Water contaminants

What each contaminant is, why it matters in measured EPA/CDC terms, and the certification that actually removes it.

• Lead

  Lead enters drinking water mainly from corrosion of older lead service lines, plumbing, and brass fixtures. It is not present at the source; it leaches on the way to the tap, which is why two homes on the same supply can differ.

• PFAS (PFOA / PFOS)

  PFAS are a large family of synthetic 'forever chemicals' used in nonstick and waterproof products. They persist in the environment and have been detected in many public water supplies.

• Chlorine and Chloramine

  Utilities add chlorine or chloramine to disinfect drinking water and keep it safe through the distribution system. The residual is what you taste and smell at the tap.

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

  VOCs are a broad group of carbon-based chemicals - some from industrial or agricultural runoff, some forming as disinfection byproducts - that can reach drinking water.