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Concerns over just what is in a glass of tap water have grown exponentially in the past decade.   It's no surprise that the sheer number of water treatment devices on the market should be just as expansive. Want a simple water filter? There are more than 2,500 different kinds on the market.

Believe it or not, there is no consumer product testing organization, such as Consumer Reports or online service like CNET that recommend, rate or compare most types of water treatment products. That is why you need to do a little research on your own. I hope this blog post can guide you.

Third-Party Certification
Independent testing and certification is one way consumers, plumbers, and regulators alike can verify that products treat water exactly as manufacturers say they do. What they do includes testing, retesting, and third party inspections and audits.

Having water treatment equipment, such as water softeners, that are “certified” by an authoritative, unbiased third party is reassuring for manufacturers, dealers and consumers alike. Also, many governments now require installation of certified components or systems in a variety of water treatment applications.

Ultimately, a certified product means peace of mind for consumers. It means a product has passed some very rigorous testing and will do just what its manufacturer or dealer claims. Peace of mind also means more than just getting what you paid for.

Third-party Certification Assures That:
 A. Contaminant reduction claims are true
 B. The product itself does not add anything harmful to the water
 C. The product is structurally sound
 D. Advertising, literature and labeling are not misleading

One other important component to the process is ongoing factory audits made after certification to ensure that materials and manufacturing processes remain consistent.  It is important to note that all of these laboratories use the exact same testing methods and criteria, known as NSF/ANSI standards. All water treatment product testing laboratories must be accredited to NSF/ ANSI standards.

Each of these testing laboratories lists the products it has tested and certified on their own websites.  They do not list any certified product from the other laboratories. If a dealer or manufacture claims that a competing product is not certified simply because it is not listed on the site their product is on, it is because they are either ill informed or making a false claim.

There are only 5 testing labs.  Below I describe three of the largest and oldest national organizations in the business of testing and certification of water treatment devices.

NSF International, (NSF), formerly known as the National Sanitation Foundation, the largest certifier of the bunch with more than 5,000 certified components, also helped develop many of the various standards adopted by the American National Standards Institute, (ANSI), which cover individual water treatment equipment and other performance standards. The group bestows what it simply calls its Mark upon certification.

Water Quality Association, (WQA), a national trade association for water treatment manufacturers as well as dealers, has been testing and certifying since 1959. The group awards its Gold Seal only to those systems that meet NSF/ANSI standards.

Underwriters Laboratories, (UL), founded in 1894, may be the new kid on the block when it comes to testing and certification of water treatment products to NSF/ANSI standards. The UL introduced its EPH Mark (for "Environmental and Public Health") in 2000, and has since certified more than 2,500 water treatment products.

Independent Online Research
I recommend using research information from non-commercial organizations such as Universities and Colleges, non-profit, health, science or government agencies.  Here is a list of some most informative and authoritative sites on water.
EPA       Environmental Protection Agency
WQA      Water Quality Association
WHO     World Health Organization
NAS       National Academy of Sciences
IPWR     Institute for Public Health and Water Research
LACSD  Los Angeles County Sanitation District

Ask the Tough Questions
Another way to make an informed decision before you make a water system purchase is, ask some simple questions of the company selling the water system;

1. Is it a “whole-house” system?
2. Is it a water softener?  Does it use salt, potassium, chemicals, magnets or copper?
3. Do they have ANSI/NSF accredited certification from WQA, NSF or UL?
4. Certification for what?
5. How many gallons?
6. Is regular maintenance required and/or do you need to replace consumable filters?
7. How many filter changes per year?
8. At what cost per year?
9. What is the total cost of the system over a ten year period?
10. Are there legal or environmental restrictions on their installations in your community at this time?
11. Are they the manufacturer? (not a dealer or distributor)

In my next blog, I’ll show you why third party testing and certification is so important. I’ll also go into more depth about the testing and certification agencies such as the American National Standards institute, (ANSI), the Water Quailty Association, (WQA), NSF International, NSF, and Underwriters Laboratories, (UL).