The Know Your H20 Team is always looking for interesting ideas or to fill a void.  One team member, Amy, mentioned a discussion with a friend on water filtration who is buying a new home. Amy recommended that her friend review a few KYH2O links and blog posts, get the water tested in their new home as a negotiation option through the home buying experience, and review a few KYH2O blog posts, but also knew that in my head there would be a quick and easy process to help make water decisions easier. Overall, I liked the comment and support of a team member about our website, but I thought how much could I write on the topic.  So I decided to do this:

First to Amy’s friend, if you are moving to a new home, I would recommend looking up the consumer confidence report for the town the new home is in by Googling “Consumer Confidence Report”, Water, and the town you are moving to.  As an example, I found this link with this information for the town Amy’s friend is moving to Jersey City.

“Jersey City receives its potable water from the Rockaway River, a tributary of the Passaic River. The Rockaway River flows through the town of Boonton, NJ, where it is impounded at the Boonton Reservoir Dam, which the city completed construction on in 1904. Jersey City used to receive its water from the Passaic River, however the increase in industrial construction in the late 19th century left the river very polluted. Jersey City was the first city in the country to treat its water with chlorine; this significantly improved the quality of the water and immediately lowered the number of deaths due to typhoid fever. Jersey City’s water is currently treated and managed by SUEZ (formerly United Water) at the Jersey City Water Treatment plant in Boonton, before traveling through 23 miles of pipes to Jersey City.”

I also found out “SUEZ Customers in Jersey City and Hoboken Must Boil Water Until Further Notice Posted on 09/02/2021 - JERSEY CITY, NJ - On September 2, 2021, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) issued a boil water order for Jersey City and Hoboken. The boil water advisory was issued after the heavy rains caused by Hurricane Ida caused damage to the aqueduct in the Cedar Grove Township.”

Since this water example comes from a surface water source that is treated, the primary concern will likely be chlorine or disinfection by-products, forever chemicals, and depending on the age of the piping and when the home was last remodeled to remove potential metal leaching plumbing.

1.  I found a map related to lead piping.

2. The only consumer confidence report I could find was dated for 2023.

The Consumer Confidence report did note some detects for copper, lead, and disinfection by-products, but nothing appeared to exceed a drinking water limit.  Note:  I would recommend getting a more recent report.   The 2023 report also mentioned some initial testing for “forever chemicals”.   Since the source is a surface water source,  it is our opinion these sources are more vulnerable to contamination by forever chemicals.

Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) – 0.0046 to 0.018 ug/L or 4.6 to 18 ppt
Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA)  - 0.0028 to 0.0032 ug/L or 2.8 to 3.2 ppt
Perfluorohexanoic acid  (PFHxA) – 0.0028 to 0.030 ug/L or 2.8 to 3.0 ppt

I then checked the EWG website and found that PFOS was 7.04 ppt (Exceeds recent standard of 4 ppt) , PFOA was 5.42 (Exceeds recent standard of 4 ppt), and PFHXS was 4.57 ppt (DOES Not Exceed the recent standard of 10 ppt).   Overall, I think there are some issues with forever chemicals that will need to be managed with something more than a water pitcher filtration system.

Recommendations to the Home Buyer

1. Make sure to get a proper inspection of the home that includes a certified water test, check for the presence of underground petrochemical tanks, radon, etc.

2. Order a Neighborhood Hazard Report for the address you are planning to purchase. (Know Your H2O has multiple options to service this need.)

3. You may want to also order an informational water test.   We would recommend the City Water Test Deluxe with forever chemical screening.

For the other item of concern and question- I asked the Grok3 Artificial Intelligence model to provide input to these questions as well. The following is Grok3’s response to our question on home water filtration.   Any comments we added are in red.

Choosing a home water filter depends on your needs, budget, space, and the quality of your water. Here’s a breakdown of the three options you mentioned—pitcher, under-sink, and whole-house filters—to help you decide:

1. Pitcher Water Filters

• How it works: A portable jug with a built-in filter (usually activated carbon) that you fill with tap water. Water passes through the filter into a reservoir.
  
  
• Pros:
  Affordable (typically $20–$50 upfront, plus $10–$20 per replacement filter).
  No installation required—great for renters or small spaces.
  Easy to use and maintain.
  Reduces basic contaminants like chlorine, lead, and some sediments.
  
  
• Cons:
  Limited capacity (usually 1–2 liters), so you’ll need to refill often.
  Filters fewer contaminants compared to advanced systems (e.g., may not remove bacteria or heavy metals fully).
  Slower filtration process (takes a few minutes per batch).
  
  
• Best for: Individuals or small households with minimal water quality issues (e.g., just improving taste), or those on a tight budget.   This would most likely be individuals using a city water source in a relatively new or recently remodeled building or home.

NOTE: KYH2O is  Not a huge fan of pitcher filters unless this is something being used by a single person or couple that likes to drink cold water and they are not planning to update their refrigerator or the pitcher of filtered water is provided at the dinner table.

2. Under-Sink Water Filters

• How it works: Installed under your kitchen sink, connected to the water line. Uses cartridges (e.g., carbon block, reverse osmosis) to filter water directly at the tap.
  
