DGREEN

_GUIDE BUYING GUIDE
Water Filters
How to decide if a home water filter is a good idea—or if it’s even necessary
Bottled water is officially passé, and cities across the country are eagerly pushing the
benefits of tap. But with constant news about water supplies being contaminated with
pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, we’re left wondering: Is the water safe to drink?

By Misty McNally • Photographs by Andrew Bettles

 

“The United States has some of the best drinking water in the world,” says Shane Snyder, Ph.D., research and development manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority. That’s thanks largely to federal standards that require frequent testing.

Still, if you are worried, you’re not alone. Reports of everything from rocket fuel to dry cleaning solvents in tap water make the headlines regularly, and a recent Associated Press analysis that found traces of pharmaceuticals in municipal water supplies didn’t help to allay concerns.

But before you reconsider bottled water, consider that tap is held to stricter legal standards than bottled water. “A large water utility is doing multiple analyses of their water every day, whereas a bottler may require less frequent testing,” says

Rick Andrew, operations manager for the National Sanitation Foundation’s water treatment unit certification program.

If you still feel uneasy about your tap, filters may help, and they’re easier on the environment than those plastic bottles. All filters, though, are not created equal. To determine what kind you need—or if you need one at all—it helps to understand your drinking water quality and the technologies available.

1.

KNOW WHAT’S IN YOUR TAP WATER. If there’s nothing in your water that needs to be removed, a water filter is a waste of money. Municipal water suppliers are required by law to provide their customers

with a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) or Right-to-Know Report every year; it gives a rundown of local water quality and the average levels of particular contaminants present during the previous year.

CCRs can’t, however, tell you whether water at your tap is safe—lead may enter through old pipes, for example, or even faucet fixtures. Having your household water tested will reveal more. You can contract a service to do it, but check with your local health department first; they may do it at low or no cost. Hardware stores often sell at-home kits, the most reliable of which go through a state-certified lab. DIY kits, such as the Watersafe All-in-One ($19.95; discovertesting.com), can detect the most common contaminants but are less comprehensive than lab tests.