Ultimate Guide to Toxin-Free, Clean Drinking Water at Home

Clean drinking water is essential for a healthy life, yet many households unknowingly consume water contaminated with toxins, heavy metals, and harmful chemicals. In this ultimate guide, you’ll discover everything you need to know about achieving pure, toxin-free drinking water at home.

Clean Drinking Water at Home

Ever since I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease a few years ago, I have spent countless amounts of time, energy, and money trying to eliminate the dangerous toxins in my home.

In case you aren’t aware, there have been many studies done confirming the connection between toxic chemicals and autoimmune disease. I’ve listed a few below if you would like to learn more.

• Toxicology of Autoimmune Diseases
• Environmental Chemicals and Autoimmune Disease
• Possible Environmental Triggers Associated With Autoimmune Diseases

I’ve thrown out all my toxin-filled household cleaners, and now I make my own all-natural DIY cleaners instead. I no longer use toxic candles and air fresheners—instead, I use essential oils to make my home smell good.

Honestly, I could go on and on, sharing all the different ways I have successfully ditched many of the toxins in my home, but I still have a long way to go.

Because there are literally toxins lurking everywhere—that’s just the world we live in. And one thing that can be highly toxic and that most people consume every day is water.

Much of the earth’s water has been contaminated. So, if you consume tap water, well water, or even filtered water (more about that below), you are more than likely also consuming lead, nitrates, glyphosate, trihalomethanes, and more!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure statement here.)

I am not a doctor and the statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please do not ask me for medical advice. Click here to read my full disclaimer.

For years, I had planned to do more research into clean drinking water at home and possibly upgrade our water filtration system, but I kept procrastinating because there is so much information out there, much of it conflicting, and I just found it completely overwhelming.

So, I just kept putting it off.

However, after recently discovering how bad the drinking water is where I live, I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer. So, I finally stopped procrastinating, and I started doing my homework.

I want to share with you what I discovered and what I ended up purchasing to ensure my family and I are drinking the best water possible.

Hopefully, this information will help you and your family and also save you the time, stress, and overwhelm I experienced trying to find the best option for clean drinking water at home.

Clean, toxin-free drinking water is essential, so if you’re unsure what is in your drinking water or whether it is safe to consume, it is time to find out!

How To Find Out if Your Drinking Water is Safe

If your primary source of drinking water is tap water and you are on city water, you can contact your local water district and request a water quality report.

I don’t recommend this because these reports can be difficult to analyze, and the government’s standards for what it considers “safe” are pretty low.

Remember, legal doesn’t always mean safe. Just because the government gives something a passing grade doesn’t necessarily mean it can’t harm your body somehow.

Also, legal limits for contaminants in drinking water haven’t been updated for nearly 20 years.

So, with that being said, I recommend searching for your zip code in the EWG tap water database.

The EWG standards for safe drinking water are very high and are based on the latest scientific evidence and legal standards.

After running my zipcode through their database, I discovered our tap water had 25x the safe limit for nitrates, 15x the same limit for trihalomethanes, 201x the safe limit for chromium 6, and many more contaminants.

Many of which, by the way, are linked to cancer.

If you are on well water or want to test your tap water yourself, you can purchase an at-home drinking water test kit from Amazon. This test detects aluminum, arsenic, nitrates, chromium, and more.

TDS Meter

A TDS meter detects the total dissolved solids in water. It’s an effective and affordable tool, but it does not tell you what types of dissolved solids are in the water, only how much.

The problem with that is minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium are dissolved solids, and the TDS meter does not differentiate between good dissolved solids and bad dissolved solids.

That said, I do own a TDS meter, and I find it very useful. Although it does not detect the types of dissolved solids in the water, it can give you an idea of how contaminated the water is.

For example, a high TDS reading can indicate the presence of harmful contaminants. Most of the time, if your tap water has a high TDS reading, it’s not because it is filled with healthy minerals. It is usually quite the opposite.

However, in rare instances, it may detect more good dissolved solids than bad, but there is no way of knowing unless you have your water tested.

As I mentioned previously, I do have one, and I find it very useful. I’ll explain exactly how I use it a little later.

If you want to learn more about TDS meters, I suggest reading this article.

The Problem With Bottled Water

Many people just opt for bottled water rather than going through the hassle of trying to figure out whether or not their local tap water is safe to drink.

And in many ways, that was what our family did. We had been using a PUR water filter dispenser, but ever since we moved into our new house, my husband thought the water tasted weird even though it was being run through a filter.

So, my kids and I continued to drink from the filtered water dispenser, but my husband would drink bottled only.

