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If you’re concerned about the water you drink, brush your teeth with, and shower in every day, you may be interested in learning about water filters that remove PFAS from your drinking water. PFAS are “forever chemicals” that have been linked to a variety of serious health issues, including cancer, liver damage, decreased fertility, and developmental effects or delays in children.
Unfortunately, PFAS have been found in the tap water of many towns and cities across the U.S. They’ve also been found in soil, wildlife, rainwater, waterways, and even in our blood. While we can’t be sure that our tap water is PFAS-free, we can take steps to remove them from our drinking water — specifically with water filters that remove PFAS.
Read on for a closer look at the harmful effects of PFAS and how water filters can help ensure we’re not drinking them through our water. Plus, we’re sharing the best water filters to remove PFAS from your drinking water, including counter-top water filters, under sink water filters, and whole house water filters.
What Are PFAS?
Both PFOA and PFOS are members of the same chemical group, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which together are known as PFAS. PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that have been used in a wide range of industrial and consumer products for decades, including non-stick cookware (think Teflon), cosmetics, and fire retardant foams in carpets and furniture.
PFAS are highly persistent and resistant to degradation, which means they can stick around in the environment for a long time and accumulate in the bodies of animals and humans. The EPA has set a recommended limit of 0.02 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOS and 0.004 ppt for PFOA (a decrease by more than a thousandfold from the previous limit of 70 ppt set in 2016).
Even though there are federal regulations for the maximum amounts of PFAS allowed in public water supplies, it’s difficult for towns and cities to regulate these chemicals on a local level. This means we really can’t ever be sure that the tap water coming through our kitchen sink is free of PFAS.
Some Water Filters Can Remove PFAs
So, how can we solve this problem?
Enter: the water filter.
In the last few years, water filters that remove PFAS have become available for homes. In fact, there are now under-sink, counter-top, and whole house filters that can remove high percentages of PFAS from your drinking supply.
However, it’s important to choose your water filter carefully, since not every filter is equipped to remove PFAS. Your favorite Brita pitcher, for example, and other carbon based filters simply won’t do the trick when it comes to PFAS removal.
Traditional refrigerator filters also don’t remove high levels of PFAS effectively. (The only in-line fridge filter we know of that removes the majority of PFAs from water is the Clearly Filtered fridge filter, which is currently out of stock.)
But don’t worry, we’ve gathered the best water filters that remove PFAS so you can rest easy that your drinking water is safe, healthy, and free of forever chemicals. Here are our top picks.
Best Counter-Top Water Filters that Remove PFAS
A counter-top water pitcher is an easy away to filter your tap water that doesn’t require a plumber or handy person to install any under-the-sink or whole-house systems. Here are the best counter-top water filters that remove PFAS.
1. Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher ($110)
The filter results for PFAS are super impressive for this counter-top filter. It reduces the vast majority of contaminants in your water, including 99.8% of PFAs, which is hard to beat, even by more expensive systems. Plus, it can fit into your refrigerator, so you can have your water chilled and free of toxins.
2. Purefast Filter ($45)
If you love your Brita and can’t stand the idea of replacing it, consider ordering a Purefast filter, which you can place inside your Brita to remove PFAS. This little filter is NSF certified to remove PFAS down below acceptable limits (although the company does not specify what percentage of PFAS this little filter removes). It can purify the water in a Brita-sized filter in 20 minutes.
3. LifeStraw Glass and Silicone Water Filter ($60)
LifeStraw is well known among campers for its straws that can purify water found out in the wilderness from contaminants and bacteria. The company has recently come out with this glass water filter for your fridge or counter-top, which filters out PFAS to exceed the NSF Standard. Lab results show that this filter reduces PFAS to below .01 micrograms per liter, which is significantly lower than the EPA standard. This 7 cup filter also gets rid of microplastics, bacteria, and parasites.
If the idea of a glass filter doesn’t sound ideal, LifeStraw makes a non-BPA plastic version of this water filter as well ($42).
4. Epic Countertop Water Filter ($75)
If you are looking for a larger counter-top or in-fridge water filter, this one from Epic holds 36 cups of filtered water. It removes 99.8% of PFAS, among a myriad of other toxins and heavy metals. This water filter removes PFAS effectively and is convenient in that you don’t have to refill it nearly as often as some of the smaller counter-top filters.
5. Aquasana Clean Water Machine ($199)
You’ll see Aquasana’s different kinds of water filters on this list a few times. They are one of the few companies consumers can currently look to for at-home PFAS removal from your tap water. They use their inventive Claryum Technology, which is the combination of different filtration methods working together to remove the vast majority of dozens of contaminants.
This counter-top water filter removes lead, PFAS, chlorine, pesticides, and microplastics, among other contaminants. It also maintains minerals you need, like calcium, potassium, and magnesium. This gives it an advantage over reverse osmosis systems, which tend to remove beneficial minerals along with the contaminants we don’t want in our water.
Aquasana’s Clean Water machine can filter up to 600 gallons before the filter needs replacement. It takes 8 seconds to fill up a glass with 8 ounces of filtered water.
6. Berkey Water Filter ($379)
The Berkey is one of the most popular water filters that remove PFAS. It has a bit of a cult following amongst eco-friendly homeowners and campers who use it to purify their drinking water when they’re in the woods, and who rave about the delicious water it produces.
The durable Berkey uses gravity and multiple filters to clean the water you pour in at the top by the time it reaches the spigot at the bottom. It holds a lot of water — 2.5 gallons — so you don’t have to fill it up as often as you do with smaller counter-top filters.
