EWG Updates Online Buying Guide to Home Water Filters

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U.S. drinking water is among the safest in the world. But contamination remains a concern for many families. Whether it's lead in old pipes, disinfection byproducts or the potential for well water to be polluted with a colorless, odorless contaminant, various potentially harmful substances drive many to turn to home water filters to prevent exposure.

Now, the Environmental Working Group has updated and improved its online water filter database and buying guide, a valuable resource, with tips not only about choosing the best filter for your situation but on budgeting for ongoing maintenance costs.

Before you buy, you'll want to consider the potential risks specific to your tap. If you're one of the 15 million Americans who rely on a private well, the only way to know if and what contamination is present is to test it yourself, and with some regularity, as water quality can change with conditions, such as drought or rain. For most Americans, though, tap water comes from a pipe, and the treatment plant should report annually on contaminants detected in your water supply, even if those contaminants are at "acceptable" levels, based on federal regulations.

Prices range from $60 or less for a basic well-rated carbon filtration system like the Culligan RC-EZ-Change 4 to upwards of $600 for reverse osmosis system like the Water Factory SQC-4 Reverse Osmosis System.

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