AquaTru Classic Countertop Water Purifier

Dimensions
AquaTru Classic countertop water purifier
14" Tall x 14" Deep x 12" Wide (35.56 cm Tall x 35.56 cm Deep x 30.48 cm Wide)

Clean water tank
7.75″ Tall x 5.75″ Wide x 9.625″ Deep (19.69 cm Tall x 14.61 cm Wide x 24.45 cm Deep.)

Weight
16 lbs

Electrical
AquaTru countertop purifiers operate with a 120-volt AC wall plug

Plumbing
Manual fill. Plumbing not required.

NOTE Always completely empty the tap water/waste water tank before refilling.

General
Cleaning
Changing the filters
Vacation and storage
Descaling
Troubleshooting
NSF certification & contaminants removed
Terminology explained
Recycling

General

How much water does the AquaTru Classic hold?
The tap water tank holds about a gallon of water. The clean water tank holds about 3 quarts of purified water.

How quickly does AquaTru Classic countertop purify water?
AquaTru Classic purifies a gallon of water in 10 to 15 minutes. If your AquaTru starts taking longer than 25 minutes to filter one tank of water, you may need new filters or to descale your machine.

How often do I need to change the filters in my AquaTru Classic countertop water purifier?
Pre-Filter (yellow): 6 months or 600 gallons, whichever comes first
RO Filter (blue): 2 years or 1200 gallons, whichever comes first
VOC Filter or Alkaline Filter (green): 1 year or 600 gallons, whichever comes first

Cleaning

NOTE Never filter soap, bleach, vinegar or hot water through the filters.

How often do I need to wash my water tanks?
We recommend you clean both water tanks once a week with soap and water. Make sure you wash your hands before touching the inside of the water tanks to avoid contamination, especially of your clean water tank.
If you have hard water, or if you do not wash your tanks regularly, you may notice that your tap water tank may develop some scaling, or mineral build-up. If this does not come off easily with soap and water, we recommend soaking the tank in a 50/50 solution of distilled vinegar and warm water for 10-15 minutes, then wash clean with soap and water.
Position your AquaTru away from direct sunlight and heat sources such as a stove or oven to avoid algae growth that could develop in the continuously wet areas of the unit.

Does AquaTru water need to be refrigerated to prevent filtered water from collecting mold and bacteria?
It is not necessary to keep filtered AquaTru water refrigerated because AquaTru removes biological contaminants from water. The tanks of the AquaTru Classic have lids that will prevent airborne germs from contaminating the water. We recommend you clean the water tanks once a week with soap and water and that you wash your hands before touching the inside of the water tanks to avoid contamination.

How do I clean algae or mold if found in any area of the AquaTru unit
The development of mold or algae can happen for a few reasons:

1. the tanks are left with water in them without being used for a long period of time
2. the unit is exposed to high heat
3. the unit is not cleaned regularly
4. the unit is left in direct sunlight

Here are some troubleshooting tips.

If mold or algae has developed in the enclosed areas of the water dispensing outlet of the clean water tank…

1. Temporarily remove the filters and replace them with the descaling kit plugs
2. Follow the instructions for using the descaling kit but instead of using the descaling powder, fill the clean water tank with the vinegar solution or the diluted bleach solution described below.
3. Let the solution stand for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better.
4. Empty the vinegar (or diluted bleach) solution through the water dispensing outlet of the clean water tank into the tap water tank and continue with the cleaning process described in the descaling video.
5. Wash the tanks thoroughly with soap and water, then rinse well.
6. Fill the clean water tank with fresh water and empty it through the water dispensing outlet so that any vinegar, diluted bleach or soap has been removed from the tank and from the interior of the clean water tank dispensing outlet.
7. After the tank and its dispensing outlet are thoroughly clean, position the tanks on the base to produce a tank of filtered water.
8. Empty this initial tank of filtered water through the dispensing outlet of the clean water tank to rinse the outlet.
9. Discard (do not drink) this first tank of clean water.

If mold or algae have developed in the ports in the base of the unit…

1. Unplug the unit
2. Remove both tanks from the unit
3. Carefully turn the unit base upside down to drain any water from the ports in the base.
4. Turn the base right side up.
5. Prepare a vinegar solution or a bleach solution, according to the instructions below.
6. Fill the ports in the base (where the tank connectors are inserted) with the vinegar solution or diluted bleach solution.
7. Let the sanitizing solution stand for at least 30 minutes.
8. Use a Q-tip to clean all exposed areas in the port and tanks with the sanitizing solution.
9. Empty the solution out of the base ports by turning the base upside down over a sink.
10. Wash the tank with soap and water and rinse thoroughly.
11. Filter one tank of tap water through the unit and discard (do not drink) this first tank of filtered water.