At the time, I thought my husband was being kind of ridiculous, but knowing what I know now about the quality of our tap water and the effectiveness of the filter we had been using, I wish I had listened to him sooner.

However, bottled water is a terrible option for clean drinking water at home, and here’s why.

First, plastic water bottles are terrible for the environment. Producing them requires massive fossil fuel energy, and most plastic water bottles today are not recycled.

But even if you recycle them (like we did), there is concern about the sustainability of the recycling industry. In 2019, China, which at the time purchased the bulk of the U.S. recycling material, decided to start restricting imports of many types of recycling material.

So now, many municipalities have two choices—pay much higher rates to dispose of recycling or throw it away. You can click here to learn more.

Bottled water is also expensive. Some bottled water companies charge over a 3000% markup on their products, and they make billions in profits every year.

We were paying, on average, around $7 a week for bottled water just for my husband. That’s over $350 a year! That’s crazy!!!

Besides price and sustainability, there is also the issue of self-sufficiency. Your body can only survive 3 days without water. Do you really want to be dependent on the grocery store for the thing your body needs the most?

When the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020, you couldn’t find bottled water at any grocery store near me. People panic-bought and stockpiled up on necessities, and bottled water (and toilet paper) was one of the first things to go.

Even if you have a well-stocked emergency water supply, how much better off will you be in an emergency if you have a source of clean drinking water at home that you don’t have to depend on the grocery store for?

Lastly, there is the issue of water quality. Many people believe bottled water is cleaner and purer than tap or filtered water from home, and in some cases, that is true.

But not in all cases. Some bottled water is just tap water in bottled form and contains numerous contaminants, including arsenic.

Click here to learn more.

Plus, there is the whole issue of chemicals from the plastic bottle leaching into the water. Even though many plastic water containers no longer contain BPA, microplastics may still be present in the water.

Click here to learn more.

So, if bottled water isn’t a good option, what other options are there?

Types of Water Filters

There are several different types of water filters and many brands to choose from—this is where it can get a bit overwhelming.

Which one is best? What should you choose? What is the best option for your family?

Unfortunately, I can’t answer that question for you. It depends on what type of contaminants are in your water and what works best for your family. Remember, you can visit the EWG website to find out what is lurking in the water near you.

Whatever water filtration system you decide to use, make sure it is NSF-certified. For a water filtration system to receive NSF certification, it must adhere to strict standards set by NSF-International, a third-party entity that develops standards for clean water, food, and consumer products.

You can click here to learn more about NSF certification standards.

I will share the pros and cons of several different types of water filters and what I ultimately decided to use in our home.

Pitcher / Dispenser Water Filter

Basic pitcher water filters are very popular because they are an affordable option for clean water. We used a PUR water filter dispenser for years.

These types of water filters usually use granulated activated charcoal to filter out contaminants.

Although these types of water filters are very affordable, they only eliminate some contaminants. They are ineffective at removing contaminants such as chromium 6, fluoride, nitrates, and more.

Also, most of these dispensers are made of plastic, which means the chemicals and materials in the plastic can leach into the water over time.

As I mentioned earlier, I used to own one like this, and it was a pain to refill it constantly. My family and I drink a lot of water, and our dispenser always seemed to be sitting in the sink, refilling.

And it took up a significant amount of space in our refrigerator, which I didn’t like either.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Removes some contaminants

Cons:

• Leaves behind many dangerous contaminants
• You have to constantly refill it
• It takes up space in the refrigerator
• Made from plastic

Faucet Water Filter

Faucet water filters are another very affordable option. But of course, there are some downsides.

Most faucet water filters also use granulated activated charcoal to remove contaminants. So, although the issue of constantly refilling and the unnecessary space taken up in the fridge are eliminated with a faucet water filter, dangerous contaminants remaining in the water still remain a problem.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Removes some contaminants

Cons:

• Leaves behind many dangerous contaminants

Gravity Filter System

Gravity filter systems have become very popular over the past few years. These types of water systems use solid block carbon filters.

Solid block carbon filters can remove VOCs, herbicides, and pesticides. Some high-quality solid block carbon filters can also remove nitrates, fluoride, parasites, heavy metals, chromium 6, and more.

There are a few issues with these types of water filters. The upfront cost can be rather pricey—typically $200 or more. They usually only come with basic filters, and you must buy extra filters to filter out additional contaminants like fluoride.

I haven’t done the math, but based on my research, this type of water filter system would still be cheaper than bottled water in the long run.