  
• Pros:
  Filters a broader range of contaminants (e.g., lead, pesticides, nitrates, and sometimes bacteria with reverse osmosis).
  Higher capacity and faster flow than pitchers—no waiting for filtration.
  Out of sight, doesn’t take up counter space.
  Cost-effective long-term ($100–$500 upfront, $50–$150 yearly for filter replacements).
  
  
• Cons:
  Requires installation (DIY or plumber, depending on complexity).
  Not portable—tied to one faucet.
  Reverse osmosis systems waste some water during filtration. (Note: If these are low cost RO units the water waste can be significant)
  
  
• Best for: Households wanting better water quality at a specific tap (usually for drinking/cooking), with moderate space and budget.

Note:  I do like point of use devices and I currently use them in my home.  We have a particle and carbon filter that services our kitchen sink and the refrigerator in the kitchen that has a built-in water filtration system.  I do not like these systems when they are an afterthought and installed in a manner that takes up functional space or not readily accessible for maintenance.   In most cases, you should have a good idea of your specific water quality problem and we recommend a water screening test to attempt to identify your problems and concerns.  It is likely that a combination of observation (Level 1) , field screening testing (Level 2), and at least informational water testing (Level 3) or published data may be adequate.

3. Whole-House Water Filters

• How it works: Installed at your home’s main water line, treating all water entering the house. Often uses multi-stage filtration (sediment, carbon, and sometimes UV or softeners).
  
  
• Pros:
  Filters water for every tap—drinking, bathing, laundry, everything.
  Removes a wide range of contaminants (sediment, chlorine, heavy metals, and potentially bacteria with UV add-ons).
  Protects plumbing and appliances from scale or sediment buildup.
  
  
• Cons:
  Expensive ($1,000–$8,000+ upfront, plus maintenance costs).
  Requires professional installation and space (e.g., basement or utility area).
  May need additional point-of-use filters for drinking water if ultra-pure water is desired.
  
  
• Best for: Larger households, homes with poor water quality (e.g., well water or high sediment), or those wanting comprehensive protection.

Note:  This requires a clear understanding of the problems with your drinking water that should be identified by a combination of observation (Level 1) , field screening testing (Level 2), and at least informational water testing (Level 3).  For city water users, we generally do not recommend the installation of a whole house granular activated carbon system on the entry point for the home, because this would reduce the ability of the water to prevent bacterial regrowth in the distribution system.  We do realize that one of the biggest defensive measures to address the forever chemicals is this type of unit.

How to Choose:

1. Test Your Water: Get a water quality report from your utility or use a home test kit ($20–$50). We call this Level 2 testing and we do not recommend that you select a whole-house filtration system on just Level 2 testing, we recommend at least Level 3 testing. Look for contaminants like lead, chlorine, hardness, or bacteria. This tells you what you need to filter out.  Note:  You can not see lead in the water – but you can look for lead piping in the home and signs of a corrosion problem, such as: blue-green or green staining and actual signs of pipe corrosion.  Also, you can not see bacteria, but you can look in the back of the toilet tank and look for a metallic sheen or slimy coatings that could be suggestive of a bacterial problem.
   
   Basic City Water Test (NTL) may need to add a bacterial test.
   
   Basic Well Water Test  (NTL) may need to add a nuisance bacterial test.
   
   Tap Score - Multiple Testing Options
   
   
2. Define Your Needs: Are you just improving taste (pitcher)? Drinking treatment water only (under-sink)? Or looking for treatment to provide protecting your whole home (whole-house)?  (appliance warranties)
   
   
3. Consider Usage: How much water do you use daily? Pitchers suit 1–2 people; under-sink works for families; whole-house is for high demand or big homes.
   
   
4. Budget: Pitchers are cheapest upfront, under-sink balances cost and performance, whole-house is a big investment.
   
   
5. Space & Commitment: Renters or small kitchens lean toward pitchers; homeowners with room might prefer under-sink or whole-house.  Please consider if the system will require backwashing or flushing especially if your home is serviced by an on-lot septic system.

Quick Recommendations:

• Pitcher: Brita or PUR (basic, affordable options).  There are a number of other units and manufacturers available here are a few:   Crystal Quest Water Pitcher System ; Big Berkey Gravity Treatment System
  
  
• Countertop: Aquasana Clean Water Machine is a good choice upgrade from a Pitcher and before an Under-Sink unit can be installed.
  
  
• Under-Sink: Aquasana or iSpring (good mid-range), or RO systems like APEC for max filtration. There are a number of other units and manufacturers available and there are some very nice Counter Mounted Systems, such as: the Crystal Quest Units or FilterWater.com Under the Sink Units 
  
  
• Whole-House: Culligan or Pelican (reliable, scalable systems).  There are a number of other units and manufacturers available, such as Crystal Quest and US Water Systems City Water Systems or the US Water Systems Well Water Systems.

If you know your water issues (e.g., “my tap water smells like chlorine”), let me know, and I can refine the advice!  We have a diagnostic tool for you and it is free !  Just follow the link for “Water Quiz!” at the top of the KYH2O Shop page.