Never filter soap, vinegar or bleach through the filters.

To prepare a white vinegar solution for sanitizing:

1. Dilute pure white vinegar with an equal amount of warm/hot tap water (not boiling) to make a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.
2. Apply the diluted vinegar solution to the AquaTru as described above.

To prepare a bleach solution for sanitizing:

1. Dilute unscented household bleach with water according to the mixing ratio indicated on the bottle of bleach to achieve a sanitizing bleach solution.
2. Apply the bleach solution to the AquaTru as described above.

NOTE: Never filter soap, vinegar, bleach or hot through the filters.

Changing the Filters

How do I know when to change my AquaTru Classic countertop filter?
When it is time to replace a filter, a numbered light corresponding to the number of the filter that needs to be replaced will stay illuminated on the digital display panel. It will not turn off during filtering or after filtering. It will turn off only when you replace the filter(s) and press the filter reset button. See resetting filters.

Why is one (or more) of my filter lights illuminated continuously?
The filter number corresponding to the numbered light indicates that the filter needs to be replaced.

1. Replace the filter that is indicated by the illuminated light. See How to Change Filters in the Videos tab.
2. After replacing the filter, press and hold the black reset button on the backside of the base for at least 3 seconds or until the light turns off. (A paperclip is the perfect tool, but anything similar will do). Note: The unit needs to be powered on when pressing the reset button for it to properly reset and continue to accurately track your filters.
3. If the filter light does not reset, unplug AquaTru from the wall outlet for thirty seconds, plug it back in and turn the power switch off, and then back on. Press the reset button for at least 3 full seconds, making sure it is fully pressed (again, this is where a paperclip can come in handy).

How do I change filters?
See Changing Filters under the Videos tab.

How do I reset my change filter indicator light(s)?

1. To enter Reset mode, press and hold the reset button for 10 seconds or until the 3 filter indicators light up. [To exit Reset mode without resetting any of the filters, do not touch the unit for 15 seconds. You will automatically exit filter Reset mode.]
2. Navigate through the three filters using the filter reset button. Each time you press the button, you select a different filter to reset.
   Please note that after resetting the filter life, the old filter life cannot be restored.
3. Once the filter you want to reset is blinking, press and hold the reset button for 5 seconds. The light will blink rapidly for a few seconds to indicate that the reset worked before exiting reset mode.

How do I reset my change filter indicator light(s)?
Run two full tank cycles after filter replacements. New filters take time to become saturated and properly filter the water when first installed. The first cycle may take longer than the normal 10-15 filtering time for 1 gallon of water.
You may notice bubbles or even cloudiness in the tap water tank. This is simply trapped air from the filters escaping and may be experienced during each use.
You may also notice some black cloudiness in your tap water tank within the first two tanks being filtered. Loose carbon dust from your new Pre-Filter or VOC Filter can release into the water as the filter fully saturates.

How many tanks do I need to run through AquaTru before using the pH + Mineral Boost Alkaline VOC filter?
After installing the pH + Mineral Boost Alkaline VOC filter, it is recommended to flush your AquaTru purifier with at least 6 tanks of water before consumption. 

Vacation and Storage tips

If you will not be using your AquaTru for four or more days we recommend that you empty out the tanks and set them aside so that they can dry off (not on the base of the AquaTru).
Carefully hold the base of AquaTru upside down to empty out the water in the base, then set it down right side up, without putting the tanks back in place so that the base can air dry.

Descaling

What is descaling?
Descaling is a maintenance procedure to reduce mineral or scale build up in your AquaTru to keep it running at optimal performance.
You can descale monthly to maintain optimal performance, but you know you have to descale immediately if your filtering time is taking 30 minutes or more to filter one tank of purified water.

