Tips for Selecting a Drinking Water System

  1. Have your water professionally tested or request your city’s annual Consumer Confidence Report to determine what’s in your water.
  2. Search for a product that addresses your specific water concerns.
  3. Remember, the cheapest product is not always the best buy. Inexpensive products may not effectively address your needs.
  4. Pay attention to ratings from independent organizations like NSF International and Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
  5. Select a system that is easy to use and maintain.
  6. Purchase a system with a good warranty.
  7. Buy from a reputable dealer. Ask for references.
  8. Follow the dealer’s advice and maintain equipment as recommended by the manufacturer.
  9. Replace your filter cartridge annually with the same manufacturer’s cartridge. Beware of counterfeit cartridges that claim to “fit”. You risk quality and performance, as well as certification protection.

WHAT SHOULD I ASK?

  • Once you identify a water treatment solution that addresses your needs, follow this checklist when shopping for a specific product:
  • Will the system remove all the substances that are a concern to you?
  • Have the system’s claims been tested and certified by an independent agency? *
  • Is the system easy to install and service?
  • Is the system designed with quick-change filter cartridges that are easily replaced without touching the surfaces that come in contact with the water?
  • What is the system’s micron rating?
  • What is the system’s rate of water flow through the filter?
  • Does the system have a flow restrictor to regulate water flow assuring adequate contact time with the carbon or other treatment media? The longer the contact time, the better the filtration.
  • Does the system have enough capacity to satisfy the needs of your household without frequent cartridge changes?
  • Are you comfortable with the product’s dealer and their service?

* UL and NSF International are nonprofit, third party groups. Their rigid testing certifies many types of products for aesthetic and health claims, and provides a scale to determine which products are the best. It also ensures products are made with integrity, and have accurate and honest performance claims.