Aqua Cure are now the only authorised distributor for Doulton water filters in the UK. We’ve been stocking their filters for a long time now but maybe it’s worth another look at what makes Doulton ceramic filters unique.

Taste The Doulton Difference

Doulton ceramic filter are ideal for improving your domestic drinking water as they combine the anti-bacterial protection of a of high performance ceramic shell with (in Doulton Super Sterasyl and above) granular activated carbon (GAC) or a carbon block for the reduction of chlorine taste and odour. The additional options for fluoride or heavy metal reduction means that you can tailor your filtration system to your water supply, ensuring that you and your family are drinking water that is healthy, clean and free of impurities or contaminants.

Unique Properties

Due to the ceramic material that Doulton use to make their filters, they have many features that carbon water filters don’t. A ceramic surface has a complex structure tiny pores which allow water molecules through but are too small for more than 99.99% of pathogenic bacteria, cysts and particles. Not only do Doulton filters provide an incredibly effective physical barrier against contaminants but they are actually impregnated with a small amount (about 0.07%) of pure silver, which has powerful antibacterial properties.

Specific Treatment

As we’ve looked into before, there can be more than just H2O in your glass when you fill it from the tap. Over 6.1 million people in the UK receive water containing fluoride. Though proven to reduce tooth decay, fluoride is controversial with claims that exposure can effect cognitive development in children. Doulton manufacture a fluoride reduction cartridge that can reduce the fluoride content of your drinking water, whether naturally occurring or artificially fluoridated.

Your drinking water could also contain lead which, if consumed, can accumulate in the body over time and cause health problems. Though lead pipework has been removed from the mains water network, some older residences may still have lead pipework installed inside the property boundary. Standard Doulton Ultracarb filters include media which removes lead and other toxic heavy metals.

Cryptosporidium

Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite which causes stomach cramps and diarrhoea and can be quite dangerous to those with existing health issues. Cryptosporidium, which is resistant to chlorine, has made the headline several times in recent years after outbreaks in Lancashire and County Mayo left residents having to boil their water to make it safe to drink for months at a time.

Cryptosporidium cysts are physically too large to pass through the fine pore structure of Doulton’s ceramic filters, making them one of the best methods for making sure your domestic water is safe to drink.

Micron Ratings

Doulton ceramic filters, commonly known as ‘candles’ come in a variety of grades. These grades dictate the micron rating, i.e. the size of the pores in the filter’s surface.

All Doulton ceramic candles from the Doulton Sterasyl range upwards have an absolute filtration rating of 0.9 microns which means that particle or organisms of 0.9μm and larger are retained with 99.99% efficiency under strictly defined test conditions. We also stock Doulton Ultracarb filters which have a 0.5 micron nominal rating, which means that the filter retains the majority of particulate (60 - 98%) of 0.5μm or larger. These micron ratings are significantly better than equivalent carbon filters which generally have higher absolute ratings than ceramic filters.

Environmentally Friendly

Doulton ceramic candles are produced from natural materials and contain minimal plastic. With the plastic mounts removed, the ceramic candles are actually biodegradable[4] and can be disposed of in land fill. If you’re careful (the ceramic shell is fragile) Doulton ceramic candles can also be cleaned using a toothbrush or scouring pad to significantly extend their service life.

And the biggest environmental benefit of all, as we’ve looked at previously in our knowledge base, is that using a water filter reduces the need to buy bottled water which contributes massively to the current epidemic of plastic pollution. To put this into perspective, a single Doulton Steracyl candle has a capacity of 10,000 litres before it needs replacing, enough water to fill 20,000 half litre plastic bottles.

Number 1 For Doulton

As Doulton’s only authorised UK distributor, we know their range inside out and back to front. If you’re not sure which filter best fits your needs, then talk to us and we’ll be happy to make a recommendation. We keep permanent stock of all their most popular filters and can offer next day delivery at a reasonable price. The specifications and datasheets for all of Doulton’s top sellers are available on our website along with the Doulton filter performance guide.

Long story short, if you want Doulton – come to us.