Water filter help

[mybladderandme]

I currently have a brita pitcher filter that I use, but the filter releases these small, black carbon particles that the package says aren't harmful and should go away after one or two pitchers full of water have processed. My filters release these black bits increasingly the entire time I use them, and I don't trust the package when it says they aren't harmful.
Does anyone know of another good CHEAP filtration system?
Also, I tested the Ph of my tap water and my filtered brita water and they're both around 6.0. I notice a difference when I drink only Evian water but I cannot afford to do that on a regular basis. I've heard of water ionizers but they're way out of my price range. Is there a filtration system that reduces the acidity of water besides an ionizer?

[Weskie]

I used to drink only Evian water--it has the highest (least acidic) pH of any water that I've tested. I have used Brita filters (for water used in cooking), and the charcoal particles they release are not harmful--(they should remain in the top portion of the pitcher and not travel to the bottom portion where the filtered water is). Of course, Brita does not alter the pH of water. I had a water filtration system installed under the kitchen sink whose main purpose is to raise the pH of our well water. It raises it up over the Evian pH. I now use the Evian bottles, with the filtered water in them. But this wasn't a cheap solution!

[peanutgallery]

Where do you live?
I'm seeing other posts about brita not being good, that it lowers the ph.
I don't have IC too bad, do you think I should drink brita?

[mybladderandme]

I live in Bellingham, WA, and our water quality is fairly good. I filter my water because my IC is moderate/severe and I'm exploring every possible option to get relief. The brita filtered water and my tap water have the same PH, but I've noticed when I drink lots of tap water I'm more prone to a flare up. There's more than just PH at work, but I haven't researched it much. I do know that many water supplies have excess chlorine and flouride to keep the water clean. So, even if your tap water and filtered water have similar PH I think it's still important to filter everything.

[kadi]

I tested my tap water before & after putting it in the Brita pitcher. No change in pH, but it definitely tastes better from the Brita pitcher..