What Is Mineral Build up or “Water Scale”?
Your AquaTru works by filtering out all the particles and toxins you don’t want in your drinking water. But they have to go somewhere, and that somewhere is in the tap tank.
AquaTru's technology recirculates a certain amount of waste water back through the system multiple times, boasting 80% efficiency. For every 1 gallon of tap water, 3/4 of a gallon of purified water is produced. This process flushes the filters to optimize performance and leaves concentrated contaminants in the tap water tank so you can easily discard it. The small amount of waste water should be discarded after each full tank is filtered. If you do not empty your waste water each time and instead "top-off" the water in the tap tank each time, you will cause extreme scale build up that will damage your AquaTru.
If you’ve got what’s known as “hard water,” it can build up even faster.

(!) Failure to descale
The remaining water in the tap tank after filtering has a high concentration of minerals. If the water is not discarded, this will cause scale build-up inside the AquaTru system that can cause the unit to filter slower and eventually even stop functioning, if not treated.
Note: Failure to discard the tap tank water & descale in a timely manner can even void your warranty.

How to Use AquaTru Descaling Kit (video)
See video under Videos tab

Troubleshooting

Why won’t my AquaTru turn on after I changed my filters (or washed the tanks)?
Some part of the unit is not making a proper connection to allow the unit to turn on (including the power cord). Here are some things to check:
First confirm if the pump is running with no water filtering. If this is happening, go to Why has filtering become very slow?
If the pump is not running, continue with the following steps.

Blue Light CHECK:

1. Confirm that the tap water tank is full and the clean water tank is empty.
2. Lift the tap water tank off the base to determine if the top round blue display light turns on. If the BLUE light turns on, the unit is working and has power.

The reason for not pumping water is one of the following:

1. Tanks are not fully seated.
2. Filter cover is not fully installed.
3. There is water in the clean water tank handle.

If the blue light does not turn on, the unit does not have power. The reason can be one of the following:

1. Power switch is in off position.
2. Bad power adaptor or power adaptor not fully installed in wall or in AquaTru base.
3. Bad wall outlet.
4. Bad Base (this could be due to waste water scale deposit).

Please check the following:

1. Confirm that the magnet is in the filter panel door. Open and remove the door. The magnet is a small, silver, circle on the inside bottom right corner of the door.
2. Confirm that the filter panel door is flush and closed properly.
3. Confirm that the unit power adapter is properly plugged in (wall side and unit side) and the AC outlet is operational.
4. Confirm that the power switch is in the on position.
5. Confirm that both tanks are fully seated.

Why has filtering become very slow (over 30 minutes)?
There are a few possibilities:

1. Filters may have come to the end of their life cycle.
2. Confirm that the filter panel door is flush and closed properly.
3. The machine and/or RO filter may have become clogged due to wastewater scale deposit or extremely hard water. Try descaling to restore filtration performance.
4. You may have a defective filter.

Why is the filtered water coming out hot/warm?
Your RO (reverse osmosis) filter is clogged due to a build-up of waste water scale deposits. You will need to install a new RO filter and apply the descaling process to remove build-up from your machine.
To minimize the effect of wastewater scale deposits, it is important that you always empty out the remaining waste water in the tap tank before refilling. The water left in the tap tank contains highly concentrated contaminants filtered out of your tap water. The level of the contaminants in the left-over water can be up to 6 times higher than the water coming out of the kitchen faucet. If this water is not discarded, the unit will develop scaling much faster and will require more frequent descaling. If you are in an area with hard water, you may need to descale more frequently.

Why did my AquaTru countertop purifier turn off during the filtering process?
This issue is usually due to air trapped inside the filter housing after replacing a filter. Try these steps:

1. Turn the unit on.
2. Make sure the tap tank is full and the clean water tank is not full.
3. Lift the clean water tank off the base by a few inches.

Put the tank back on the base and the unit will now start. Repeat these steps, if necessary, until the unit resumes the filtering process.

Why does my AquaTru sound like it’s filtering, but no water is being filtered?
Wastewater scale has built up on the RO filter and the pump. Your filtering time will have increased due to this wastewater scale which has deposited on the filters and internal surfaces. You need to apply the Descaling process.
To minimize the effect of wastewater scale deposits, it is important that you always empty out the remaining wastewater in the tap tank before refilling. The water left in the tap tank contains highly concentrated contaminants filtered out of your tap water. The level of the contaminants in the left-over water can be up to 6 times higher than the water coming out of the kitchen faucet. If this water is not discarded, the unit will develop scaling much faster and will require more frequent descaling. If you are in an area with hard water, you may need to descale more frequently.
If descaling does not help, you may need to replace the base of the unit.

