What is UV in water purifier?
A UV water purifier is a water purification device that exposes disease-causing microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses to a germicidal ultraviolet wavelength.
Most of these microorganisms cause the disease when they reproduce inside the human body.
The germicidal UV wavelength disrupts the DNA of these microorganisms, so they cannot reproduce.
A UV Water Purifier can prevent many water-borne diseases such as those listed below:
- Typhoid
- Amoebiasis
- Cholera
- Hepatitis A
- Shigellosis
- E. coli
- Amoebic dysentery
- Giardiasis
Ultraviolet light removes most bacteria and viruses from the water. In my view, a UV water purifier is essential for an Indian home.
Is UV enough for a water purifier?
No UV alone is not enough to treat the water supply in India.
UV systems work only when the water is free of sediments.
As I have mentioned in my post on the best water purifier in India, A UV water purifier is suited for water supply where TDS levels are below 200 ppm.
Municipal water supply in some Indian cities has low ppm but whether the bacteria and viruses are killed by the time it reaches your home is another question.
UV disinfection should be done at the last point of contact before drinking.
So you can choose a UV purifier only if your water source is a municipal water supply with a low TDS level.
You can check the TDS levels in your water supply by using a TDS Meter
If you store your water in an overhead tank or if the water comes from the ground, You should go for a RO UV UF TDS Water Purifier.
Is it safe to use a UV purifier ?
It is safe to use a UV purifier. There are no harmful chemicals used during UV water purification.
Unlike Chlorine treatment, UV light treats water for protozoa as well. You can see this research paper that found:
UV method produced no bi-products and did not alter the taste, pH or other properties of water, in contradistiction to chlorine disinfection method
Investigating the Effectiveness of Ultraviolet (UV) Water Purification as Replacement of Chlorine Disinfection in Domestic Water Supply
Are UV Purifiers Effective?
UV Purifiers are effective and safe. UV systems disinfect 99.99% of living organisms in the water without creating any debris.
A UV water purifier is one of the safest and most effective ways to purify water.
Ro or UV water purifier which is better?
Water purifiers are available in many configurations. You can get a RO water purifier, a UV water purifier, A UV + UF water purifier, Alkaline water purifiers, RO+UV+UF+TDS water purifiers.
All of the above-mentioned technologies are used according to the source of water.
A RO water purifier is a must when TDS levels are high. A UV water purifier is used when TDS levels are low.
In my opinion, the best type of water purifier is alkaline water purifiers with UV and RO because pure alkaline water is tasty and healthy.
I don’t trust the water supply I get at home to be free of impurities and organisms, even if the local water supply body says so.
Benefits of a UV water purifier
There are many advantages of a UV water purifier. Let us take a look here:
A. Cheaper
UV water purifiers are cheaper than RO water purifiers. You can get a good UV water purifier in the 6 to 8 thousand rupees price range.
B. Easy to maintain
UV water purifiers require less maintenance as opposed to RO water purifiers. The annual maintenance thus is also cheaper because only the UV light needs to be replaced and not the complete filters.
C. No chemicals used
A UV purifier does not use any chemicals for water purification, so there is no chemical residue in the water.
D. No water wastage
UV water purifiers do not waste water like a RO water purifier, so it is an environment-friendly purifier.
Disadvantages of a UV purifier
A. Not suitable for contaminants- A pre-filter is required
A UV water purifier is only suitable for your house if your water source has TDS levels below 200 ppm.
Unfortunately, it is challenging in India to trust the water supply. You will need a pre-filter if your water is muddy or has high TDS.
B. Many UV water purifiers do not have a storage option
Many UV water purifier models do not store water, so you will have to fill water bottles for later usage, but this is not true for all UV purifiers. It depends from model to model.
C. Require electricity to work
A UV water purifier with no storage will not dispense water without electricity, so you may be left without water if you have not filled it up earlier.
How to maintain your UV water purifier?
UV water purifiers are easier to maintain than RO water purifiers. You will need to contact the company for a yearly service where the technician will change the UV lamp.
A Typical UV lamp will last for 9000 to 11000 liters of water depending upon the purifier model.
Before you buy
Before you buy a water purifier, I will advise you to check the TDS levels of your water source using a TDS Meter.
