The primary difference between a Point of Entry (POE) system and a Point of Use (POU) water filtration system is their location and scope of water treatment.
Point of Entry System (POE) Water Filtration
If you want pure water from every faucet in your home, including for appliances like the washing machine, you’ll need a Point of Entry (POE) system. POE water treatment systems are designed to remove contaminants such as arsenic, sodium, barium, and bacteria from well water and surface water supplies.
These systems are typically sized based on the household’s water demand. A cost-effective method for treating water with a POE system is to use a storage tank setup. Here, water is pumped from the well, treated, and stored in a tank, ensuring a sufficient supply of treated water during peak usage times (usually from 7 AM to 9 AM and 5 PM to 7 PM). It’s essential to separate treated water from untreated water, such as the water used for washing cars versus the water used for drinking. This can be achieved through detailed system design and usage analysis.
Location and Scope:
- A POE system is installed at the main water line where water enters the home.
- It treats all the water used throughout the house, including for drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning.
Purpose:
- POE systems are designed to treat water for the entire household, providing comprehensive filtration for all uses.
Common Types:
- Whole-house water filters
- Water softeners
- UV disinfection systems
Advantages:
- Ensures that all water entering the home is treated, offering consistent water quality for all uses.
- Can address multiple water quality issues simultaneously, such as hardness, chlorine, sediment, and contaminants.
Disadvantages:
- Typically more expensive to install and maintain than POU systems.
- May not filter out all types of contaminants, especially if the system isn’t specifically designed for them.
Point of Use System (POU)
If you want bottled-water quality at your kitchen sink or refrigerator door, a Point of Use (POU) system is ideal. A common example is a reverse osmosis system installed under the countertop. These single-point systems treat water at specific locations, removing low levels of arsenic, barium, and chlorine from municipal water supplies.
Location and Scope:
- A POU system is installed at specific locations where water is used, such as a kitchen faucet, showerhead, or under the sink.
- It treats water at the point where it is consumed or used.
Purpose:
- POU systems are designed to provide high-quality water for specific uses, such as drinking and cooking.
Common Types:
- Under-sink filters
- Faucet-mounted filters
- Countertop filters
- Refrigerator filters
- Shower filters
Advantages:
- Typically less expensive to install and maintain than POE systems.
- Can be tailored to address specific water quality issues at the point of use.
Disadvantages:
- Only treats water at specific points, not throughout the entire house.
- May require multiple units to cover different locations, which can add up in cost and maintenance.
Water filtration & treatment systems are designed to remove harmful or nuisance minerals and pathogens from your water supply.
Whether the concern is hardness, acidic water, iron, arsenic, nitrates, sodium, chlorides, or bacteria, a properly designed, installed, and operated water treatment system can deliver peace of mind to a growing family.
Testing & Design
Proper water filtration & treatment system design starts with a good onsite testing routine. JKA Well Drilling & Pumps always recommend an onsite visit with one of our lead technicians to look at, smell and even taste the water, talk to you about your experience with your water, perform on-site analysis of the water with special water testing equipment, and custom-design a solution that’ll meet your needs.
Call us today to schedule your water testing and system design in your home. (360) 684-1932
