Water Pitcher Filters Don't Remove Lead Particles
by Jeremy Elton Jacquot, Los Angeles on 08.16.07
We're willing to bet that many of you out there use water-pitcher filters — whether it be the Brita filters or the PUR variety. Indeed, according to representatives of those companies (not necessarily the most impartial observers, we know), close to 35% of American households use them. So while the following story may not come as a surprise to some of you, we're sure it'll still be news to many: the Ontario Ministry of the Environment Canada has just revealed that water-pitcher filters don't reduce lead concentrations to sufficient standards in tap water from areas where there are elevated levels of the metal — because they don't remove lead particles.
NSF International — the organization that certifies water filters — recently updated its website listing for filters to meet its newly implemented, more rigorous NSF-53 standard for curtailing lead in drinking water. To meet these new standards, filters must be able to remove not only soluble lead — which wasn't originally covered — but also lead particles. The filters need to reduce overall levels to below 10 ppb (parts per billion) to pass. Officials found that no water-pitcher filters met the higher standards.
The pitcher filter manufacturers have argued that they haven't yet had enough time to comply with the newly implemented standard, but that they fully support it. Explaining that "our products have to evolve with the science," Brita brand manager Margaret Quan said that the company is "exploring its options."
In the past, government agencies such as the EPA had only used the presence of soluble lead in tap water to establish their public safety guidelines. As such, researchers have found that its sampling methods could underestimate the amount of lead present by a factor of up to 5 when lead particles are present. Because scientists are still unsure of the relative effects and prevalence of lead particles in drinking water, it may be a while until the EPA revises its own standards to match those of the NSF International.
Rob Herman, the laboratory manager at NSF, explained that his organization's decision to implement a new standard basically came down to a concern for consumer awareness: "Existing monitoring data don't help because it has not been measuring particles. But people want to make sure when they buy a product that it works in all circumstances. That's why we developed the new standard."
Via ::Environmental Science & Technology: Water-pitcher filters miss lead particles (magazine)
See also: ::Biosculptures: Filtering Water the Natural Way, ::All-Purpose Water Filters For Humanitarian Projects, ::Make A Water Filter From Old Tires
Image courtesy of exfordy via flickr
Ironically this week is World Water Week. Ha!
This should surprise no one, as the primary ingredient of gravity filtration is activated carbon. Carbon does a great job of removing dissolved organics. Some gravity carbon filters are laced with bacteriocides that help remove pathogens. But even they don't remove viruses.
Pressure filters with composite elements can remove particulates pretty well. A subject for another day.
Roughly half of all potable water supplies in North America are from surface water sources and half from groundwater. It would be fascinating to see some data on particulate versus solved lead fractions at the well head and at the consumer tap, based on water source. I'd definitely want to know this before I chose what type of water filter was needed for me.
As much as tap water is prompted, this is a bad blow to it. In Washington DC, anyone that can help it drinks bottled water, or at least filtered. There are parts of town that still have lead pipes.
So let me get this straight. The water filters, which to my knowledge have never been claimed to filter lead, are being slammed by government officials, because the filters do not filter lead from water that shouldn't have lead in it in the first place?
This is some really creative scapegoating.
Daniel...here is a cutting from Brita's website:
"Brita filters reduce lead that may be found in your tap water."
They go on to describe the dangers of lead in the environment, the laws passed to reduce our exposure to lead poisoning and of course the tech they use to filter said lead from your tap water. Not so much scapegoating.
- brita.com > support > FAQ.