbon would not effectively reduce contaminants in the water. Hot water is usually below 212 degrees, and that isn't hot enough to alter the raw materials, so there wouldn't be any damage to the filter itself. If someone does run hot water through the filter, they should immediately run cold water through until the filter cools and then flush the filter for about 3 minutes. The filter then will again perform effectively. And, don't drink the hot water.
21. If I leave on vacation, do I have to disconnect my filter?
Do not allow water to sit in the drinking water system for extended periods of time (10 or more days) without being used. If the system is to be left unused for more than 10 days, drain all the water from the system and remove the filter. Upon your return, reinstall the filter in the housing and continue use.
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