How to Clean Tap Water

Choose a pitcher filter. A pitcher filter, or carafe filter, is a filter that you place over the top of a pitcher or large dispenser. The water is filtered into the pitcher or dispenser when you pour the water into the carafe. This system removes lead and chlorine but doesn’t remove fluoride, bacteria, or pesticides. This system is stored in the refrigerator.^[1]

• You have to replace the filter every couple of months. The pitchers are cheap, and the filters are usually under $10.
• You have to remember to replace the filters when needed, which can be inconvenient.

Try a faucet carbon filter. Carbon filters fit over the faucet and filter water through when you turn it on. Some filters connect to the water line under the sink. Water runs through a carbon bed filter. They are relatively cheap, so they won’t break your budget. They remove a variety of contaminants, including some pesticides, radon, chlorine, some bacteria, and heavy metals like lead. Additionally, carbon filters leave the minerals in the water that are good for you.

• Read the package carefully to determine what the filter doesn’t remove. It varies by model. Most carbon filters will not remove fluoride.
• These systems can be more expensive at first, but you only have to replace the filters once or twice each year.

Install a whole house filter. Whole house carbon filters are installed directly into your home’s water supply line. This filters all the water that enters the house, including water in the bathroom. This system will remove chlorine and many industrial chemicals, but not bacteria and nitrates.^[2]

• These systems are relatively cheap and need their filters changed periodically. The schedule of filter changes depends on the model.

Try distillation. Distillation is a process where water is boiled and the vapor collected for drinking. This process removes bacteria, heavy metals like copper and mercury, and harmful elements like arsenic. However, it won’t remove chlorine or chlorine byproducts unless paired with a carbon filter.^[3]

• Distillation takes out all the beneficial minerals.
• You can buy a home distillation system that can remove almost all contaminants.

Purchase a reverse osmosis system. Reverse osmosis is a process where a large tank is attached to the water pipe under your sink. The water is pushed through filters that remove contaminants. Reverse osmosis wastes water during the purification process. Some models waste more water than others, from three to 20 times more water than it filters to use, so check the model before purchasing.^[4]

• This process eliminates bacteria, nitrates, asbestos, and heavy metals. This process leaves in chlorine but removes all beneficial minerals like fluoride. Check the label to see exactly what the model removes.
• These systems are expensive, ranging from $500 to $1000, though the overall filtering cost may be cheaper in the long run than other systems. You should replace the filter once each year.