We all know that drinking water regularly is integral to our health and wellness — and with good reason! Every cell in our body needs water in order to function so staying hydrated is a must. But if the water you’re drinking isn’t as clean-tasting as you’d like, it’s unlikely you’re going to get enough daily sips. Thankfully, there are a variety of filtration systems to make your water a little cleaner and a whole lot more palatable to drink. Read on to discover what makes filtered water the best drinking choice and why it’s smart thinking to filter your water rather than to go with the flow.
You can find more information on our web, so please take a look.
Sure, many of us prefer the taste of filtered water, but what exactly are we drinking? Filtered water is groundwater or tap water that has undergone a process to remove impurities and a variety of physical and chemical contaminants in an effort to make the water cleaner for drinking (not to mention far more refreshing). These chemical and physical contaminants include certain bacteria, fungi, parasites, copper, lead, and other unwelcome pollutants. In most cases, the filtration process also works to remove chlorine in an effort to improve the water’s overall taste. However, unlike distilled water, filtered water isn’t completely free of particulates. Filtered water may still contain healthy minerals that are safe to consume and are actually beneficial to your health.
During a traditional filtration process, water flows through groupings of different materials, including gravel, sand, and activated carbon. Think of these filters like tiny nets trapping unwanted water invaders. These filters work to absorb and/or dissolve unwanted particles along with neutralizing bad odors.
But some filtration systems, like PUR, go a step further to include filters made from activated carbon for even smaller pores for the water to pass through. PUR filters also include ion exchange materials for trapping unwanted metals. As water flows through the filter, physical and chemical contaminants are adsorbed by the carbon while heavy metals like lead and mercury are adsorbed by the ion exchange materials.
Filtered water is generally cleaner to drink than tap water. However, that is not to say that tap water is unsafe to drink. Generally, tap water is safe to drink, but not all tap water is created equal. The safety of your tap water depends on its source.
Whether to drink filtered water vs. bottled water is more of an environmental-conscious and cost decision opposed to a decision regarding taste or safety. Both bottled water and filtered water undergo processes to remove unwanted contaminants, which can range according to water bottle brand or individual filtration system. However, plastic water bottles account for a sizable portion of our planet’s daily plastic consumption. In fact, humans use about 1.2 million plastic bottles per minute in total and purchase about 50 billion plastic water bottles per year. Plus, buying bottled water on a regular basis can really add up from a cost perspective.
Alternatively, drinking filtered water in a glass or reusable water bottle can save just one person about 156 plastic bottles
The two most common at-home water filters are faucet filtration systems and pitcher filtration systems. Both are effective ways to reduce physical and chemical contaminants and improve the taste of tap water, but choosing the best water filter for you depends on your individual needs. Consider what makes the most sense for your space, your lifestyle, and (perhaps most importantly) what filtration system you can properly clean and maintain so it’s as effective as possible.
Here’s a rundown on the benefits of these popular water filtration methods:
Faucet Filtration Benefits
Try: PUR Plus Faucet Filtration System
Pitcher Filtration Benefits
Try: PUR 11 Cup Pitcher
Keeping your water filtration system clean with a functioning filter is the best way to ensure it is performing its best. For pitcher filters, the best way to do this is to wash and clean the pitcher at least every other week. Many pitchers are dishwasher safe, but you can also wash your pitcher by soaking it in warm, soapy water for about 15 minutes before rinsing clean. Replace the filter about every 2 months or according to the pitcher’s instructions.
In our lab, we check how well filters improve flavor and reduce odor by spiking spring water with commonly found compounds that can make it smell and taste like a sewage treatment plant, damp soil, metal, or a swimming pool. A panel of professional tasters then evaluates how successfully each filter removes those flavors and odors. The best-performing filters work well enough that most people wouldn’t be able to discern a palatable difference between the filtered water and pure spring water.
We also test a water filter’s flow rate by measuring how long it takes to filter one quart of water; the faster the filtering, the higher the score. We also give each filter a “clogging” score based on how much its flow rate slows down over the filter cartridge’s stated life.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Macro sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
NSF International (originally the National Sanitation Foundation) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) develop filtration standards. If a manufacturer claims that a pitcher meets NSF/ANSI standards for removing specific contaminants, such as chlorine, lead, and PFAS, we verify those claims and include that information in our ratings.
The Environmental Protection Agency requires community water suppliers to provide customers with a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) every July. The CCR states if any regulated contaminants are detected in the water and how they compare with the EPA’s drinking water standards.
Community water systems that serve at least 100,000 people must post CCR reports online. The EPA doesn’t regulate private wells, but well-water users can check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for information on well testing and treatment.
The CCR report informs you about the quality of the water supplied by your utility. But the route it takes from the utility to your glass is important, too. If your house was built before lead-free pipes were mandated in , you may want to do your own tests for lead. When purchasing a new faucet, make sure it meets U.S. safety standards for lead. Recently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission warned consumers that a number of imported faucets could leach dangerous amounts of it. (According to the EPA, there’s no safe level of lead exposure.)
Another drinking-water contaminant of concern is a class of more than 12,000 synthetic chemicals known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) that persist in the environment and have been linked to health issues that include immune system suppression, learning delays in children, thyroid disease, and some cancers. According to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey, at least 45 percent of the nation’s tap water is contaminated by PFAS. In the CR-Guardian study cited above, almost every test sample had measurable levels of PFAS, and more than 35 percent exceeded the maximum safety threshold CR scientists and other health experts specified.
The Environmental Protection Agency established the first nationwide limits for PFAS in drinking water in , along with requirements that public water systems monitor six PFAS compounds and take action if levels rise above prescribed limits. In May , however, the EPA reconsidered the new limits on four compounds and delayed enforcement of limits on two others until . According to the environmental coalition SaferStates, 11 states (Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin) have established standards for the level of PFAS in drinking water.
If your utility doesn’t test for PFAS, or if you use well water, you can get your water tested by an EPA-certified lab like SimpleLab or WaterCheck from National Testing Laboratories.
Once you know what’s in your tap water, you can find a filter that best suits your needs.
If tests reveal no harmful contaminants and the only problem with your water is taste and/or odor, check CR’s water filter ratings for filters that score high in our flavor/odor reduction tests.
If tests reveal contaminants, look for a water filter certified to remove those substances. That means the filter has been independently tested to confirm it complies with an accepted standard specific to the contaminant and is subject to follow-up testing by the certifying agency to ensure continued compliance.
All of the under-sink water filters in CR’s ratings are certified to NSF standards for reducing lead, as well as many of the faucet-mounted filters and a few of the water filter pitchers. CR’s ratings also indicate which of the water filters we tested are certified to the NSF/ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard for reduction of PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), two of the most concerning PFAS. These include some water filters in each category, including water filter pitchers, under-sink water filters, and one faucet-mounted water filter.
Our ratings also indicate whether a filter is certified to reduce chlorine, which can affect taste and smell.
If you’re considering a filter that’s not in our ratings, look at the filter’s packaging for a stamp or seal confirming which contaminants it’s certified to remove. Third-party labs certifying water filters to accepted NSF/ANSI standards include the NSF, the Water Quality Association (WQA), and IAPMO. Be wary of marketing language that hypes contaminant-removal claims or features, or false certifications from unverified testing labs.
Keep in mind that filter cartridges must be replaced periodically to function effectively. Our ratings allow you to compare each product’s annual filter replacement cost. For example, replacement filters for the pitchers we test range from about $20 to $160. You’ll also see which models have a filter-life indicator, a handy feature that tells you when to change the filter.
Want more information on water filtration filters? Feel free to contact us.