This type of water filter system is quite large and is made for the countertop. It takes up extra space and requires constant refilling.

The most popular type of gravity filter system is the Berkey. If you have ever done any amount of research into water filters before, then you have definitely heard of the Berkey.

While searching for the best water filtration system for my family, I almost bought the Berkey. However, after doing some additional research, I decided not to after learning about recent reports and articles alleging the filters’ ineffectiveness.

You can check out the reports below.

• The Big Berkey Water Filter System: Uncertified and Inconvenient
• Very Thorough & Disappointing Berkey Test Results

I know some people absolutely love their Berkey and think it’s the greatest. However, I was not only worried about the counter space it would take up and having to refill it constantly, but the effectiveness of the filters was definitely a huge concern for me as well.

Unless I conducted my own independent testing, which would be very expensive, I would not know if the dangerous contaminants in the water were truly being filtered out.

So, I decided that spending hundreds of dollars on a filtration system that I wasn’t 100% confident worked was probably not the wisest decision.

Pros:

• Claims to remove a significant amount of contaminants
• Made of stainless steel

Cons:

• Expensive
• You have to constantly refill it
• It takes up counter space
• Concerns regarding 3rd party testing

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis removes contaminants by forcing the water through a semipermeable membrane. This process removes up to 98% of the dissolved solids in the water.

Most reverse osmosis systems include a number of prefilters and post-filters to ensure all contaminants are removed.

Reverse osmosis systems remove fluoride, chromium 6, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, arsenic, and almost all other contaminants.

However, it does not remove bacteria and viruses. This isn’t an issue if you use city water, as water from water treatment plants is already microbiologically safe.

If you are on well water, you will want to ensure the reverse osmosis system you choose has a UV filter that destroys bacteria and viruses.

In my opinion and based on my research, reverse osmosis is the best option for drinking clean water at home. However, there are some downsides to a reverse osmosis water filtration system.

They can be expensive. The price depends on which type you choose, but it can range from $200 to thousands of dollars.

They have countertop reverse osmosis water filter systems, but if you choose to get an under-counter one instead (more about that below), you may need to hire someone to install it.

Reverse osmosis systems remove all dissolved solids, including beneficial minerals. So, you’ll need to add minerals back into your water.

However, there is some debate about whether tap water is a good source of minerals anyway. Many experts believe we should get the bulk of our minerals from food, not water.

You can read this article to learn more.

And lastly, reverse osmosis systems waste a lot of water. For every gallon of purified water the RO system produces, 3-4 gallons are wasted.

The amount of water wasted will depend on your water pressure as well as the health of the filters. You can click here to learn more about reverse osmosis wastewater.

Pros:

• Removes almost all contaminants

Cons:

• Expensive
• Removes beneficial minerals
• Wastes water

Under Counter RO Water Filtration System vs Countertop

As I mentioned previously, there are two types of RO water filtration systems—countertop and undercounter.

The countertop RO systems, of course, take up space on the counter and need to be constantly refilled, which can be very inconvenient. Most are made with plastic, which can be an issue as well.

Undercounter RO systems don’t take up counter space and don’t need to be constantly refilled, but you may need someone to install it for you.

Also, the water in the under-counter RO systems can undergo 5-12 different filtration stages, while the countertop systems usually only have 3-4 filtration stages.

What I Chose for Clean Drinking Water at Home

Although RO systems can be expensive and they do waste water, it is what I ultimately chose to use in my home.

I chose this system mainly because it effectively removes contaminants, which was the most important factor in my decision when it came to choosing a water filtration system for my home.

With all the other water filter options, there was no real way of knowing whether the filters were doing what the companies claimed them to do unless I paid a lot of money to have our water tested.

With a reverse osmosis system, I could easily use a cheap TDS meter to test whether or not the dissolved solids were being removed (TDS meter results below).

I was concerned about the price, but after doing the math, I was pleased to discover that we are actually saving money by using an RO system instead of buying bottled water (more about that below).

Another concern of mine was the amount of water wasted. However, we decided to do our best to conserve water in other ways to offset the water wasted because of the RO filtration system (more about that below).

I almost purchased an Aquatru countertop water filtration system but decided against it for several reasons.

Although the Aquatru was recommended by many different people, including Dr. Mark Hyman and Mrs. Erin Brockovich herself, they had a pretty poor reputation when it came to customer service.

Also, I really didn’t want a water filter that took up space on the counter and that I had to constantly refill.

iSpring 6-Stage Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System

I ended up purchasing the iSpring 6-stage under-sink reverse osmosis drinking water filter system, and I am super happy with my decision.

