Water, explained.
Plain-English guides to what's in your tap, what the rules actually say, and what filters really do.
Your Tap Water May Hold Twice the Forever Chemicals the EPA Reports
A new study finds that U.S. drinking water could contain double the PFAS levels reported by the EPA. The reason is a simple counting gap that turns real contamination into zero.
Oct 26, 2026 · 4 min read
Read it →- Filtration
Ann Arbor's Tap Water Passed Every Federal Test. That's the Problem.
Ann Arbor's tap water is legal but contains 9 contaminants that science says are unsafe. Federal standards are outdated, and reverse osmosis removes them all.
Oct 21, 2026 · 5 min read
- PFAS
What You're Drinking Is Not What You Think
New research found PFAS "forever chemicals" in 91% of tap water samples and 80% of bottled beverages, including the sports drinks you think are safe.
Oct 18, 2026 · 4 min read
- Filtration
Adam Korson's Review of the Hydra
Adam Korson installed the Sanavia Hydra in his home and reviewed it honestly. Here is what he found, and why it became his family's permanent water source.
Oct 15, 2026 · 4 min read
- Lead
Is Bethesda, Maryland Tap Water Safe to Drink? What Is Really in Your Water
Bethesda tap water is legal, but it carries 11 contaminants above EWG health guidelines, mostly chlorine byproducts that form in the pipes. Reverse osmosis at the tap removes them.
Oct 13, 2026 · 4 min read
- Health
Arsenic in Drinking Water: What a 20-Year JAMA Study Says About Cutting Exposure
A 20-year JAMA study of 11,746 adults in Bangladesh found that people whose arsenic exposure dropped had far lower death rates from chronic disease, including cancer and heart disease, than those who stayed highly exposed.
Oct 9, 2026 · 9 min read
- PFAS
What's in Fairfax County Tap Water? 14 Contaminants Above Health Guidelines
EWG's database shows Fairfax County tap water meets federal standards but contains 14 contaminants above its health guidelines, including PFAS, chlorine byproducts, and nitrate.
Oct 8, 2026 · 7 min read
- PFAS
Scientists Found New PFAS in Alligator Blood. Here's What It Means for Your Drinking Water.
Researchers found 46 PFAS in alligator blood, including compounds never before reported in the environment that standard tests can't detect, and levels in the animals did not decline over five years.
Oct 8, 2026 · 9 min read
Is Boardman, Oregon Water Safe to Drink? What You Need to Know About Nitrate in Well Water
Is Boardman, Oregon water safe to drink? City water meets federal nitrate limits, but thousands of private wells in the Lower Umatilla Basin do not. Here is what to know.
Oct 5, 2026 · 4 min read
- Lead
Water
Tap water quality in the US varies by region, pipe age, and water source, with lead, nitrates, arsenic, and PFAS as the biggest concerns. Read your local water report, test private wells, and use a certified filter to protect your home.
Oct 1, 2026 · 5 min read
- Lead
Is Arlington, VA Tap Water Safe to Drink? A Detailed Look
Arlington, VA tap water meets all federal and state standards and comes from the heavily monitored Potomac River, with trace PFAS and chlorine byproducts that are within legal limits. The main things to watch are lead from older plumbing inside your home and changing PFAS rules, and a certified filter is an easy way to add protection.
Oct 1, 2026 · 8 min read
- DC area
Maryland Water Alert Lifted for 1.9 Million Customers After Plant Power Outage
A power outage at a Maryland water plant led WSSC Water to issue a water alert for 1.9 million customers on September 29, 2026. Conservation helped avoid a boil water advisory, and the alert was lifted September 30.
Oct 1, 2026 · 2 min read
- PFAS
PFAS in Veterans: New Study Finds Higher Levels of Forever Chemicals
A new study found higher PFAS blood levels among younger United States veterans. The findings highlight potential occupational and environmental exposure but do not identify drinking water as the cause.
Sep 27, 2026 · 2 min read
- Lead
Lead in School Drinking Water Shows Why the Tap Matters
A new report found lead concerns in 42% of New York public schools, highlighting the importance of testing and proper filtration.
Sep 25, 2026 · 2 min read
- Filtration
How to Purify Water at Home: 7 Methods Compared
How to purify water at home: boiling, tablets, UV, pitchers, faucet filters, distillation and reverse osmosis compared, plus emergency boiling steps.
Sep 30, 2026 · 5 min read
- Filtration
Reverse Osmosis vs Distilled vs Deionized Water
Is reverse osmosis the same as distilled water? No. Compare RO, distilled and DI water: how each is made, what it removes, and which is best to drink.