NSF certification & protection from contaminants

NSF Certification

There are only four labs in the United States that can test and certify to NSF standards: NSF, IAPMO, WQA and UL. When a product is tested and certified with one of these labs, the filter is tested to the end of its service life to ensure that it performs just as well on the last gallon of water filtered as on the first gallon. AquaTru countertop purifiers also have a filter life indicator that will calculate how many gallons have been produced and will alert you when it’s time to replace the filters, making sure that AquaTru will always deliver clean and pure water.
All AquaTru purifiers use a Four-Stage Reverse Osmosis purification process, and our classic countertop and under sink models have been independently tested and certified by IAPMO to meet NSF standards 41, 53, 58, 401 and P473 for water filters, which includes contaminants. All tested and certified filters have a data sheet. You can see the certification on the testing lab’s website. For AquaTru products this link is at https://pld.iapmo.org/
AquaTru is listed on the IAPMO website under AquaTru LLC. Select “listee name” and search for AquaTru LLC.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) there are up to 7500 contaminants that can be found in tap water. [Most of these are not present in Metro Vancouver’s tap water.]
Out of these 7500, the EPA has identified 600 that they believe may represent a public health concern. Despite this, the EPA currently regulates less than 100 contaminants and has not updated the water safety rules for over thirty years. [Health Canada isn’t much better.]
There are three types of contaminants in water: organic and inorganic chemicals and biological contaminants. AquaTru is designed to remove all three types of water contaminants. You can see performance data sheets for AquaTru purifiers at the following links: Test results for AquaTru Classic countertop models are here. AquaTru under sink models are here.

AquaTru removes more than 90% of fluoride.

All AquaTru models will reduce the hardness of water. However, they are intended for use with water hardness below 10 gpg (grain per gallon). If the hardness is higher than 10 gpg, lime scale will build up on the reverse osmosis membrane (RO replacement filter).
The AquaTru under sink models don’t have a pump (such as in the countertop models) that can be damaged by water scale, but calcium and magnesium build up can reduce the effective lifetime of the filters and interfere with the effectiveness of the filtration system.
It is not recommended that any of the AquaTru models be used with water hardness greater than 10 gpg, unless the water is pretreated for hardness prior to filtering in the AquaTru device, or unless you regularly complete AquaTru’s descaling procedure.

Traditional reverse osmosis filtration connects to plumbing under the sink, which may be great for homeowners, but leaves out anyone who may rent or not want the hassle of installation. AquaTru’s revolutionary Ultra Reverse Osmosis Technology works without plumbing and is used in all AquaTru countertop purifiers so anyone who wants the gold standard in water filtration can have it in their homes or take it with them when they move. It works by recirculating the water and concentrating contaminants in the tap water tank, which means more water filtered and less water wasted.

What is Waste Water?
Reverse osmosis technology uses high pressure to force water through an extremely fine semipermeable membrane, filtering out dangerous inorganic chemicals, including lead, chromium 6, arsenic, uranium, nitrates, fluoride and lots of other contaminants.
During this process, the contaminants that do not pass through the membrane are flushed away. You may be familiar with how wasteful normal under-the-sink reverse osmosis systems are, sending anywhere from 3-5 gallons of waste water straight down the drain for every 1 gallon of pure water produced — that’s nearly 80% inefficiency!
AquaTru’s technology recirculates a certain amount of waste water back through the system multiple times, boasting 80% efficiency. For every 1 gallon of tap water, 3/4 of a gallon of purified water is produced. This process flushes the filters to optimize performance and leaves concentrated contaminants in the tap water tank so that they can be easily discarded. The small amount of waste water should be discarded after each full tank is filtered. If you do not empty the waste water each time and instead “top-off” the water in the tap tank each time, you will cause extreme scale build up that will damage your AquaTru.

The AquaTru unit itself can be recycled at a zero waste recycling centre. Vancouver’s recycling services do not accept used filters as they are made of a mixture of different materials with different recycling requirements.
You could recycle just the plastic part of the filters which are made of PP #5. However, we do not recommend cutting open your filters to separate the filter materials from the plastic yourself. Your filters have trapped all those toxic contaminants you wanted to remove from your water, and if you cut them open, you may expose yourself to those concentrated contaminants. If you cannot find a recycling option, please put the spent filters into garbage.

AquaTru Classic Countertop Purifier Installation Guide

How to Change Your Filters

How to Use the AquaTru Descaling Kit