What you need to know about water filters to remove lead

Corrections and clarifications: An earlier version of this story misidentified the name of the Aquasana filter.

If you're not confident the drinking water in your home is lead free, consider buying a water filter or other treatment device.

Before you purchase a water-treatment device, experts recommend getting a water-quality report from your utility, then having a certified lab test your home’s water.

Question: How can I reduce the risk of lead in my drinking water?

Answer: Even if you don’t have lead pipes, it’s possible for lead to get in your water after leaching from faucets or solder on pipes.

Beyond Flint: Excessive lead levels found in almost 2,000 water systems across all 50 states

One way to reduce the risk: If water has been sitting in your pipes for more than six hours, turn on your tap and run water through it until it comes out cold, at least 1 or 2 minutes. That helps flush any lead accumulated because of low water flow.

If you decide to buy a filter, be aware that each water filter guards against specific contaminants. Make sure you get a filter that reduces or eliminates the risk of lead.

Q: What type of water-treatment device do I want?

A: Several types of systems filter water used in homes. The filter may be attached to a faucet, sit on a counter or be affixed beneath the sink.

Filters also are found in refrigerators that serve water through the door, water pitchers and some water bottles.

Choose the type of filter based on your needs. For example, do you simply want to filter water in your kitchen, or do you want a filtration system for an entire home?

Reverse-osmosis devices screen out contaminants but can be more difficult to install than some filters. Distillers use electricity to boil water from a tap, reduce contaminants and collect clean water in a jug.

Q: Where can I find detailed information about each type of filter or system to help me make my decision?

A: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers an explanation of filtration-system options, including varieties that reduce lead.

Consumer Reports has an overview of filter types. The publication also offers a more detailed report that rates and recommends filters.

It's available only to subscribers, who can view the publication’s overall score for filters after evaluating factors such as how well a filter removes lead, chloroform and bad taste.

Using these kinds of consumer-oriented sites will help you research to determine what kind of filter best fits your need. Once you’ve decided the type of filter you want, you can research brands online or go to building-supply stores and examine different brands and prices.

Q: How do I gauge quality in a water filter?

A: Government agencies, such as the EPA, don’t test water filters for effectiveness in removing lead from water.

You can check whether a particular brand of filter has been certified by NSF International, a private organization founded as the National Sanitation Foundation in 1944 that tests and certifies water filters, or the Water Quality Association, a trade group representing the water-treatment industry. The American National Standards Institute, a non-profit organization that oversees development of voluntary consensus standards, has accredited both organizations.

How much lead in water poses an imminent threat?

NSF International tests and verifies five areas when it certifies a water-treatment system.

A product must prove it reduces contaminants, does not add harmful substances to water, is structurally sound, and uses consistent production and manufacturing standards. A system is checked for misleading claims, labeling or advertising.

To be certified under NSF standards, a filter or water treatment system must demonstrate it is able to reduce lead from 15 parts per billion 10 ppb or less.

Keep in mind that some products will claim to be tested to NSF standards but do not have the organization’s certification. NSF International hasn't vetted such products.

Q: Where can consumers find out which brands and models of filters are professionally certified?

A: NSF International’s online database is searchable so you can find certified models of various filter types. The EPA suggests using NSF-certified products to ensure your filter meets standards. Search the NSF database by type of filter, brand and the substance you want to filter out at http://info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU.

Another option: the Water Quality Association’s database at https://www.wqa.org.

The water-treatment industry trade organization tests and certifies filtration systems for use in homes or business properties. The EPA cites it as a credible resource.

Q: How much do water filters cost?

A: Retail websites quote a range of prices. Costco lists prices that range from $75 for a 450-gallon, under-counter filtration system, to $1,200 for a whole-home system.

You can compare prices by visiting multiple retailers, but prices are often similar.

• An Aquasana AQ 5200.55 two-stage, under-counter water filter was listed for $99.99 on Amazon.com. Home Depot carried the same water filter at an identical price.
• A WaterChef U9000, a 1,000-gallon filter was listed at $349.95 on Amazon. The manufacturer listed the same price on its website.

Prices will vary depending on the type, size and features of a water-filtration system, but the unit's cost is not the only consideration. Replacement filters can range from less than $20 to $400 each year, according to Consumer Reports.

Q: How do I maintain a filtration system?

A: A big mistake people make is not replacing the filter when the manufacturer recommends it, an NSF spokeswoman said. Some systems have an indicator light or another alert that signals when a filter should be changed.

How USA TODAY ID'd water with high lead levels

The filters become less effective as contaminants clog a filter’s pores or adhere to a filter’s surface. You may not notice when a filter becomes less effective, so it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation.

Replacement typically is recommended based on a set period or a certain number of gallons that a filter processes.

“Any system that's used to treat water needs to be maintained," said Kevin Chadwick, a water manager with Maricopa County Environmental Services Department in Phoenix.

Q: Is getting a filter system less expensive than purchasing bottled water?

A: You probably can find a filtration system that is less expensive than bottled water. But filtration-system costs can add up depending on the quality, filters and maintenance.

Filter systems also are convenient. You can use filtered water to drink and cook and have the convenience of not having to drive to a store to buy water.

Sometimes, bottled water is a necessity. In Flint, Mich., communities used bottled water after tests revealed lead levels that exceeded what could be removed with in-home filters.

4 tips to check the safety of your home's tap water

“Bottled water is a solution at times,” said David Loveday, the Water Quality Association’s government affairs director. “Some areas, they were testing and getting readings of about 150 parts per billion. That’s where bottled water comes into play.”

Q: If I have a complaint about a filtration system, to whom do I take it?

A: Submit it to the manufacturer or to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov. The FTC website has a portal to submit product complaints.

Follow Ken Alltucker of The Arizona Republic on Twitter: @kalltucker