The Point-of-Use Water Treatment Industry: Expert Opinion on Regulation.

Concerns over declining water quality have led many home owners to install point-of-use water treatment units to improve potable supplies. This industry has grown considerably in recent years. However, some questions have been raised regarding misleading advertising and improper claims being made by some in the industry. The extent of this problem is not known, but regulation has been considered. This paper examines some views on regulation of the home water treatment industry. A detail report was presented to 120 water resource experts from the Mid-West for analysis and comment. Results from an accompanying questionnaire indicated favorable support for point -of-use units, provided they were not used as substitutes for long-term water protection measures and other management strategies. There was a consensus for mandatory regulations involving certification programs and control of equipment standards through independent third parties. Further research is recommended into the merits of controls already in place.