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Tools to help reduce lead in drinking water

Ann Arbor, MI – Recent studies and news reports have many Canadians concerned about the possibility of lead in their drinking water. Fortunately, a wide variety of residential drinking water treatment and filtration devices to reduce lead are available to consumers. But how can you be sure they work?

“First, you want to make sure the filter or device you are considering lists lead as one of the contaminants it reduces. Not all drinking water filters are designed to reduce lead,” said Dave Purkiss, vice-president of Global Water Systems at NSF International. “Next, you need to look for a product that is marked as certified to NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58.”

NSF/ANSI 53 and NSF/ANSI 58 are widely recognized voluntary consensus standards for evaluating and certifying drinking water treatment systems and reverse osmosis systems for the reduction of contaminants from drinking water.

While some products may say they “meet” the requirements of NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58, only products tested by an independent, third-party certifier and found to meet the requirements of the standard can claim they are “certified.”

NSF International, an independent public health organization accredited by both the American National Standards Institute and the Standards Council of Canada, maintains a list of water filtration products that have been tested and certified to reduce lead and meet the requirements of the standards. The following list is updated daily and features various types of drinking water filtration products that are certified to reduce lead:

·      Water pitchers with filter
·      Faucet-mounted filters
·      Under-sink filters
·      Reverse-osmosis filters
·      Countertop manual fill filters
·      Countertop connected to a sink faucet filters
·      Refrigerator filters
·      Aftermarket refrigerator filters
·      Integrated refrigerator filters

NSF International also publishes a Consumer Guide to Certified Product Listings for Lead Reduction, which explains how filters reduce lead in drinking water. The guide features a comprehensive certification listing organized by drinking water standard and manufacturer.

NSF International is an international public health organization that facilitates standards development, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods sectors to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. NSF International is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment.

Consumers are encouraged to call or email NSF International’s Consumer Information Officer with questions about NSF certification and certified products.

Email: info@nsf.org
Website: nsfconsumer.org
Phone: +1-800-673-8010