Clean Up Your Tap Water

In some places tap water is generally considered safe under Environmental Protection Agency standards. In others, it’s clearly not. But public health advocates mostly agree the broader problem is that many of the EPA’s limits on toxins in drinking water are too high and do not fully protect your health. 

Before buying a filter, figure out which chemicals are in your water. If you’re supplied by a public system, check out the environmental nonprofit Environmental Working Group’s excellent water quality database that can show, based on your ZIP code, which contaminants government testing has found in your area’s drinking water. 

Importantly, it tells you whether the contaminants are under the EPA limit and whether they’re under the more stringent threshold that EWG’s scientists consider safe. 

There’s one additional resource you can try. The EPA also publishes water quality reports for all systems that serve 100,000 or more people. But many utilities have not begun testing for PFAS, or a range of other contaminants, and the government doesn’t monitor private wells. 

Finally, you can also send your water to a lab to be tested. CR has tested mail-in water testing services including mytapscore.com and watercheck.com; both were accurate. I use the Eurofins lab. 

You have several options, but before you buy be sure the filter or system is certified. The gold standard certification for water filtration products comes from NSF/ANSI, two independent groups that establish thresholds for pollutant removal.

And let me just say: I wish I had gotten a certified system. In 2020, concerned about lead and PFAS in my water, I bought a Big Berkey, a very popular countertop filtration system that I like because it has little plastic and meets my needs in terms of size and ease of use. 

It was not NSF-certified, but the parent company posted third-party test results, claiming the system tested above the standard, and for more substances than required by NSF. Seemed reasonable. Since then, however, independent testing raised questions about Berkey’s long-term ability to remove several contaminants—lesson learned! I haven’t replaced my Berkey yet, but I am considering another system. (Berkey did not provide a comment but has publicly defended its product.) 

Here’s advice on finding the right type of product to meet your needs.

Pitchers
Pitchers have traditionally been used to improve water taste and odor, and some are now effective enough to receive NSF certifications for some contaminants. They are convenient, but their filters need replacing every couple of months and some are prone to clogging. The Brita Elite has a bunch of NSF certifications, and removes some PFAS for about $20 for the filter, though it needs to be replaced after just 120 gallons. 

Faucet-Mounted Filters
Faucet-mounted filters last longer than the filters on most pitchers and often remove more contaminants. However, they typically reduce the faucet flow. CR’s highest-rated filter was the ZeroWater ExtremeLife ZFM 400CR. It had solid flow, rarely clogged, and is certified for some PFAS but not lead. It costs about $30 for the first year, then $36 per year after that. 

Under-Sink Systems
Under-sink systems are more expensive but also catch a much wider range of toxins while lasting longer than faucet filters and pitchers. Among the options are reverse osmosis, carbon, and ion exchange. Some are better at removing certain chemicals. For example, reverse osmosis systems are the only type certified to remove nitrate and perchlorate, but they also can waste a lot of water, so look for the EPA’s WaterSense seal that indicates greater efficiency. Even those send about 2 gallons down the drain for each gallon treated and used. I’ve avoided reverse osmosis for this reason, but sometimes it’s the only choice for whatever is in your water.

Some friends who recently moved to Ann Arbor, Mich., were concerned about potential PFAS contamination in their water. They used CR’s guide and chose the Brondell Coral UC300 Three Stage, which is certified to remove some PFAS. They say it works well and has not affected water flow. The system costs about $150 up front and is good for an estimated 12 months, according to the manufacturer. 

Countertop Systems
Those that CR highlights attach to a sink system and are refilled via its plumbing and sit on the counter, as opposed to attaching to the faucet, or some other location. CR’s highest-rated systems that cost less than $1,000 don’t have NSF certifications, so this might not be a practical system for many people. 

Whole House Systems
Whole house systems can be overkill, CR says, and have traditionally been used to remove larger sediments. Do your homework to make sure they address the contaminants you’re worried about. At $3,500, the Aquasana OptimH2O is certified to remove some PFAS and lead, while a cheaper Aquasana system is certified to remove only chlorine.

Other Options
Sometimes it is difficult to find a filter that is certified to address everything in your water, and there may not be a certification for those substances. If that’s the case, look for third-party testing to verify companies’ claims, read reviews, and so on. 

• Get a reusable, plastic-free water bottle (or dig it out of your cupboard if you already own one).

• Punch in your ZIP code at the EWG’s water quality database to see which contaminants are in your water. 

• Use CR’s water filter buying guide to pick a filtration system that addresses those contaminants.