What do portable water filters remove?

What do camping water filters remove?  Do water filter pitchers remove the same contaminants as water filter straws?  What is the difference between a water filter and a water purifier?  These are some of the questions I wanted to know when I started looking into which water filter to add my emergency supplies.  It was surprising to learn that the terms “water filter” and “water purifier” have a generic definition and many times these terms are used interchangeably.  I believe the reason there is confusion about these terms is that there is no federal regulation regarding water filters.  The generic standard for either a water filter or water purifier is to remove a contaminant to improve the quality of drinking water.  That’s right, “a contaminant”, if they remove just one they qualify.  When I first started gathering emergency supplies, I was under the impression that a water filter, and especially a water purifier, would make water contaminant free… I was sorely mistaken.

What do portable water filters remove?

So, to be clear, if we have a device that removes debris but leaves bacteria, parasites, viruses, chemicals, and metals it can be labeled a water filter and be sold to anyone willing to buy.  “The EPA has defined pure water as water free from all types of bacteria and viruses”⁶, so it could have parasites but it would qualify as “pure water”.  Knowing this has caused me to take a much closer look at a number of water filters and specifically what contaminants they remove.  Here is what I found:

Water Filter Pitchers (Brita)

1. “reduce chlorine taste and odor, zinc, even contaminants like copper, mercury and cadmium”¹.  

Water filter pitchers are designed to be used with treated city water after several contaminants have already been eliminated. They are not designed for filtering lake or river water.

Water Filter Straws

The top selling commerical survival water filters typically claim to remove the following:

1. removes bacteria (such as salmonella, cholera, and E.coli)^2,3
2. removes parasites (such as giardia and cryptosporidium)^2,3

*There are many different brands of water filters. Some generic brands remove only bacteria, others may also remove some metals. It’s important to do your research when purchasing any water filter.

Water Purifiers – Hollow Fiber Membrane

Top selling commerical water purifiers typically claim to remove the following:

1. removes bacteria ^2,4
2. removes parasites ^2,4
3. removes viruses ^2,4

If you are concerned about LEAD or other harmful chemicals here are some water filters to consider:

LifeStraw Flex

Epic Pure Water Filter Pitcher

Frizzlife Under Sink Water Filter System

HydroBlu Jerry Can Water Filter

Water filters and purifiers maybe a prep worth having to help you be prepared. If you already have a water filter, do some research to see what contaminants your water filter removes.

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References:

1. https://www.brita.com/why-brita/what-we-filter/
2. http://lifestraw.com/faqs/
3. https://sawyer.com/international/products/sawyer-mini-water-filter-international-unit/
4. https://sawyer.com/international/products/sawyer-point-zerotwo-water-purification-kit/
5. http://puralytics.com/faqs/
6. http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/purifiers-filters.html