So, what makes Aquasana’s Clean Water Machine a good water filter?

When compared to water treatment products from brands like Brita and PUR, it’s easy to justify purchasing the Clean Water Machine by Aquasana. In terms of quality, performance, filter capacity, and convenience, the Clean Water Machine compares favorably to popular products from these other brands.

Now let’s consider each of these criteria to determine how the Clean Water Machine compares to other popular water filters and, ultimately, help you decide which product is the best choice for you and your family.

Quality

When you shop for appliances for your home, it’s generally considered wise to invest in high-quality products from reputable brands. Buying a water filter for your family is no different.

Is the Aquasana Clean Water Machine a quality water filter? The Clean Water Machine was independently certified by NSF International (NSF) to comply with rigorous quality standards.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a water filter is NSF certified, you can be assured:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to confirm the manufacturer produces a product of consistent quality over time.

How does the quality of the Clean Water Machine compare with other water filters? Unlike Aquasana’s Clean Water Machine, some water filters have not been tested or certified by NSF. However, many brands like Brita and PUR also have their water filter products certified by NSF to assure consumers they comply with demanding quality standards.

* Clearly Filtered, the manufacturer of the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Filter, claims its product has been tested to NSF standards. However, it’s important to distinguish that NSF International itself has not certified the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher Filter. For more information, check out NSF Certified vs. Tested to NSF Standards.

As you shop for a water filter for your family, I recommend focusing your search on products that, like the Clean Water Machine, have been tested and certified by NSF International.

Performance

When it comes to selecting a water filter to use in your home, performance should be the most important deciding factor.

Which contaminants can the Aquasana Clean Water Machine remove from your tap water? The Clean Water Machine was independently certified by NSF to reduce the amounts of 77 different water contaminants, including Lead, Mercury, and Chlorine.

How does the performance of the Clean Water Machine compare with other popular water filters on the market? When compared with popular water filter pitchers from ZeroWater and Brita, the Aquasana Clean Water Machine is the superior choice for contaminant removal.

However, given the Brita Longlast and ZeroWater filters are priced below the Clean Water Machine, I realize this comparison isn’t exactly fair.

So, to draw a more equitable comparison, I decided to put the Clean Water Machine up against some more advanced offerings from PUR and Brita.

Aquasana Clean Water Machine vs. Brita (FF-100) vs. PUR (PFM400H)

For this comparison, I selected 10 commonly searched water contaminants and confirmed which of the 3 water filter models perform effectively against each of those contaminants.

If a water filter was verified by NSF to remove a given contaminant, I marked it with “YES” in the following table:

This exercise demonstrates the Aquasana Clean Water Machine, the PUR PFM400H, and the Brita FF-100 can protect your family from a range of contaminants. But, it doesn’t make it easy to declare a clear winner when it comes to performance.

So, I decided to compare the full list of contaminants each product is certified to filter from tap water.

Here is what I found:

• The Aquasana Clean Water Machine reduces 77 contaminants, which is more than either the PUR PFM400H or the Brita FF-100 can filter.
• The Aquasana Clean Water Machine filters Naproxen, Ibuprofen, Phenytoin, Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA), and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS), which neither the PUR PFM400H nor the Brita FF-100 can filter.
• Two contaminants that the PUR PFM400H and the Brita FF-100 filter that the Clean Water Machine does not are Chlordane and Toxaphene.

Just remember, not all filters can remove every contaminant that may be present in your tap water. So, before you purchase a water filter for your family, make sure you find out exactly which contaminants you can expect the device to remove from your water.

Filter Capacity

My family uses water from our Aquasana Clean Water Machine for drinking and cooking, so we go through a lot of filtered water. If you and your loved ones drink a healthy amount of water, you’re probably interested in buying a water filter that will provide many gallons of clean water before needing to be replaced.

How often does the filter on the Aquasana Clean Water Machine need to be replaced? The filter component used in the Clean Water Machine is rated for use on up to 320 gallons of tap water.

It’s important to note Aquasana recommends replacing the filter cartridge after 3 months or 320 gallons (whichever comes first).

How does the filter capacity of the Aquasana Clean Water Machine compare with other filters? Both the PUR PFM400H and the Brita FF-100 can be used to treat up to 100 gallons of water before they need to be changed. So, in terms of maximum filter capacity, Aquasana’s Clean Water Machine stands out from the competition.