Sep 30, 2026 · 7 min read
What Does TDS Mean? TDS in Water, Explained
What does TDS mean? Total dissolved solids: the minerals, salts and metals in your water. See TDS levels, how a TDS test works, and what it misses.
Sep 30, 2026 · 7 min read
- Filtration
How to Make Alkaline Water at Home (and Remineralize RO)
How to make alkaline water at home with drops, baking soda, filters or an ionizer, how to test pH, and how to remineralize reverse osmosis water.
Sep 30, 2026 · 5 min read
- Filtration
What Is Reverse Osmosis Water? A Plain-English Guide
What is reverse osmosis water? How RO works, what it removes, whether it strips minerals, how to remineralize it and why RO sends water to the drain.
Sep 30, 2026 · 5 min read
- Filtration
Tankless vs Tank Reverse Osmosis: Which Is Better?
Tankless vs tank reverse osmosis compared: how a reverse osmosis pressure tank works, flow, freshness, cabinet space, power and cost.
Sep 30, 2026 · 5 min read
- Filtration
Changing RO Filters: How Often and How to Do It
Changing RO filters on time keeps your water clean. How often to replace each stage, step-by-step instructions, and the signs a filter is due.
Sep 30, 2026 · 9 min read
- PFASPFAS
PFAS Production Is Growing. What Does That Mean for Your Drinking Water?
PFAS production is growing, making water protection more important than ever.
Sep 18, 2026 · 4 min read
- The rulesThe rules
The Court Just Said It: Clean Water Is Not Your Constitutional Right
A federal court just ruled clean water isn't a constitutional right. Here's what that means for your home.
Sep 13, 2026 · 2 min read
- The rulesThe rules
Why Is Boerne's Tap Water Turning Brown? Here's What's Really Going On
Flooding pushed organic debris into Boerne City Lake this summer, and now some residents are seeing brown water at the tap. City officials say it's safe and tied to sediment, not contamination, but it's a reminder that "meets regulatory standards" and "water you feel good drinking" aren't always the same thing.
Sep 4, 2026 · 3 min read
- LeadLead
The EPA Just Released New Lead Guidelines. Here's What That Means for Your Water.
The EPA just released new guidance and nearly $3 billion in funding to help water utilities identify and remove lead pipes under the 2024 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements. For most communities, full pipe replacement is still years away, so point-of-use filtration remains the most immediate option for families who want clean water today.
Aug 24, 2026 · 3 min read
- PFASPFAS
Iowa Has the Second-Highest Cancer Rate in the Country. The Water Has Something to Do With It.
Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in the country, and researchers are pointing to the water. Nitrates, PFAS, and pesticides from agricultural runoff have been contaminating Iowa's drinking water for decades, and voluntary cleanup efforts haven't worked. Families aren't waiting for policy to catch up.
Jul 29, 2026 · 6 min read
- PFASPFAS
What the Government Found in Your Tap Water (And Why You Should Care)
Nearly half of all tap water in the US contains PFAS, according to a 2023 USGS study. It didn't matter whether homes were on city water or private wells. The EPA's safety target for two of the most common PFAS compounds is zero. Over 90 million Americans on private wells and small water systems fall outside federal monitoring, so the real number is likely worse. Assuming your water is clean without testing it is a risk most people don't realize they're taking.
Jul 23, 2026 · 7 min read
- PFASPFAS
Reverse Osmosis vs Pitcher Filters
Pitcher filters improve taste, but they miss most dissolved contaminants. Here's an honest comparison of what each technology removes.
Apr 2, 2026 · 5 min read
- PFASPFAS
PFAS in Northern Virginia Water
"Forever chemicals" have been detected across Northern Virginia's water supplies. Here's what PFAS are, why they're hard to remove, and what actually works.
Mar 5, 2026 · 6 min read
- PFASLead
Our Why: The Science Behind Reverse Osmosis
Municipal treatment meets legal limits, but it isn't built to remove every contaminant. Here's the science behind PFAS, arsenic, lead, and microplastics, and why point-of-use reverse osmosis matters.
Feb 19, 2026 · 8 min read
- HealthThe rules
Is DC Tap Water Safe to Drink? A 2026 Guide
Washington, DC tap water meets federal legal limits, but EWG's analysis flags several contaminants above health guidelines. Here's what's actually in it and how to reduce it.
Feb 10, 2026 · 5 min read
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