This way, you will get a better idea of the type of water purifier you need to buy.
5 Best UV Water Purifiers In India
Ok, let us now take a look at some of the best UV water purifiers in India.
I have gone through multiple options, and after careful consideration, I have shortlisted the below-mentioned UV water purifiers.
1. Kent Ultra
Kent Ultra is one of the most value-for-money UV water purifiers in India.
The Kent Ultra comes with a one-year warranty and no storage capacity.
This model has excellent reviews and is a good value for money buy.
Kent Ultra is suitable only for municipal corporation water supply and tap water.
The high-power 11W UV lamp works well, and it delivers 100% pure water.
Kent has one of the best service networks across India, and I think it is a perfect UV water purifier for small families.
You can get more details at the link below.
2. HUL Pureit Marvella
Pureit Water Purifiers are some of the best and highest-rated water purifiers in the Indian market.
The Pureit Marvella G2 is one of the best UV water purifiers, without any doubt.
This water purifier has a fantastic rating of 4.4, and the best part is it has a 4 stage water purification process and 4-liter storage.
You can use the Pureit Marvella G2 for TDS levels below 200 ppm, so municipal water supply only.
The company offers a one-year warranty on the product. The high-intensity UV Lamp has a power of 11 W.
This water purifier meets stringent criteria for Environmental Protection Agency. YOu can get more details on the link below.
3. AO Smith X2
AO Smith Water Purifiers are my personal favorite. AO Smith is an American brand that specializes in water purifiers and water heaters.
AO Smith X2 offers Ultra Violet+ Ultra Fine technologies along with a 5-liter storage capacity.
This model has a 5 stage water purification process and can be used for TDS upto 200 ppm.
There is an excellent LED panel at the front. The AO Smith X2 comes with a one-year warranty.
You can get more details and can compare the product to other similar models on the link below.
4. Aquaguard Amaze
Aquaguard Amaze is the number one bestseller in the water purifier category.
This list would have been incomplete without writing about such a popular product.
Aquaguard amaze more than 11,00 reviews and an excellent rating of 4.
The Amaze is a UV+UF Water Purifier meaning it has both technologies.
There are five stages of water purification, and there is a massive 7-liter storage capacity (beneficial for areas with power cuts during summers).
You can get more details about the product at the link below.
5. Aquaguard Marvel Water Purifier
The Aquaguard Marvel is another excellent water purifier from Eureka Forbes. It has the following technologies:
- Patented Active Copper
- UV e-boiling
- Ultra Filtration
- Mineral Guard Technology
Again this is a highly rated water purifier that is suitable for water tds levels below 200 ppm. You can check all the details about the Aquaguard Marvel on the link below.
Best UV Water Purifier Price List
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Kent Ultra | 5449 |
| HUL Pureit Marvella | 7699 |
| AO Smith X2 | 9149 |
| Aquaguard Amaze | 8499 |
| Aquaguard Marvel | 7999 |
Comparison of the 3 best UV Water Purifier Models In India
From among the models mentioned above, I have further chosen the three best according to their features.
Let us now compare these models:
| AO Smith X2 | HUL Pureit Marvella | Aquaguard Marvel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | White | White | White & Black |
| Storage | 5 litres | 4 litres | 8 litres |
| Warranty | 1-Year | 1-Year | 1-Year |
| Recommended TDS Levels | 200 ppm | 200 ppm | 200 ppm |
| Annual AMC | 1500 rupees | 1500rs | 1500 rs |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.1 |
| Stages of purification | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Technologies | UV+ UF | UV | Active Copper+UV+UF +Mineral |
| Price | 9149 | 7699 | 7999 |
| Toytales Rating | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Recommendation
I recommend that if you are in the market for a UV water purifier, you should buy an Aquaguard Marvel water purifier.
The reason I am recommending this product are listed below:
- Aquaguard specializes in water purifiers and has some of the best-rated water purifiers in the market
- Aquaguard Marvel is a highly rated and reviewed UV water Purifier
- It beats all the other competitors on price, value for money, and technology.
Conclusion
I hope this article was able to give you good detailed information on UV Water Purifiers in India.
I recommend that you read this article, which is another excellent source on UV water purifiers and their effectiveness.