For the best results, always maintain and replace your water filter per the manufacturer’s instructions. Also, keep in mind the quality of your town’s tap water can impact the useful life of your water filter.

Convenience

Several years ago, my family and I lived in a town where the tap water contained a noticeable amount of Chlorine. So, within the first couple of weeks of living there, I installed a PUR faucet filtration system. While the PUR filter dramatically improved the way our water tasted and smelled, it often got in the way when we used our kitchen sink to wash pots and pans.

My family and I have enjoyed using our Aquasana Clean Water Machine for two years now, and we find it to be more convenient than the faucet-mounted filter we used previously.

As long as you choose a product that fits your lifestyle and preferences, you and your family will enjoy plenty of filtered water for years to come.

Key Takeaways

Here’s why the Aquasana Clean Water Machine may be a good option for your family:

• The Aquasana Clean Water Machine is a high-quality water filter you can count on to remove 77 different contaminants from your water.
• Its filter is rated for use on 320 gallons of tap water, so your family can enjoy healthy amounts of filtered water between filter changes.
• As an added bonus, the Clean Water Machine doesn’t require a lengthy installation process, so you can set it up and start enjoying filtered water in a matter of minutes.

Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive element. It typically gets into our drinking water supply through the erosion of natural deposits. Consuming water containing Uranium at levels in excess of 0 μg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Fortunately, Uranium is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Uranium and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Uranium. Using data from the EPA, I estimated as many as 329 thousand Americans were exposed to water with potentially unsafe Uranium levels at least once from 2010 to 2019.

How Uranium Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

In regions where Uranium exists in nature, the contaminant can be found occurring naturally in our water supply.

What is Uranium, exactly? Uranium is a radioactive element found in rocks, soil, air, and water.

How can drinking water that contains Uranium affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Uranium for a prolonged period, you may develop kidney toxicity, and you could have an increased risk of cancer.

At what level can Uranium cause health problems? Uranium is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is above 0 μg/L.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Uranium in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Uranium in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 30 μg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, 55 public water systems violated the regulatory limit for Uranium in 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Uranium?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Uranium.

Most Populated Areas with Violations for Uranium from 2010 to 2019

If you’re curious to know how much Uranium was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Radionuclides.” Here, you’ll find test results for Uranium as well as other contaminants like Radium and Alpha Particles.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you’ll see test results for Uranium reported in Micrograms per Liter (μg/L) or Parts per Billion (ppb). 1 μg/L equals 1 ppb, so 30 μg/L is equivalent to 30 ppb.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Uranium?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Uranium, your water company will likely be given 30 days to notify you of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Uranium from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Uranium, there are some effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Not all in-home water treatment products can remove Uranium from your water. So, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is third-party tested and verified to be effective at removing Uranium from water.

One such product, the Epic Pure Water Filter Pitcher by Epic Water Filters, was independently verified to remove up to 99.73% of the Uranium 235/238 found in your tap water. This water pitcher device does not require a lengthy setup process, so you can start using it in a matter of minutes.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is third-party tested and verified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Uranium.

Cyanide is a naturally occurring chemical compound used in a variety of industrial processes, including metallurgy, the manufacture of plastics, and the production of chemicals. It typically leaches into our drinking water supply from discharges made by factories that utilize the chemical in their processes. Consuming water containing Cyanide at levels greater than or equal to 0.2 mg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Cyanide is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Cyanide and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive levels of Cyanide.

How Cyanide Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

Manufacturing facilities, like steel and fertilizer factories, can produce significant amounts of wastewater. When these facilities discharge or dispose of wastewater, it can cause our water supply to become contaminated with a host of chemicals, including Cyanide.

What is Cyanide, exactly? Cyanide is an inorganic substance that’s typically found together with other chemicals in compounds like Sodium Cyanide and Hydrogen Cyanide.

Some living organisms can produce Cyanide, and it can be found in some common plant-based foods, including almonds, lima beans, soy, and spinach. Exposure to Cyanide can be harmful to your health, but luckily, the amounts of Cyanide contained in the edible portions of these plants are relatively low.

How can drinking water that contains Cyanide affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Cyanide over many years, you may develop nerve damage or thyroid problems.

