FILTERED WATER

THE SOLUTIONS

Carafe Filter

The simplest filtering solution. Buy a carafe that has a filter in the spout. Keep a full carafe in the fridge for pure, cold water all the time. You can even keep some of those plastic bottles and fill them up from your carafe when you’re on the go. Like all filters, you do have to change the filter with use. Positively Green recommends the Brita Classic carafe filter for $29.99 from amazon.com. 3-Pack refills cost $17.99 at amazon.com. The filter holds two quarts and it filters out mercury, organics, other metals and 0.5-1 micron particles.

Under-Sink Filter

The Kenmore 38461 is an excellent choice for an undersink filter. It does require making a new hole in your sink surround to install the separate faucet and this filter does not come with tools. The filter isn’t particularly easy to change, but it does remove sediments, cysts and 0.5-1 micron particles. For pricing information on this filter system and the filter replacements, see sears.com.

Faucet Mounted

The Pur 3 Stage Horizontal Filter mounts on standard faucets and it filters out lindane / atrazine, mercury, asbestos, organics, MTBE, cysts and 0.5-1 micron particles including lead, and chlorine. It has a bypass function to allow you to switch to unfiltered water for washing dishes. The filters last for 100 gallons. A filter change indicator lets you know when to change the filter. We found the Pur faucet mounted filter on amazon.com for $39.99 and filter replacements are $21.99 for a 3-Pack on amazon.com.

Reverse Osmossis Filter

Reverse Osmossis – While the reverse osmosis process does do a fantastic job of filtering water, it creates between two to four gallons of waste water for every gallon that is purified, so from a green standpoint, a reverse osmosis filter isn’t a great option.

Whole House Filter

A whole house filter is a good option for overall water quality, but for purifying drinking water specifically, a carafe, a faucet mounted filter or an under sink filter is the best choice.