Best Water Filters to Remove “Forever Chemicals”

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As senior health editor Beth Skwarecki once said, you can’t avoid the “everlasting chemicals” in your life (they’re already in 45% of our water sources). However, you can reduce exposure by following Beth’s advice, such as filtering the air, checking ingredient labels, avoiding certain foods, and probably most importantly, filtering the water.

But not all water filters are built the same. While most water filters mention “PFAS removal” somewhere on the label, that doesn’t mean they permanently remove chemicals from your water. There are strict rules that products must follow in order to receive PFAS filter certification.

How serious of a problem are PFAS in the water?

First, let’s brush up on what “eternal chemicals” are. As Beth Skwarecki wrote :

“Eternal Chemicals” is a nickname for a family of chemicals including fluorine and carbon. (“FC”, get it ?) The name is apt, as the fluorocarbon bond is so strong that most things in nature can’t break it. Worms and germs will eat your body after you die, but they can do little to break down PFOA, PFOS, or any of the other chemicals in this family.

A more accurate name for this group of chemicals is PFAS, denoting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. This is a family that includes thousands of different individual chemicals. These chemicals are a marvel of modern innovation, except for the pesky fact that they never completely break down. They can make breathable waterproof coatings for camping gear, non-stick coatings for pans (Teflon – classic PFAS), and they often make waterproof mascara “waterproof”. Grease-proof wrappers and containers, such as those used for fast food and other food packaging, also often owe their properties to PFAS.

A recent report from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) states that at least 45% of our tap water contains one or more types of PFAS (only 32 types out of more than 12,000 have been tested). This problem is particularly relevant in cities and towns, where they estimate that 75% of urban water sources permanently contain chemicals. This could mean that most of us drink PFAS water every day. Luckily, the Environmental Protection Agency says we can cut down on harmful chemicals with the right water filters.

What to look for when buying water filters that remove PFAS

When purchasing filters that claim to remove PFAS from your water, you should make sure they are certified by reputable third party testing agencies (not the filter company itself) and have your filter stamped. Otherwise the product is not really certified by any standard for PFAS filtration.

Certified products are constantly monitored and tested by certification agencies to ensure they perform as advertised. The following agencies are reputable and reliable organizations where you should make sure your water filter is approved:

Water filter manufacturers use the code NSF/ANSI 53 to indicate that their product removes PFAS from water, so look for this in the filter description. If you are looking for a reverse osmosis filter look for NSF/ANSI 58.

Best Water Filters for PFAS Removal

If you want the best of the best, you will need a reverse osmosis filter . However, they can be expensive (up to $250, not including installation). However, you get what you pay for – the EPA claims they are over 90% effective at removing PFAS. Fortunately, there are more affordable options that are also certified by the mentioned reputable organizations:

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