At what level can Cyanide cause health problems? Cyanide is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is at or above 0.2 mg/L.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Cyanide in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Cyanide in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 0.2 mg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, at least one public water system violated the regulatory limit for Cyanide in 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Cyanide?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Cyanide.

If you’re curious to know how much Cyanide was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Inorganic Contaminants.” Here, you’ll find test results for Cyanide as well as other contaminants like Arsenic, Barium, and Cadmium.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you’ll see test results for Cyanide reported in Parts per Billion (ppb). 1 mg/L equals 1,000 ppb, so 0.2 mg/L is equivalent to 200 ppb.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Cyanide?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Cyanide, your water company will likely be given 30 days to notify you of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Cyanide from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Cyanide, there are some effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, not all in-home water treatment products can remove Cyanide from your water. However, according to the EPA, certain Reverse Osmosis devices and Ion Exchange systems remove Cyanide from water effectively.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is third-party tested and certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Cyanide.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used in many industrial and commercial applications, including water main pipes. It usually gets into our water supply in one of two ways: 1) from the deterioration of Asbestos cement in water mains, or 2) through the erosion of natural deposits. Consuming water containing Asbestos at levels greater than or equal to 7 Million Fibers per Liter (MFL) can cause adverse health effects.

Asbestos is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Asbestos and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Asbestos. Using data from the EPA, I estimated as many as 29 thousand Americans were exposed to water with potentially unsafe Asbestos levels at least once from 2010 to 2019.

How Asbestos Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

You might be surprised to learn that one of the most common ways Asbestos can get into our drinking water is through the deterioration of some of the very pipes used to deliver it to our homes.  

Most new water lines installed today are made of PVC. But, from the 1930s through the 1950s, water lines comprised of Asbestos cement were all the rage. As a result, there are still miles upon miles of Asbestos water pipes throughout the country.

According to a 2012 Houston Chronicle article, some 20% of the water lines in Houston, TX contained Asbestos cement at the time.

What is Asbestos, exactly? Asbestos is a fibrous mineral known for its durability and flexibility. Historically, it was used in commercial applications, including brake pads, insulation, and other building materials. But, given Asbestos was found to cause adverse health conditions, it’s much less widely used today.

How can drinking water that contains Asbestos affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Asbestos over a prolonged period, you may have an increased risk of developing benign intestinal polyps.

At what level can Asbestos cause health problems? Asbestos is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is at or above 7 MFL.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Asbestos in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Asbestos in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 7 MFL.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, at least one public water system violated the regulatory limit for Asbestos in 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Asbestos?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Asbestos.

Most Populated Areas with Violations for Asbestos from 2010 to 2019

If you’re curious to know how much Asbestos was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Inorganic Contaminants.” Here, you’ll find test results for Asbestos as well as other contaminants like Arsenic, Mercury, and Nitrate.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you’ll likely see test results for Asbestos reported in Millions of Fibers per Liter (MFL).

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Asbestos?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Asbestos, your water company must notify you within 30 days of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Asbestos from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Asbestos, there are several affordable yet effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is certified by NSF International (NSF) to be effective at removing Asbestos from water.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a product is NSF certified to remove Asbestos, you can rest assured that:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to determine whether the quality of the product is consistent over time.

Do all NSF certified water filters work against Asbestos? Water treatment devices can earn certification for meeting one or more NSF standards or protocols. But only those products that meet NSF standard NSF/ANSI 53 for Asbestos are certified to reduce the amount of the contaminant that’s in your water.

One such product, the Clean Water Machine by Aquasana, is NSF certified to remove up to 99% of the Asbestos found in your tap water. The device sits on your countertop and does not require a lengthy installation process so you can set it up in a matter of minutes.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is NSF certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Asbestos.

Selenium is a naturally occurring mineral found in rocks and soil. It usually gets into our drinking water in one of the following ways: 1) through the erosion of natural deposits, 2) from discharges made by petroleum refineries, or 3) from mines. Consuming water containing Selenium at levels greater than or equal to 0.05 mg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Selenium is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Selenium and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Selenium. Using data from the EPA, I estimated as many as 208 thousand Americans were exposed to water with potentially unsafe Selenium levels at least once from 2010 to 2019.

How Selenium Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

Both natural processes (e.g., erosion of naturally occurring deposits in the Earth’s crust) and human activities (e.g., waste disposal) can contaminate our water supply with Selenium.

