Water treating methods

1. A method of treating low-pressure untreated water, said method comprising:

(a) passing low-pressure untreated water from a source of low-pressure untreated water through a low-pressure water filter device, such that the average fluid contact time is greater than about 2 seconds, the low-pressure water filter device comprises a storage housing and mesoporous activated carbon filter particles, wherein

(i) a sum of mesopore and macropore volumes of the mesoporous activated carbon filter particles is between about 0.2 mL/g and about 2 mL/g, wherein mesopore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter between 2 nm and 50 nm, and macropore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter greater than 50 nm, and

(ii) a total pore volume of the mesoporous activated carbon filter particles is greater than about 0.4 mL/g and less than about 3 mL/g;

(b) removing bacteria and viruses from the low-pressure untreated water with the low-pressure water filter at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 2 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 1 log to produce treated drinking water; and

(c) filling the storage housing with treated drinking water at a rate greater than about 5 mL/min.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mesoporous activated carbon filter particles comprise mesoporous and basic activated carbon filter particles.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing the bacteria and viruses from the low-pressure untreated water comprises removing bacteria and viruses with the low-pressure water filter at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 3 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 2 logs.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of removing the bacteria and viruses from the low-pressure untreated water comprises removing bacteria and viruses with the low-pressure water filter at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 4 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 3 logs.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of passing the low pressure untreated water through a prefilter prior to passing the low-pressure untreated water through the low-pressure water filter, wherein the prefilter is selected from the group consisting of melt-blown polypropylene, non-woven polymer, micro-glass fiber, and non-woven cellulose filter material.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a sum of mesopore and macropore volumes to a total pore volume of mesoporous activated carbon filter particles is greater than about 0.3.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of arresting the filling of the storage housing with treated drinking water when an automatic shutoff valve on the low-pressure water filter device is activated.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the automatic shutoff valve comprises a float.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of dispensing the treated drinking water through utilization of a dispenser in fluid communication with the storage housing.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low-pressure water filter device is a non-electric water filter device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the low-pressure water filter device further comprises a flow regulator, wherein the flow regulator regulates the flow of the untreated water such that the average fluid contact time is greater than about 2 seconds up to about 120 psi.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the flow regulator regulates the flow of the untreated water such that the average fluid contact time is greater than about 4 seconds up to about 120 psi.

13. A method of treating low-pressure untreated drinking water, said method comprising:

(a) providing a low-pressure water filter device comprising:

(i) a connector for providing fluid communication between said low-pressure water filter device and an untreated drinking water source;

(ii) a low-pressure water filter in fluid communication with said connector, said low-pressure water filter comprising a water filter material, said water filter material comprising filter particles consisting of mesoporous activated carbon;

(iii) a storage housing in fluid communication with said low-pressure water filter, said storage housing utilized for storing treated drinking water treated by said low-pressure water filter;

(iv) an automatic shutoff valve in fluid communication with said storage housing, said automatic shutoff valve utilized for arresting the flow of treated drinking water into said storage housing;

(v) a dispenser in fluid communication with said storage housing, said dispenser utilized for dispensing treated drinking water from said storage housing;

(vi) wherein a sum of mesopore and macropore volumes of said filter particles is between about 0.2 mL/g and about 2 mL/g, wherein mesopore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter between 2 nm and 50 nm, and macropore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter greater than 50 nm;

(vii) wherein a total pore volume of said filter particles is greater than about 0.4 mL/g and less than about 3 mL/g; and

(viii) wherein a ratio of the sum of mesopore and macropore volumes to the total pore volume of said filter particles is greater than about 0.3; and

(b) passing low-pressure untreated drinking water from a source of low-pressure untreated drinking water containing bacteria and viruses through said low-pressure water filter, such that the average fluid contact time is greater than about 2 seconds;

(c) removing bacteria and viruses from the low-pressure untreated drinking water with the low-pressure water filter at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 2 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 1 log;

(d) filling said storage housing with treated drinking water at the rate of at least about 5 mL/min but not greater than about 2,000 mL/min until activating said automatic shutoff valve; and

(e) arresting the flow of said treated drinking water when automatic shutoff valve is activated, such that the flow of treated drinking water into said storage housing is arrested;

wherein said water filter device is a non-electric water filter device, and wherein said water filter device is operable to remove microorganisms from said untreated drinking water flowing into said connector and out of said low-pressure water filter.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the mesoporous activated carbon comprises mesoporous and basic activated carbon particles.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of removing the bacteria and viruses from the low-pressure untreated drinking water comprises removing bacteria and viruses with the low pressure water filter at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 3 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 2 logs.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of removing the bacteria and viruses from the low-pressure untreated drinking water comprises removing bacteria and viruses with the low pressure water filter at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 4 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 3 logs.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a step of passing the low pressure untreated drinking water through a prefilter prior to passing the low pressure untreated drinking water through said low pressure water filter, wherein said prefilter is selected from the group consisting of melt-blown polypropylene, non-woven polymer, micro-glass fiber, and non-woven cellulose filter material.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the automatic shutoff valve comprises a float.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the low-pressure water filter device further comprises a flow regulator, wherein the flow regulator regulates the flow of the untreated drinking water such that the average fluid contact time is greater than about 2 seconds up to about 120 psi.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the flow regulator regulates the flow of the untreated drinking water such that the average fluid contact time is greater than about 4 seconds up to about 120 psi.

21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising a step of dispensing the treated drinking water through utilization of a dispenser in fluid communication with the storage housing.

22. A method of treating low-pressure untreated water, said method comprising:

(a) connecting a low-pressure water filter to a source of low-pressure untreated water using a connector;

(b) passing low-pressure untreated water from a source of low-pressure untreated water through the low-pressure water filter device, such that the average fluid contact time is greater than about 2 seconds, the low-pressure water filter device comprises a storage housing and mesoporous activated carbon filter particles, wherein

(i) a sum of mesopore and macropore volumes of the mesoporous activated carbon filter particles is between about 0.2 mL/g and about 2 mL/g, wherein mesopore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter between 2 nm and 50 nm, and macropore means an intra-particle pore having a diameter greater than 50 nm,

(ii) a total pore volume of the mesoporous activated carbon filter particles is greater than about 0.4 mL/g and less than about 3 mL/g, and

(iii) a ratio of the sum of mesopore and macropore volumes to the total pore volume of the mesoporous activated carbon filter particles is greater than about 0.3;

(c) removing bacteria and viruses from the low-pressure untreated water with the low-pressure water filter at a level of Filter Bacteria Log Removal of greater than about 2 logs and a Filter Viruses Log Removal of greater than about 1 log; and

(d) filling the storage housing with treated drinking water at a rate greater than about 5 mL/min.

23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising a step of arresting the filling of the storage housing with treated drinking water when an automatic shutoff valve on the low-pressure water filter device is activated.