We also love that the Berkey is made out of stainless steel instead of plastic, making it a more eco-friendly product. The best part is that this unit removes more than 99.9% of PFAS, according to private testing, along with over 200 other contaminants. Its filter lasts 6,000 gallons before you need to replace it.
7. AquaTru ($449)
The AquaTru is a different kind of counter-top filter, which uses reverse osmosis to clean your tap water. It is NSF certified to remove up to 99.99% of contaminants, including PFAS, lead, copper, nitrates, chlorine, heavy metals, and arsenic.
The AquaTrue has two carbon filters that remove sediment, rust, and chlorine from your water. Tap water then gets sent through a reverse osmosis filter that takes out inorganic chemicals and other contaminants. Finally, the water goes through an activated carbon filter that removes VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and PFAS.
The tank holds roughly a gallon of water and needs to be plugged into a 120-V AC wall plug.
A word about reverse osmosis filters: although they do an excellent job removing harmful contaminants like PFAS, these filters almost do too good a job, as they can also remove healthy minerals that you actually want to drink in your tap water, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and fluoride for your teeth. This is something to keep in mind if you decide to go the reverse osmosis route.
Best Under Sink Water Filters that Remove PFAS
When you’d rather not fill up a counter-top water filter multiple times a week, under-sink water filters that remove PFAS may be a better fit for your house. You will need to find someone to install it if you aren’t particularly comfortable getting under the sink and doing so yourself.
1. Aquasana 2-Stage Under-Sink Filter ($124)
This is the filter I installed under my kitchen sink for drinking water. (Note that you’ll need a hole cut in your counter-top, if you don’t already have one, for the faucet). The filter tells me when it needs to be changed with a beeping sound about every six months. I subscribed to Aquasana’s automatic filter service so I wouldn’t have to think about replacing it.
The Claryum 2-Stage filter is tested and certified to NSF/ANSI standards and reduces over 97% of chlorine and chloramines, 99% of lead, and 96% of PFOA/PFOS. It’s also certified to reduce microplastics, mercury, chlorine-resistant cysts, herbicides, pesticides, VOCs, pharmaceuticals, and more. However, it leaves the health minerals you want (like calcium, magnesium, and potassium) in your water.
The reason I trust this Aquasana filter is that after I installed it, I sent my drinking water in to get independently tested by a company called Cyclopure. Even though my town has had consistent problems with higher than allowable limits of PFAS ending up in its drinking water, the testing report came back with no detectable PFAS in my family’s drinking water. Phew!
Aquasana also makes a 3-Stage Water Filter ($218). This model adds a pre-sediment filter and has similar end results as the 2-stage one.
2. Waterdrop Reverse Osmosis System ($539)
Waterdrop’s tankless reverse osmosis system filters 600 gallons of water each day. It fills 8 ounces of water in 8 seconds through an 8-stage filtration processed. This filter reduces 99% of PFAS, along with chromium, fluoride (which some people may actually to keep in their water, for dental health), arsenic, iron, calcium, chloride, chlorine, and heavy metals.
Note that though they are very effective at removing toxins, reverse osmosis systems do tend to waste more water than other types of filters. The Waterdrop, for example, wastes one cup of water for ever two cups it filters.
If you decide to purchase a Waterdrop reverse osmosis filter directly from their site, you can use our coupon code to get 10% off: EcoEdit10
Best Whole House Water Filters that Remove PFAS
If you’re considering a whole house water filter, get ready to call the plumber! These are trickier to install than the under-sink filters, so you may need a professional to help you out. They are also far more expensive, given that they are filtering a heck of a lot more water at the source where it enters your home.
The nice thing about whole house filters is that you don’t have to worry about the quality of your shower water, bathroom sink water, or drinking water — it’s all getting purified as the water enters your home.
1. SpringWell Whole House Water Filter System ($1016)
SpringWell’s whole house water system has four stages of filtration which clean your water of many different contaminants, including chlorine, herbicides, pesticides, and remove 99% of PFAS.
The SpringWell’s filter lasts for 1,000,000 gallons of water before it needs to be replaced. The pre-filter needs to be changed every 6-9 months. Users report that their water pressure is not affected. The company offers a 6 month return policy if you aren’t happen with the filter (minus shipping charges and a rather hefty restock fee).
You can opt to add a UV purification system that destroys viruses and 99% of bacteria, as well.
2. Aquasana Whole House Filter ($1800)
Aquasana’s OptimH2O Whole House Filter is certified to remove more than 98% of PFAS from your water throughout your entire house — from your shower to your kitchen tap. This reverse osmosis style filter is tested and certified by IAPMO to NSF standards.
The Rhino whole house filter by Aquasana filters 11.8 gallons per minute and is designed not to reduce the water pressure in your house.
Aquasana also makes a whole house filter specifically for homes that are on well water.
The Benefits of a Water Filter that Removes PFAS
Given how dangerous and prevalent PFAS are in our environment and ground water, anyone concerned about the health of themselves and their family members should consider purchasing a water filter that removes PFAS from your drinking water.
One of the biggest problems with PFAS contamination is a lack of communication. Many people don’t know that their town water supply is contaminated with PFAS, so they’re drinking their eight cups a day without understanding what forever chemicals and other contaminants they’re putting into their body.
Although we have regulations that limit how many PFAS we should ingest, research suggests that the only healthy amount of PFAS to drink is zero. An effective water filter — whether it sits on your counter-top, in your fridge, under your sink, or in your basement — is an important purchase for making your water free of dangerous contaminants.
So let’s raise a glass of that pure, clean, filtered water — cheers, everyone!