What is Selenium, exactly? Selenium is a dark grey mineral used in a variety of industrial applications, including the manufacturing of electronics, glass fabrication, and the production of rubber.

How can drinking water that contains Selenium affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Selenium over a prolonged period, you may experience hair or fingernail loss, numbness in your fingers or toes, or circulatory problems.

At what level can Selenium cause health problems? Selenium is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is at or above 0.05 mg/L.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Selenium in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Selenium in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 0.05 mg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, several public water systems violated the regulatory limit for Selenium in 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Selenium?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Selenium.

Most Populated Areas with Violations for Selenium from 2010 to 2019

If you’re curious to know how much Selenium was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Inorganic Contaminants.” Here, you’ll find test results for Selenium as well as other contaminants like Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, and Cadmium.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you can expect to see test results for Selenium reported in Parts per Billion (ppb). 1 mg/L equals 1,000 ppb, so 0.05 mg/L is equivalent to 50 ppb.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Selenium?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Selenium, your water company must notify you within 30 days of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Selenium from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Selenium, there are several affordable yet effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is certified by NSF International (NSF) to be effective at removing Selenium from water.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a product is NSF certified to remove Selenium, you can rest assured that:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to determine whether the quality of the product is consistent over time.

Do all NSF certified water filters work against Selenium? Water treatment devices can earn certification for meeting one or more NSF standards or protocols. But only certain NSF certified products, like Reverse Osmosis devices that meet NSF standard NSF/ANSI 58 for Selenium, are certified to reduce the amount of the Selenium in your water.

One such product, OptimH2O Reverse Osmosis + Claryum by Aquasana, is NSF certified to remove up to 97.9% of the Selenium found in your tap water. This device requires installation underneath your sink, so the manufacturer recommends enlisting the help of a professional to make sure it gets done right.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is NSF certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Selenium.

Mercury is a naturally occurring heavy metal found in air, water, and soil. Three ways it can get into our drinking water supply are: 1) through the erosion of natural deposits, 2) from refineries and factories, or 3) from runoff from landfills or farms. Consuming water containing Mercury at levels greater than or equal to 0.002 mg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Fortunately, Mercury is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Mercury and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Mercury.

How Mercury Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

Both natural processes (e.g., erosion of naturally occurring deposits in the Earth’s crust) and human activities (e.g., waste disposal) can contaminate our water supply with Mercury.

What is Mercury, exactly? Mercury, a heavy metal and known neurotoxin, exists in the following forms:

1. Elemental Mercury: A liquid at room temperature, Elemental Mercury has been used in thermometers, electrical switches, and fluorescent lightbulbs.
2. Inorganic Mercury Compounds: When Mercury combines with other elements, like Sulfur or Oxygen, Inorganic Mercury Compounds called Salts are formed. Mercury Salts, which can occur naturally, are used for the manufacturing of chemicals and other industrial applications.
3. Organic Mercury Compounds: Certain microscopic organisms can combine Mercury with Carbon to form the Organic Mercury Compound known as Methylmercury. Methylmercury accumulates in the food chain and can be found in some fish or shellfish.

Exposure to all three forms of Mercury could cause adverse health effects, but the EPA’s drinking water standards for Mercury pertain to Inorganic Mercury Compounds, specifically.

How can drinking water that contains Mercury affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Mercury over many years, you may develop kidney damage.

At what level can Mercury cause health problems? Mercury is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is at or above 0.002 mg/L.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Mercury in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Mercury in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 0.002 mg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, at least one public water system violated the regulatory limit for Mercury in 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Mercury?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Mercury.

If you’re curious to know how much Mercury was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Inorganic Contaminants.” Here, you’ll find test results for Mercury as well as other contaminants like Arsenic, Barium, and Cyanide.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you’ll see test results for Mercury reported in Parts per Billion (ppb). 1 mg/L equals 1,000 ppb, so 0.002 mg/L is equivalent to 2 ppb.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Mercury?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Mercury, your water company must notify you within 30 days of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Mercury from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Mercury, there are several affordable yet effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is certified by NSF International (NSF) to be effective at removing Mercury from water.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a product is NSF certified to remove Mercury, you can rest assured that:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to determine whether the quality of the product is consistent over time.

Do all NSF certified water filters work against Mercury? Water treatment devices can earn certification for meeting one or more NSF standards or protocols. But only those products that meet NSF standard NSF/ANSI 53 for Mercury are certified to reduce the amount of the contaminant that’s in your water.