The water filtered through this system goes through 6 different stages.

It first goes through three prefilters—a PP sediment filter, a carbon KDF (GAC) filter, and a carbon block (CTO) filter. These filters remove large contaminants and protect the RO membrane from chemicals like chlorine and chloramines.

Next, the water passes through the reverse osmosis (RO) filter, which removes contaminants down to 0.0001 microns.

Then, it goes through the GAC filter, which provides final polishing before the filtered water is delivered to the faucet.

Lastly, it goes through an alkaline remineralization filter, which restores the alkaline balance.

Most standard 5-stage RO systems remove beneficial minerals and produce slightly acidic water. However, this reverse osmosis system does not have that problem because of the alkaline remineralization filter.

Although this system remineralizes the water, I still like to add my own minerals back in as well. I use the Fulvic Humic Mineral Blend from Inner Vitality, and I also use these trace mineral drops.

If you are on well water, you can purchase their 7-stage system, which includes a UV light filter to destroy pathogens.

Overall Cost of Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System

The iSpring 6-stage under-sink reverse osmosis drinking water filter system was around $200.

Some more advanced under-sink filtration systems have double the amount of filtration stages, but most of these systems cost thousands of dollars.

For us right now, it just wasn’t within the budget.

Also, I don’t believe the additional benefits of these more expensive systems outweigh the cost—at least, that is how I feel right now. My opinion could change in the future.

That said, even $200 might seem expensive to some people.

However, we are actually saving money by using this system. We were spending over $300 a year on bottled water and at least $50 a year on filters for our PUR water dispenser.

The whole RO system costs $200, and replacement filters (a year supply) will cost around $60 a year. So this year the total cost will be around $260, which is still less than what we were spending before.

But next year our total cost will only be $60!

The four main filters need to be replaced every 6 months, and the ph filter needs to be replaced once a year. A year’s supply, which includes 2 of each main filter and one of the ph filters, is about $60.

The reversis osmosis membrane only needs to be replaced every 2-3 years and costs around $26.

So, the maximum amount we will spend on filters in any given year is $86. This is still significantly cheaper than what we were paying for water before, and the water is so much better!

My husband also installed the system himself, so we saved more money by not having to pay someone to do it.

Conserving Water With a Reverse Osmosis System

One of the most significant downsides of the reverse osmosis water filtration system is the amount of water it wastes. Living in California, which is especially prone to droughts, I was very concerned about wasting water.

So, we made a few adjustments in our home to offset this water waste.

We upgraded our toilets to high-efficiency models. Our new toilets use less than one gallon per flush, compared to our old toilets, which used between 5 and 6 gallons per flush.

So, even if we drink 2 gallons of water per day (which actually equals close to 8 gallons total if you include the wasted water), we are now saving around 40 gallons per day by switching to high-efficiency toilets.

But it gets even better.

You can save the water wasted by the RO water system. Now, there isn’t a whole lot you can do with the wastewater, or I guess I should say, should do with it.

RO waste water is highly contaminated, so you shouldn’t bathe in it or water your plants with it. However, you can flush your toilet with it or wash your car with it.

So that is what we do. Now, we are wasting zero water. Problem solved!

Reverse Osmosis TDS Results

As I mentioned earlier, a TDS meter cannot tell you what exactly is in your water, but it can be a helpful tool, especially if you choose a reverse osmosis system.

Water from an effective RO system should have a reading as close to zero as possible on a TDS meter.

Our tap water has a TDS level of 286. The water filtered through our PUR dispenser has a reading of 165 (and that is with a fairly new filter). And water from our RO system has a TDS level of 26!!!

Keep in mind that we have a remineralization filter, so the extra minerals will increase the TDS levels. The TDS meter skyrockets into the thousands when I add my trace mineral drops to my water.

So, I’m pretty confident that the TDS meter would be zero without the remineralization filter.

Final Thoughts About Clean Drinking Water at Home

Overall, I’m really pleased with this water filtration system. The water tastes amazing and is much cleaner and purer than the water I was drinking before, which I thought was safe.

It doesn’t take up any space on my counter or refrigerator and doesn’t need to be constantly refilled.

We will be saving a lot of money in the long run with this system, which I’m very happy about.

It feels good to know that my family and I don’t have to wonder whether we are consuming toxic chemicals in our drinking water.

So, if you want clean drinking water at home, I highly recommend the iSpring 6-stage under-sink reverse osmosis drinking water filter system.

But it is ultimately up to you to make that decision for your family. Weigh the pros and cons above and choose what you think is best.

Let me know if you have any questions!

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