In order to answer this question, we need to understand why we need a water filtration system in the first place.

To begin with, we know that water is the basis of life. All living things need water to survive. And we humans are no different...except for the fact that we require a certain level of quality and purity of water to maintain our well-being.

Nature, in its infinite wisdom, provides water for humans in the form of lakes, rivers and streams. These sources of water contain essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium, necessary for the body to work well and stay healthy.

With the development of modern, industrialized societies, we have experienced a dramatic and damaging increase in environmental pollution. The air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink have all been contaminated with toxic chemicals.

Early on, local municipalities addressed the need to provide clean water to their residents by using the conventional water filtration that adds chlorine and other chemicals to help filter what we drink from the tap.

Chlorine has been the chemical of choice because it's been found to be effective at removing impurities. And it's cheap and readily available. But chlorine has also been shown to have some serious drawbacks.

Along with removing contaminants, it also removes Vitamin E and other indispensable fatty acids. It also strips the oils from your skin, leaving it dry and susceptible to premature aging.

Furthermore, there are some microorganisms, such as cryptosporidium and giardia, which chlorine is unable to kill.

Even more alarming is the fact that chlorine interacts with the metal pipes in most home plumbing systems, causing heavy metals to seep into the water transported by the pipes.

Because of this, there is concern on the part of the EPA and other governmental bodies about high levels of lead and copper in drinking water. These agencies have conducted research into the potential adverse health effects of these heavy metals on infants, children and pregnant women.

Chlorine has also been linked to asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Not surprisingly, some concerned consumers have turned to drinking water that's been treated with the popular water filtration method of reverse osmosis. While this system provides a clean, pleasant-tasting water, it unfortunately strips out the essential minerals I referred to earlier. This water has little, if any, of the intended health benefits of drinking water.

So now that you know all this, I think the answer to the question, "is a water filtration system really worth it?" is quite apparent. The answer is a resounding "yes!"

Having the ability to easily and conveniently filter out chlorine and other chemical and biological contaminants from your drinking water is the best way to insure that all-important quality and purity that nature intended water to have.

And when you consider the extreme affordability, convenience and quality that water filtration systems provide, you can see how they are a practical and healthy alternative to tap and/or bottled water.

It should be pointed out that no water purification method is 100% reliable and certain. That being said, however, some systems are better than others.

If you're not sure which system is best for the needs of you and your family, just look for one that uses a multi-stage filtration. This will help protect against chlorine, lead and VOCs (volatile organic chemicals).

Just do your research. Becoming an educated consumer will go a long way toward providing for the health and well-being of your family. Especially when you find the best product you can get.

Water filtration system comparisons will be well worth your time. You will find, like I did, that there are plenty of mediocre products, some really good ones, and a small handful that blow the rest out of the water. (Sorry...I couldn't resist.)