One such product, the Clean Water Machine by Aquasana, is NSF certified to remove over 96% of the Mercury found in your tap water. The device sits on your countertop and does not require a lengthy installation process so you can set it up in a matter of minutes.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is NSF certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Mercury.

Trichloroethylene is a colorless, volatile chemical. It usually gets into our drinking water supply from metal degreasing sites and other factories. Consuming water containing Trichloroethylene at levels above 0.00 mg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Fortunately, Trichloroethylene is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Trichloroethylene and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Trichloroethylene. Using data from the EPA, I estimated as many as 75 thousand Americans were exposed to water with potentially unsafe Trichloroethylene levels at least once from 2010 to 2019.

How Trichloroethylene Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

Metal degreasing facilities can produce significant amounts of wastewater. When these facilities discharge or dispose of wastewater, it can cause our water supply to become contaminated with Trichloroethylene.

What is Trichloroethylene, exactly? Trichloroethylene is a chemical used as a solvent to remove grease from metal parts, and as an ingredient for making other chemicals, like refrigerant.

How can drinking water that contains Trichloroethylene affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Trichloroethylene for a prolonged period, you may develop liver problems, and you could have an increased risk of getting cancer.

At what level can Trichloroethylene cause health problems? Trichloroethylene is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is above 0 mg/L.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Trichloroethylene in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Trichloroethylene in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 0.005 mg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, a number of public water systems violated the regulatory limit for Trichloroethylene from 2010 to 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Trichloroethylene?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Trichloroethylene.

Most Populated Areas with Violations for Trichloroethylene from 2010 to 2019

If you’re curious to know how much Trichloroethylene was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Organic Chemicals.” Here, you’ll find test results for Trichloroethylene as well as other contaminants like Benzine and Tetrachloroethylene.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you can expect to see test results for Trichloroethylene reported in Parts per Billion (ppb). 1 mg/L equals 1,000 ppb, so 0.005 mg/L is equivalent to 5 ppb.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Trichloroethylene?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Trichloroethylene, your water company must notify you within 30 days of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Trichloroethylene from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Trichloroethylene, there are several affordable yet effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is certified by NSF International (NSF) to be effective at removing Trichloroethylene from water.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a product is NSF certified to remove Trichloroethylene, you can rest assured that:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to determine whether the quality of the product is consistent over time.

Do all NSF certified water filters work against Trichloroethylene? Water treatment devices can earn certification for meeting one or more NSF standards or protocols. But only those products that meet NSF standard NSF/ANSI 53 for Trichloroethylene are certified to reduce the amount of the contaminant that’s in your water.

One such product, the Clean Water Machine by Aquasana, is NSF certified to remove up to 99% of the Trichloroethylene found in your tap water. The device sits on your countertop and does not require a lengthy installation process so you can set it up in a matter of minutes.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is NSF certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Trichloroethylene.

Toluene is a colorless liquid known for its solvent properties. It usually gets into our drinking water supply through waste discharged from petroleum factories. Consuming water containing Toluene at levels greater than or equal to 1 mg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Fortunately, Toluene is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Toluene and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Toluene. 

How Toluene Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

Manufacturing facilities, like petroleum factories, can produce significant amounts of wastewater. When these facilities discharge or dispose of wastewater, it can cause our water supply to become contaminated with a host of chemicals, including Toluene.

What is Toluene, exactly? Toluene is a colorless chemical used to make a variety of products, including paints, paint thinners, fingernail polish, adhesives, and rubber.

How can drinking water that contains Toluene affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Toluene for a prolonged period, you may experience problems with your nervous system, kidneys, or liver.

At what level can Toluene cause health problems? Toluene is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is at or above 1 mg/L.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Toluene in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Toluene in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 1 mg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, at least one public water system violated the regulatory limit for Toluene from 2010 to 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Toluene?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Toluene.

If you’re curious to know how much Toluene was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Organic Chemicals.” Here, you’ll find test results for Toluene as well as other contaminants like Benzine and Tetrachloroethylene.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you can expect to see test results for Toluene reported in Milligrams per Liter (mg/L) or Parts per Million (ppm). So, when you read your report, keep in mind that 1 mg/L is equivalent to 1 ppm.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Toluene?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Toluene, your water company must notify you within 30 days of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Toluene from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Toluene, there are several affordable yet effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is certified by NSF International (NSF) to be effective at removing Toluene from water.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a product is NSF certified to remove Toluene, you can rest assured that:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to determine whether the quality of the product is consistent over time.

