How do you protect yourself from these contaminants?

1. Know what's in your water

Every year, your local water utility sends you a water quality report. Most of us throw it out, thinking its junk mail or not useful, but take a closer look, because water quality varies drastically depending on where you live. This report compares your water’s contaminant levels to the EPA’s standards and tells you exactly what is coming out of your tap. If you don’t have yours, contact your local water utility to get a copy. Depending on your home or apartment pipes, it’s also important to run your own water test. Your state or local health department might offer free test kits, or you can find water test kits online or at home improvement stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot.

2. Pick your filtration system

If you determine that you need to filter your water, choose the best filtration system for your needs. There are four main categories: carbon filters, reverse osmosis, UV, and distillation. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each.

Carbon filters

Carbon filters remove fewer contaminants than reverse osmosis filters, but they are cheaper. These include a faucet water filter, a pitcher water filter, an under-sink water filter, and a countertop water filter.

What they remove: Lead, PCBs, pesticides and herbicides, chlorine, gasoline, dry-cleaning by-products, radon, small amounts of pharmaceutical drugs, and some bacteria and parasites.

 Here is how to use each type:

FAUCET WATER FILTER:

These filters attach directly to the end of your faucet, hence the name. They are inexpensive and easy to install. Attach to your faucet and voila. However, they don’t fit all faucets and can slow down flow which can be annoying. Faucet filters typically require you to change filters more often than other carbon filter options.

Price range: Under $30

PITCHER WATER FILTER:

These are pitchers with an activated carbon filter. You fill them up and then pour water through the filter. They are inexpensive and don’t require any installation, but some models can pour slowly and filters can clog. They also require more frequent filter changes. 

Price range: Under $70

UNDER-SINK WATER FILTER:

These are mounted underneath your kitchen sink, attached to your water line. Unlike other models, they don’t take up counter or fridge space and typically require fewer filter changes. They are more convenient than carafe or faucet filters, but they require installation, some professionally.

Price Range: $60 to $500

COUNTERTOP WATER FILTER:

These filters sit on your counter, connecting directly to your faucet. They are less likely to clog and slow down pour rate and they require less frequent filter changes than the carafe or faucet options. However, they don’t fit all faucets and take up counter space.

Price Range: $80 to $1,000

Reverse-osmosis water filter:

This filtration process uses your water pressure to push water through a semipermeable membrane that blocks particles. They remove all the chemicals and heavy metals that carbon filters remove and additional ones that carbon filters may miss. Overall, they are more effective at removing pollutants but they can be slow and require more upkeep. Reverse osmosis also notoriously wastes water and uses up more energy. Look for units that have permeate pumps that decrease water waste.

Price Range: $99 to $2,000

UV filtration:

This system uses UV light to filter your water. They don’t remove anything from the water but they disinfect the water, killing bacteria and microorganisms. They do not remove chemicals and heavy metals, however, These are best used in conjunction with a carbon or reverse-osmosis filtration system. 

Price Range: $100 to $1,000

Water distillation system:

This filtration approach heats water enough to vaporize it and then condenses the steam back into water. Distillation removes heavy metals, fluoride, and bacteria, as well as viruses and chemicals that have a higher boiling point than water. Distillers generally use a lot of electricity and require regular cleaning and maintenance. Distillation also cannot remove chlorine and other chemicals that do not have a higher boiling point than water.

Price Range: $100 to $1,000

What type of water filter is the best?

There are many different brands of these filters on the market, and they are not all created equal. When buying your filter, look for these key National Science Foundation (NSF) (7) standards: 

• NSF Standard 42-Aesthetic Effects: This standard only reduces chlorine and improves the taste and smell of your water.
• NSF Standard 53-Health Effects: This is the next level of filtration. Look for this standard to remove more chemicals and heavy metals.
• NSF Standard 58-Reverse Osmosis: This applies only to reverse osmosis systems and removes many toxic pollutants.
• NSF Standard 401-Emerging Compounds/Incidental Contaminants: This standard covers kup to 15 contaminants found in tap water such as pharmaceutical drugs, heavy metals, and flame retardants.