Millions of water purifiers are sold each year and silver is inside many of them. Silver prevents bacteria and algae from building up in their filters so that they can do their job — getting rid of bacteria, chlorine, trihalomethanes, lead, particulates and odor. Silver, in concert with oxygen, acts as a powerful sanitizer that offers an alternative to, or an augmentation of, other disinfectant systems.

Silver ions are being added to water purification systems in hospitals, community water systems, pools and spas. Silver also helps to prevent Legionnaires’ disease, which is caused by buildup in pipes, connections and water tanks.

Water-born illness is a major problem in developing nations. The full extent to which silver can help treat the issue of clean drinking water has yet to be seen, but ongoing research is showing its usage to be an exciting development for the global water supply.