Do all NSF certified water filters work against Toluene? Water treatment devices can earn certification for meeting one or more NSF standards or protocols. But only those products that meet NSF standard NSF/ANSI 53 for Toluene are certified to reduce the amount of the contaminant that’s in your water.

One such product, the Clean Water Machine by Aquasana, is NSF certified to remove up to 99% of the Toluene found in your tap water. The device sits on your countertop and does not require a lengthy installation process so you can set it up in a matter of minutes.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is NSF certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Toluene.

Tetrachloroethylene is a non-flammable, colorless chemical that may be potentially harmful if ingested. It usually gets into our drinking water supply through waste discharged from dry cleaners and factories. Consuming water containing Tetrachloroethylene at levels in excess of 0.00 mg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Fortunately, Tetrachloroethylene is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Tetrachloroethylene and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Tetrachloroethylene. Using data from the EPA, I estimated as many as 166 thousand Americans were exposed to water with potentially unsafe Tetrachloroethylene levels at least once from 2010 to 2019.

How Tetrachloroethylene Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

Unlike other contaminants, which can occur naturally in water, Tetrachloroethylene gets into our water supply primarily through waste disposal and other actions by humans.

What is Tetrachloroethylene, exactly?  Tetrachloroethylene is a chemical used in dry cleaning, metal degreasing, and the manufacture of other chemicals.

How can drinking water that contains Tetrachloroethylene affect your health? If you consume water that contains elevated levels of Tetrachloroethylene over many years, you may develop liver problems, and you may have an increased risk of cancer.

At what level can Tetrachloroethylene cause health problems? Tetrachloroethylene is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is above 0 mg/L.

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Tetrachloroethylene in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Tetrachloroethylene in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 0.005 mg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, at least one public water system violated the regulatory limit for Tetrachloroethylene in 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Tetrachloroethylene?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Tetrachloroethylene.

Most Populated Areas with Violations for Tetrachloroethylene from 2010 to 2019

If you’re curious to know how much Tetrachloroethylene was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Organic Chemicals.” Here, you’ll find test results for Tetrachloroethylene as well as other contaminants like Benzene and Toluene.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you’ll see test results for Tetrachloroethylene reported in Parts per Billion (ppb). 1 mg/L equals 1,000 ppb, so 0.005 mg/L is equivalent to 5 ppb.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Tetrachloroethylene?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Tetrachloroethylene, your water company must notify you within 30 days of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via the media or through the mail.

What Can You Do to Remove Tetrachloroethylene from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Tetrachloroethylene, there are several affordable yet effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is certified by NSF International (NSF) to be effective at removing Tetrachloroethylene from water.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a product is NSF certified to remove Tetrachloroethylene, you can rest assured that:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to determine whether the quality of the product is consistent over time.

Do all NSF certified water filters work against Tetrachloroethylene? Water treatment devices can earn certification for meeting one or more NSF standards or protocols. But only those products that meet NSF standard NSF/ANSI 53 for Tetrachloroethylene are certified to reduce the amount of the contaminant that’s in your water.

One such product, the Clean Water Machine by Aquasana, is NSF certified to remove up to 99% of the Tetrachloroethylene found in your tap water. The device sits on your countertop and does not require a lengthy installation process so you can set it up in a matter of minutes.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is NSF certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Tetrachloroethylene.

Nitrite is a naturally occurring chemical compound found in soil and water. It typically gets into our drinking water supply in the following ways: 1) through the erosion of natural deposits, 2) from runoff from fertilizer use, and 3) from leaking septic tanks. Consuming water containing Nitrite at levels equal to or greater than 1 mg/L can cause adverse health effects.

Fortunately, Nitrite is one of the drinking water contaminants regulated by the EPA. This means public water companies are required to monitor their water supply for Nitrite and work to ensure the water they provide their customers does not exceed the legal limit for the contaminant. However, even with this standard in place, it’s still possible for your tap water to contain excessive amounts of Nitrate.

