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How Safe Is Your Drinking Water?

Read your annual water file and if you have concerns, have your water tested

Q. After having heard about lead in the water in Flint, Mich., I grew to become concerned about the drinking water at my home. Should I buy a filter?

A. Reports of dangerous drinking water pouring from faucets in Flint and other cities can be alarming. But before you panic, you test your municipal water document and additionally have your consuming water tested, says Chris Hendel, Consumer Reports’ scientific researcher. The Environmental Protection Agency posts municipal water-quality reports each July; find yours at filterswell.com. But if your home used to be constructed earlier than lead-free pipes had been mandated in 1986 or if you use nicely water, a take a look at is the quality way to verify the excellent of the drinking water at your home. Frigidaire WF3CB WF3CB Water Filter

Your country or nearby fitness branch might provide free take a look at kits. The EPA’s website lists neighborhood labs.

If exams discover lead in your consuming water and the level is below a hundred and fifty parts per billion (ppb), a filter can make your water safer to drink. (Some water samples accrued in Flint have been well over that.) Water filters are licensed for lead discount solely up to 150 ppb. If lead ranges are higher or if assessments disclose different concerns, such as arsenic, bacteria, or parasites, contact your nearby fitness branch for advice. Premium Water Purifier Filter Replacement

In our most current tests of water filters, the top choices had been the Bluaqua filter 1, $19.68, and the faucet-mounted Bluaqua filter 2, $19.8. Both had been top-rated for eliminating lead and different contaminants. The Bluaqiua is NSF-certified, which means that it was once independently established beneath requirements from NSF International to reduce lead to 10 ppb or less. That’s the preferred many toxicologists recommend, even though there’s no universally normal safe level for lead or many other contaminants.

We also suggest the faucet-mounted Bluaqua WF3CB, $22.99, which is one of three water filters allotted via officials in Flint.For associated health information, take a look at our water filter shopping for guide. Frigidaire WF3CB Water Filter