Review on 🚰 Pentair OMNIFilter CB3 Carbon Water Filter: Under Sink Taste & Odor Replacement Cartridge, 10" x 2.5", 0.5 Micron by Heather Nelson

After getting food poisoning from a contaminated water tank in my RV, I had to rethink my entire filtration strategy. First, I used it for 2 seasons camping and it was late to replace it. But it worked fine, do you really need to replace it? I researched and learned a little more about these filters. Pentair manufactures a variety of filters and carbon filters including CB1 (basic filter) and CB3 (advanced filter that removes more contaminants). I bought CB3 because it removes lead, cysts and viruses. I also learned that these filters remove germs, but if not sanitized bacteria can still grow on them, in which case the filter is actually adding more germs and contaminating clean water. In an RV, disinfecting the water system, including the filter media, is critical. Running chlorinated water through the entire system, including the filters, will disinfect it fairly well, but without chlorinated water, you might as well fill the filter with motor oil. I also learned how filters change their effectiveness over time. At first everything is filtered, but gradually the filtration deteriorates. After 12 months you can still filter chlorine, but you may have already lost your ability to filter germs and viruses. The solution is to replace the filter according to the recommended schedule, which is 6 months for CB3. I could stretch that a bit, say if I don't use it often, but I would still sanitize the entire system with bleach, which would improve the overall efficiency of the filter. Finally, I shouldn't expect the filter to remove germs, I should start feeding clean water to a properly sanitized water supply. That said, this filter improves the taste of water, removes some impurities, but you shouldn't expect it to purify polluted water. This filter is recommended.