Drinking Water Safety

Using bottled water can be a good short-term solution for drinking and cooking until a treatment system or another solution is in place. If you choose bottled water, only buy bottled water labelled as “purified with water filtration”. 

A treatment system can help improve water quality or reduce specific contaminants found in your water. Treatment systems can be a long-term option for improving water quality, but they require regular maintenance to remain effective. Make sure to choose a system that fits your household’s needs and maintenance capacity. 

What to Consider Before Choosing a Water Treatment System:

Treatment Technologies

Water treatment systems use different technologies to address specific water quality concerns. For example, activated carbon filters may help reduce certain chemicals and improve taste and odor, while reverse osmosis systems can reduce a wider range of contaminants, including nitrate, arsenic, and lead.

Learn how different treatment technologies work. 

Treating Water at the Tap vs. the Whole House

Water treatment systems can be installed to treat water at a single tap or throughout the entire home. 

• Point-of-Use (POU) Systems treat water at a single tap, usually the kitchen sink. Examples include faucet-mounted filters, countertop filters, and under the sink systems. 
• Point-of-Entry (POE) Systems treat all water entering the home and are often referred to as whole-house systems. These systems are typically more expensive to install and maintain. 

Tip: Many household activities (such as flushing toilets or washing clothes) do not require treated water. In some cases, you may only need to treat water used for drinking and cooking.  

Certified Systems

Look for systems that are third-party certified, such as those certified by NSF or ANSI. Certification confirms that the system has been tested to reduce specific contaminants. 

Tip: Review the system’s performance data sheet to confirm it is certified to treat the targeted contaminant.  

Drilling a new well or deepening an existing well may improve water quality in some situations, but it does not always result in safer water. A licensed well driller can help you evaluate your options. 

If a public water system is nearby, connecting to the system may be an option. Contact the water system owner for more information.