3 ways to improve your drinking water
Short version: find out what's in it, filter where you drink, and treat what comes into the house. Here's how each one works.
Know what's in it
Read your ZIP's water report, then test at the tap.
Reverse osmosis where you drink
Check the NSF/ANSI certification and what it covers.
Treat the whole house
Carbon for taste and odor, a softener for scale.
Where each one goes
Know what's in it
Start with your ZIP code. Your water utility reports on its water, and we turn those public records into a report for your ZIP.
Reverse osmosis where you drink and cook
A reverse osmosis (RO) system goes under the kitchen sink and treats the water you drink and cook with. Here's how to shop for one:
- Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification. That's the standard for RO drinking water systems.
- For PFAS, look for certification to reduce PFOA/PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58).Our HW800 isn't certified for PFAS.
Whole-home carbon and a softener where the water enters your house
Treating the water at the point of entry covers every tap, shower and appliance.
A whole-home carbon filter is for chlorine and chloramine taste and odor. A softener is for scale from hard water: the white crust on faucets, spots on glasses, film on the shower door.
Carbon and a softener do different jobs. Many homes use both. Softening is about hardness, not health.
Look for certification here too: NSF/ANSI 42 covers taste, odor and chlorine, and NSF/ANSI 44 covers softeners.
Which one does what
| Where it works | What it's for | Certification to look for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitcher or fridge filter | One pitcher or one fridge dispenser | Taste and odor, plus the specific contaminants on its certificate | NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401 |
| Under-sink RO | The kitchen sink | Drinking and cooking water | NSF/ANSI 58 (plus 53 or 401 for specific claims) |
| Whole-home carbon | Where the water enters the house | Chlorine and chloramine taste and odor at every tap | NSF/ANSI 42 (53 for specific health claims) |
| Softener | Where the water enters the house | Scale from hard water | NSF/ANSI 44 |
Check that the certification covers the specific contaminant.
Bonus: change your filters on schedule
Filters wear out. An expired filter stops working the way it was certified to. Put the date on your calendar when you install it, and change it when the maker says to.
Questions
Where can I find my water report?
Look up your ZIP code on ScoreYourWater. We turn your utility's public records into a plain report. It's public records for your utility, not a test of your tap.
What do the NSF/ANSI numbers mean?
42 is taste, odor and chlorine. 53 is health contaminants. 58 is reverse osmosis. 401 is emerging contaminants. 44 is softeners. Check that the certification covers the specific contaminant you care about, not just the standard number.
What should I look for in a reverse osmosis system?
NSF/ANSI 58 certification, and the list of contaminants that system is certified to reduce. Check that the list covers what you care about.
What should I look for if I'm interested in PFAS?
Look for certification to reduce PFOA/PFOS (NSF/ANSI 53 or 58).
What's the difference between a carbon filter and a softener?
A whole-home carbon filter is for chlorine and chloramine taste and odor. A softener is for scale from hard water. They do different jobs.
How often should I change my filters?
On the maker's schedule. An expired filter stops working as certified.
Public records are not a test of your tap.
Our HW800 isn't certified for PFAS.
ScoreYourWater also sells water treatment systems.