How Nitrite Can Affect Water Quality and Your Health

Both natural processes (e.g., erosion of naturally occurring deposits in the Earth’s crust) and human activities (e.g., use of fertilizes) can contaminate our water supply with Nitrite.

What is Nitrite, exactly? Nitrite is a chemical compound formed when plant and animal materials decompose. It is commonly used for fertilizer and food preservation.

How can drinking water that contains Nitrite affect your health? Children below six months of age who consume water that contains elevated levels of Nitrite could become seriously ill and, if left untreated, they may die. If your child has been exposed to excessive Nitrite, he or she may be short of breath, or his or her skin may turn blue in color.

At what level can Nitrite cause health problems? Nitrite is known to cause adverse health effects when its concentration in drinking water is at or above 1 mg/L. 

In an effort to protect our health, the EPA established legally enforceable standards to limit the amount of Nitrite in our drinking water. Public water companies are required to ensure the concentration of Nitrite in the water they provide their customers is kept at or below 1 mg/L.

Given available treatment technology, water utility companies should be able to provide drinking water that meets this quality standard. However, at least one public water system violated the regulatory limit for Nitrite in 2019.

Does Your Drinking Water Contain a Harmful Amount of Nitrite?

Public water companies are required to provide customers with an annual water quality report, also known as a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR). Inside this report, you’ll find important information about your drinking water, including where it comes from, and whether it tested positive for any regulated contaminants like Nitrite.

Most Populated Areas with Violations for Nitrite from 2015 to 2019

If you’re curious to know how much Nitrite was found in your city’s drinking water, grab a copy of the latest CCR and look for the section of the report that covers “Inorganic Chemicals.” Here, you’ll find test results for Nitrite as well as other contaminants like Antimony, Arsenic, Barium, and Cadmium.

How to Interpret Your Water Quality Report

When looking at your water quality report, you can expect to see test results for Nitrite reported in Milligrams per Liter (mg/L) or Parts per Million (ppm). So, when you read your report, just keep in mind that 1 mg/L is equivalent to 1 ppm.

Will You Be Notified If Your Water Contains an Unsafe Level of Nitrite?

In addition to providing you with an annual quality report, your water company is required by the EPA to notify you if they identify a problem with your drinking water.

If your water company delivers water that could negatively impact your health, they have to notify you of the situation within the timeframe set by the EPA. Depending on the severity of the issue, the company is given 24 hours to 30 days to provide this notice.

If your city’s water exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for Nitrite, you can expect your water company to be given no longer than 24 hours to notify you of the violation. Typically, you will receive this notice via media outlets such as television or radio, or through another approved method of communication.

What Can You Do to Remove Nitrite from Your Tap Water?

Fortunately, if you want to limit your family’s exposure to Nitrite, there are several affordable yet effective options for removing the contaminant from your tap water.

But how can you tell which products work and which ones don’t? Well, if you want peace of mind, I recommend choosing a water treatment product that is certified by NSF International (NSF) to be effective at removing Nitrite from water.

What does the NSF certification represent? When a product is NSF certified to remove Nitrite, you can rest assured that:

• the manufacturer’s contaminant reduction claims have been verified;
• the system was tested to confirm it adds nothing harmful to the water;
• the system has been found to be structurally sound;
• the product’s advertising, literature, and labeling have all been verified as accurate;
• and there is testing in place to determine whether the quality of the product is consistent over time.

Do all NSF certified water filters work against Nitrite? Water treatment devices can earn certification for meeting one or more NSF standards or protocols. But only certain NSF certified products, like Reverse Osmosis devices that meet NSF standard NSF/ANSI 58 for Nitrite, are certified to reduce the amount of the Nitrite in your water.

One such product, OptimH2O Reverse Osmosis + Claryum by Aquasana, is NSF certified to remove up to 82.4% of the Nitrite found in your tap water. This device requires installation underneath your sink, so the manufacturer recommends enlisting the help of a professional to make sure it gets done right.

3 steps for selecting the right water treatment system for your family:

1. Review your area’s annual water quality report to find out what’s in your drinking water.
2. Determine which contaminants you’d like to reduce from your water.
3. Select a water treatment product that is NSF certified to work effectively against those contaminants you’d like to reduce from your tap water.

Just remember, no matter which water treatment product you choose, you need to make sure to perform the routine maintenance suggested by the manufacturer. This will help keep the device in proper working order and limit your family’s exposure to Nitrite.