The 411 on NSF 401

If you have done any research on water filtration systems, you most likely know that the highest quality systems not only rely on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, but also are tested to, and certified against, NSF International standards. While there are myriad contaminants that are reduced or eliminated by a certified filter, you may not know that currently there is no EPA standard for emerging contaminants in drinking water.

What are emerging contaminants? They are chemicals being discovered that previously have not been detected, or are being detected at significantly different levels than previously acceptable.  These include #pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pathogens, #hormones, #antimicrobials, veterinary drugs and feed additives.  These chemicals can accumulate in human tissue or blood, and are associated with health effects such as endocrine disruption.  The EPA has not been able to create drinking water standards for these emerging compounds, as only recently chemists have been able to measure trace amounts of the #contaminants present in public water supplies.

But now the issue has been identified and #NSF is working to develop a testing standard for emerging contaminants.  A recent issue of Scientific American describes the issue in depth.

The new testing standard is identified as NSF Standard 401: Drinking Water Treatment Units – Emerging Compounds/Incidental Contaminants. Since this is a new unpublished standard and testing protocols have not been finalized, no drinking water filter system can honestly promote that they are in compliance with the new standard, including Multipure’s. However, Dr. Andrew Fenwick, PhD, of Multipure International is actively working on NSF standards committees to help finalize testing protocols. #Multipure will continue to be on the forefront of product testing and standards compliance certification when the new NSF Standard 401 is published.