Given the water filtration market is flooded with a wide range of water filtration systems at many price points. It is no surprise that the most common question is “How one makes the right selection?” The answer is simple! Choosing products that are tested and recognized by professionally acclaimed organizations is the best way. This will undoubtedly guarantee that the product and its production systems comply with the accepted standards, consensus and protocols, making them safe for consumption and confirms that the product has attained the proclaimed health benefits. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that a product selected has recognized certification.
There is a common misconception among the people that certification is needed for Filter Cartridges only. However, certifications for Water Filter Housing, Tubing & Fitting etc are necessary as well since they are part of the water treatment process. These certifications are important in guaranteeing that there are no additional contaminants entering the water during these processes.
There are a multitude of certifications for residential water treatment systems that examine and certifies water treatment products and systems in the market. To name a few, there is the Canadian Standard Association (CSA) and Water Mark of Australia. However, NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) is the most common and influential international certification body. Listed or Certified products carry the NSF seal. This seal guarantees top-notch quality and performance of the filtration system.
NSF/ANSI 42
Water filters certified to this standard are guaranteed to reduce aesthetic or non-health related contaminants (e.g. chlorine taste and odor and particulates). In short, these filters make the water more palatable.
This standard includes requirements that address various aspects of the systems, including:
- Material safety
- Structural integrity
- Specific aesthetic-related contaminant reduction claims.
NSF/ANSI 51
Materials used for water filters (e.g. Plastic Material and Components) certified to this standard are guaranteed to have met minimum public health and sanitation requirements as stringent as even those used in the construction of commercial food equipment.
NSF/ANSI 53
Water filters certified to this standard are guaranteed to have the ability to reduce health-related contaminants (e.g. lead, copper, pentavalent arsenic, mercury, Volatile organic compound (VOC), pesticides, herbicides, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Cyst). However, even with such an ability some of such verified filters are limited. Those that are smaller like the water filter pitcher or even the faucet mount water filter may only have the ability to reduce no more than 2 containments – slightly less effective than the larger under sink filter or countertop filters.
This standard includes requirements addressing various aspects of these systems, including:
- Material safety
- Structural integrity
- Specific health-related contaminant reduction claims
NSF/ANSI 58
Water filters certified to this standard is for point-of-use (POU) reverse osmosis (RO) systems. This standard includes requirements addressing various aspects of these systems, including:
- Safety of materials in contact with drinking water
- Structural integrity
- TDS (total dissolved solids) reduction performance
- Efficiency rating
- Recovery rating
- Contaminant reduction performance
Therefore, it is paramount that all RO system is certified to NSF/ANSI 58. More information about the certification is available on the official NSF website.
NSF/ANSI 61
Water filters certified to this standard guarantees that any chemicals that from materials used to manufacture the filters are evaluated for its toxicological concentrations and ensured its concentration is at levels safe for human use. The toxicological evaluation criterion is based on lifetime exposure to contaminants in drinking water.