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Do you know what is in your tap water? You can find contaminants such as a wide variety of toxins from dangerous pesticides and herbicides to heavy metals and VOCs.
❌ PFAS: The most common PFAS found in drinking water are PFOS and PFOA. Called ‘forever chemicals’ because they take so long to biodegrade, PFAS can cause serious health effects including cancer, hormone disruption, & liver and immune system damage. PFAS drinking water standards: state-by-state regulations
❌ FLUORIDE: It causes damage to bones and teeth. Consuming fluoride at unsafe levels can cause skeletal fluorosis, making bones more brittle. It is unsafe also on toothpaste. List of Fluoride-free toothpaste
❌ LEAD: Lead contaminates our drinking water when it leaches from pipes and plumbing. there is no safe amount of lead! Any amount of lead exposure is unsafe for children and may cause permanent development and behavioral issues.
❌ CHLORINE: Potent chemical that alters the smell & taste of our water and is harmful.
Look for chlorine-free bleach alternatives and, chlorine-free toilet paper and kitchen towel
❌ CHLORAMINE: Toxic combination of chlorine and ammonia.
Your greatest exposure to chloramine in tap water is through bathing and showering.
Chloramine can kill fish, amphibians water-based reptiles, and marine invertebrates.
Chloramine. has not been properly tested for human consumption and safety.
❌ ARSENIC: “known human carcinogen” according to the EPA and World Health Organization that increases the risk of bladder, lung, and, skin cancer at unsafe levels. Arsenic is found in drinking water across all 50 states.
❌ NITRATE: Agricultural run-off can cause this fertilizer chemical to end up in our drinking water. Levels of nitrate that exceed federal limits can cause an increased risk of cancer and even oxygen deprivation in babies.
Test your tap water: Order a water test kit. In this way, you can spot the contaminants in your water and then determine the very best filter for you! The approved Water test is Tap Score $10 off $100 code: PRETTYORGANICGIRL
Compare filter types: Most filter products on the market use one or a combination of three primary technologies: carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange.
Carbon and activated carbon: carbon filters come in two forms:
Carbon block: usually more expensive but generally more effective, may need to be replaced more often.
Granulated activated carbon: less effective than carbon block filters, activated carbon does not remove common inorganic pollutants such as arsenic, fluoride, hexavalent chromium, nitrate, and perchlorate.
✅ Reverse Osmosis: is the only type of filtration certified to remove nitrate and perchlorate.
The initial activated carbon treatment captures and removes chlorine, trihalomethanes, and VOCs. Next,
reverse osmosis systems effectively remove many contaminants, such as arsenic, fluoride, hexavalent chromium, nitrates, and perchlorate. These systems typically take in five times more water than they produce for use, and the unused “reject” water is flushed down the drain.
Reverse osmosis treatment removes minerals that improve the taste of water and are essential for health, such as iron, calcium, and magnesium. That’s why many manufacturers of reverse osmosis systems may offer mineral drops for remineralization. The only proven water filtration method to effectively remove fluoride. Also reduces nitrates, nitrites, lead, radium, and arsenic.
❌ KDF filter media can reduce or remove lead, mercury, iron, hydrogen sulfide, calcium carbonate, magnesium, chromium, chlorine, bacteria, fungi, algae, heavy metals, iron, hydrogen sulfide, and chlorine. KDF media can function effectively under high water temperatures, which makes them an excellent choice for hot water filtration like shower filters. It won’t remove fluoride.
❌ Ion exchange and water softeners: Ion exchange reduces nitrate, fluoride, sulfate, and arsenic. Water softeners typically use an ion exchange process to soften water by removing calcium and magnesium and replacing them with sodium. They won’t remove the contaminants. If you have a low-sodium diet check with your doctor. Some Softened water is not recommended for watering plants and gardens.
❌ Distillation: This technology heats your water enough to vaporize it and then condenses the steam back into the water. It does not remove chlorine, trihalomethanes, or VOCs from water. Home distillation systems are less common than other types of available water filters available.
Certifications: NFS National Sanitation Foundation Certifications and check minimum detectable levels.
❌ NSF 42, 53, 401, or p473 filters won’t remove fluoride.
✅ The best is NSF 58
✅ WQA Water Quality Associations.
