Is Carbon Dust Safe to Drink?

Although the black dust floating in your water might look unappealing, it's not considered harmful. In fact, some believe consuming activated carbon (charcoal) is beneficial for the following:

• Cleansing blood
• Whitening teeth
• Decreasing flatulence
• Reducing bloating

While none of these health benefits have been proven, many activated carbon products are regularly consumed, and these have much higher concentrations of carbon than the dust you'd consume from your water filter.

Raw coal crushed activated carbon

The only concern with consuming activated carbon is that it could absorb some of the beneficial substances you ingest, like water-soluble vitamins and medications. However, there's no research to support this, and the water filter dust is so low in quantity that it's not of any real concern.

Nevertheless, carbon dust is still an unpleasant sight, and there are ways to reduce the carbon particles in your water.

The Solution to Carbon Dust

Carbon filters typically last between 6 and 12 months and should be replaced yearly. Since this could be a pain, a good option is to look for a filter that lasts a little longer and doesn't result in floating carbon dust. When shopping for a filter, it's important to make sure the one you choose is easy to maintain, has a high filtration rate, and is worth the investment.

In addition to a good water filter, glass products like the Mayu carafe can be used to make structured water. This is beneficial because the vortex created by the carafe aerates the water, thus infusing more oxygen, evaporating volatile compounds, and raising the pH level of the water.