Water is an essential component of our daily lives. We use it for drinking, cooking, bathing, and cleaning. However, the water that comes out of our taps is not always as clean and pure as one might think. It can contain a wide range of impurities, including bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and heavy metals.
These impurities can have a detrimental effect on our health if consumed over a prolonged period of time. For example, lead, which can be present in old plumbing systems, has been linked to developmental issues in children and can cause serious health problems in adults.
With the growing awareness around the importance of clean water for health, we begin to look at solutions to address the issue. With that, we look at Everpure Water Filters to highlight which impurities their solutions can address.
Everpure Company Background
The story of Everpure’s history begins in 1933, when founder C.B. Oliver started the company in Chicago, Illinois under the ethos that every home should have the ability to filter its own drinking water. Oliver’s vision came before its time and long before the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act to set standards and regulations for clean water.
Oliver’s innovative filter technology was called “pre-coat filtration technology,” a completely new way of filtering contaminants from water. This filter technology formed the starting point of the company’s first filtration system, and is still present in certain Everpure models today.
Fast forward almost one century later, Everpure is now part of the Pentair family of companies, operates out of Hanover Park, IL, and is an industry leader, especially in commercial water filtration in food & beverage, restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, schools, and other buildings.
List of Impurities & Proper Everpure Filters
It’s imperative to note that the efficacy of the filter, and quality of your water depends on your water source as well as the type of Everpure filter model. For that reason, it is highly recommended to first test your water if you want to be sure about the water’s health and safety.
While the list of potential water contaminants in tap water would be too long for one article, we’ll highlight a number of common constituents that the Everpure filter is listed to address.
1. PFOA / PFOS
PFOA & PFOS, also known as “forever chemicals” have received much attention lately, especially with the latest regulation from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The new proposed regulation sets the MCL (Maximum Contamination Level) at 4 parts per trillion, or ppt, for PFOA and 4 ppt for PFOS. It’s important to note that other NGOs, such as the Environmental Working Group (EWG), set the MCL at zero.
The Everpure H-1200 Two-Stage Drinking Water System is listed to reduce PFOA & PFOS “up to 97.5%.”
Additionally, the following filter models are listed to reduce PFOA & PFOS “up to 98%.”
- Freshpoint F2000-B2M Two Stage Filtration System
- Freshpoint F3000-B2M Three Stage Filtration System
- Freshpoint GRO-575M Five Stage RO System
2. Lead
Lead in drinking water gained national attention in the US after the crisis in Flint, Michigan. Since then, the public has become more aware how lead consumption is a dangerous neurotoxin, especially for children. The EPA sets the MCLG (Maximum Contamination Level Goal) for lead at zero, and the primary concern is corrosion, which can leach lead from service lines, internal pipes, and/or fixtures in a building.
Here are the various Everpure filters listed to filter lead:
- Countertop Drinking Filter System
- FreshPoint GRO-575 Five-Stage Reverse Osmosis System
- Drinking Water Purification System
- Heavy Duty Lead Filtration System
3. Arsenic
Arsenic consumption poses a myriad of health concerns to humans. While it should be addressed by your public water system, there are a number of cases where arsenic has been detected over the EPA’s MCL (Maximum Contamination Level) of 10 ppb. Also important to note, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) sets a higher standard health guidline of 0.004 ppb.
Addressing arsenic is especially important if you are drinking from a private well. Other potential risks are if your land used to house orchards, is surrounded by bedrock, large farms, or close to industrial plants. Below is the Everpure filter listed to address arsenic in your water.
4. Fluoride
Of all of the contaminants in drinking water, this one may be the most controversial.
Fluoride was added originally added to the public water system in the beginning of the 20th century by a group of scientists who noticed a that communities drinking from sources with naturally fluoridated water had lower rates of cavities.
Now, according to the CDC, it’s estimated that 80% of US public water systems still contain fluoride.
One of the biggest arguments against continuing to fluoridate tap water is that the benefits are topical, and fluoridated toothpaste would do a better job at targeting this issue. Additionally, scientists have correlated high fluoride consumption with reproductive system damage, neurotoxicity, bone cancer, and hormonal disruption. Read more about the debate here.
While the EPA currently sets the MCL at 4 mg/l, the US Department of Health & Human Services proposal from 2011 set the standard at 0.7 milligrams per liter of water. You can determine whether your public water system fluoridates your water by checking the annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), or by viewing the EWG’s database.
5. Chlorine & Chloramine
Chlorine (Cl2) is added to the public water supply with the intention of treating harmful bacteria, pathogens, and microbes to avoid diseases like typhoid, cholera, and salmonella.
However, there can be harmful effects of chlorine on the human body, especially to the hair, and the body’s largest organ – the skin, whether that translates to itchiness, red spots, drier skin, hives, or removing a layer of the “sebum” – a protective layer that coats your skin and hair.
Chlorine is used as a disinfectant so it’s regulated by the EPA a bit differently than others. With that, you’ll need to run your own chlorine test to know your levels, which are very easy and affordable.
Okay, so you may be familiar with chlorine, but what about chloramine? Chloramine is said to be used by about 20% of public water systems as an alternative to chlorine to reduce byproducts. Chloramine has its own health concerns, especially around kidney and bladder impacts.
Prioritizing Your Health with Clean Water
By understanding the importance of water, we can begin to see how it’s up to us to take control and address any issues that could be present in our tap water. Whether it’s Everpure water filters, or other solutions, we hope that this article helps you make a more informed decision that positively impacts the health of you and your loved ones.