❌ Berkey: There are studies that show Berkey actually added GenX and PFBA. It uses Activated Alumina pH-dependent filters. Can reduce fluoride but it is not NFS certified, it is not approved in California and it has California Proposition 65 warning.
❌ Propur filter: uses silver-infused white ceramic and granular activated carbon. Can reduce fluoride but it is not NFS-certified.
❌ Culligan: Only reduces 5 contaminants. Very short filter life only lasts 50 gallons.
❌ Brita: Brita filters use carbon filters. Brita filters can remove certain pharmaceutical contaminants such as Acetaminophen, Naproxen, and Progesterone. They can reduce heavy metals like copper, and mercury from your drinking water, but they cannot remove totally lead, herbicides and pesticides, chlorine, and sediment. NSF Certified to Standards 42 53 & 401.
❌ PUR: PUR water filter systems are able to reduce 61 other contaminants, including chlorine, and sediment but not fully eliminate them. NSF Certified to Standards 42, 53, and 401.
❌ Nikken: ANSI/NSF Standard 42, Standard 53
✅ AquaTru: this is my number one recommendation. Considered the best countertop reverse osmosis system for removing man-made chemicals such as PFAs. It is NSF-certified to remove up to 99.99% of contaminants, including PFAs.
AquaTru RO system is the only countertop RO system officially certified to NSF Standards 53 and 58 to remove PFAS contaminants.
AquaTru is also certified to remove chlorine, cysts, fluoride, lead, and other heavy metals, as well as overall total dissolved solids. It reduces 82 contaminants.
Fast-filtering system: it produces up to 1 gallon of water in as little as 10 minutes.
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AquaTru Water Purifier is my first recommendation since it is tested to NSF standards by IAPMO.
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) is an independent testing laboratory that protects the public by improving the safety, performance, and reliability of plumbing and mechanical systems.
IAPMO, along with NSF, WQA, and UL, are the only laboratories accepted by the California EPA to qualify for NSF certification. You can find AquaTru on the IAPMO website by typing AquaTru LLC on “listee name”.
AquaTru removes 82 contaminants with the recommended filter life to the NSF Standards 42, 53, 58, 401, and P473 for the reduction of the substances listed in the performance data sheet. P473 standard tests how well a filter works for PFAS chemicals, such as PFOA and PFOS.
SYSTEM: Reverse Osmosis (RO) filter. AquaTru's 4-stage Reverse Osmosis technology is certified by IAPMO to NSF standards to remove 83 contaminants, including Lead, Chlorine, Fluoride, Nitrates, PFOS, PFOA, and many more.
AquaTru Carafe countertop purifier packs its powerful, installation-free purification technology into a smaller footprint, making it perfect for individuals and smaller households. Pour with ease or store this thoughtfully designed glass carafe in the fridge for chilled water on hand. Whether you’re filling up a tall glass or brewing a cup of coffee, AquaTru Carafe will meet all of your clean drinking water needs. 64 oz. Glass Carafe for easy, plastic-free pouring
AquaTru Water Purifier is my first recommendation since it is tested to NSF standards by IAPMO. Designed for the homeowner or larger family who wants a higher capacity of fresh, purified water on demand.
Now you can make alkaline water right from your AquaTru with their new pH + Mineral Boost Alkaline VOC Filter
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SYSTEM: Reverse Osmosis (RO) filter. AquaTru's 4-stage TruPure RO Sanitizer, patent-pending, makes it easy to keep yourAquaTru holding tank in pristine condition.
AquaTru Shower is a revolutionary showerhead made by my favorite Water Purifier brand since they make innovative, lab-tested water purifiers tested to NSF standards by IAPMO.
This approved shower filter is developed by the leader in water purification. A patent-pending showerhead with four luxury stream settings (including massage) that’s currently being independently tested & certified to NSF standards. It comes in four colored finishes.
✅ It is a filtered showerhead that effectively removes chlorine, chloramine, & heavy metals
✅ Designed to meet NSF 177 standards: The advanced filtration system delivers consistent chlorine & chloramine removal for the entire 90-day filter life.
✅ Advanced-grade filtration: advanced filtration cartridge containing a proprietary blend of filtration material for noticeably softer, healthier hair and skin
✅ Four stream settings
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Link to shop in Europe or the UK
MATERIAL: NSF 177 standards