How to Get PFAS Out of Your Drinking Water

The Environmental Protection Agency established the first nationwide limits for PFAS in drinking water in 2024, along with requirements that public water systems monitor six PFAS compounds and take action if levels rise above prescribed limits. The EPA estimated that between 6 and 10 percent of the 66,000 public drinking water systems in the U.S. would find PFAS once they started testing, and it gave utilities five years to comply with the new rule.

But in May 2025, the agency announced that it would rescind and reconsider the new limits on four of those compounds and delay enforcement of limits on the two most concerning ones, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate). 

If your water test report indicates the presence of PFAS, or if you just want some peace of mind, a home water filter can be worth considering. 

Most water filters that CR tests are designed to improve taste and reduce odors (two of the biggest consumer complaints) by removing common contaminants in tap water. Many are also claimed to reduce contaminants of concern, such as lead and PFAS. 

The only way to be sure a water filter will reduce these contaminants, however, is to make sure it’s certified to remove them. This means the product is independently tested and found to comply with an accepted standard specific to that contaminant. Certified products are monitored and subject to follow-up testing by the certifying agency to ensure that the product the consumer purchases will perform the same as the product that was tested. 

“To remove a specific contaminant like PFAS from drinking water, consumers should choose a water filtration device that is independently certified to remove that contaminant by a recognized lab,” says John Galeotafiore, associate director of Healthy Living at CR.

Reputable third-party testing organizations include the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), Water Quality Association (WQA), International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), UL Solutions, CSA Group, and Intertek (ETL). NSF, WQA, and IAPMO allow you to search for certified products on their websites. Certified products will also bear a seal from the testing organization that identifies which contaminants they reduce. For a filter that can remove PFAS, look for one with the code NSF/ANSI 53 (or NSF/ANSI 58 for reverse osmosis systems), followed by the manufacturer’s claim that the product can remove PFAS.

In our ratings, CR indicates which water filters are certified to NSF standards for reducing lead, chlorine, and PFAS. Galeotafiore warns against filters that make bold claims without evidence of certification.

“Some products may make unsubstantiated claims,” he says. “Some may even show a test report that suggests it supports their claim. But was that a legitimate test, from a legitimate lab, of an actual sample of the product? And even if it was, that report is a one-time occurrence, not the continual monitoring that would occur if a product were certified.”

Below are the highest-scoring water filters from CR’s performance tests that are certified for the removal of PFAS. The list includes a faucet-mounted filter, three water filter pitchers, and the four highest-rated under-the-sink models that filter PFAS. (Check our ratings for additional under-sink models with this capability.)

For details on all the water filters we test, including those that reduce chlorine or lead, see our water filter ratings. For general advice on choosing a filter, consult our water filter buying guide.