Deep dives into water quality, filtration technology, and the science behind cleaner drinking water.
Buying GuidesReady.gov says to store at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days. How to store it, when to replace it, and bottle and reservoir picks for carrying water.
Buying GuidesKlean Kanteen says its Sale Specials collection of closeouts and overstocks is 20-40% off while supplies last. If you have been waiting to replace an old bottle or tumbler, here is what the brand has announced for November, plus a reservoir and a cleaning pick from our guides.
Buying GuidesKlean Kanteen says it is offering free personalization from November 9 to 15, which makes this week a good time to order a named bottle as a gift. Here is what the brand has announced, plus a few add-ons from our guides.
Water PolicyA November 6 House release outlines proposed EPA research, a five-year pilot and measurable testing standards for microplastic strategies.
Buying GuidesCooler months are a good time to clean and refresh the bottles, reservoirs and filters you use most. Here are five picks from our gear guides, with details from the makers.
Buying GuidesA short November buying guide for bottles and portable filters: Klean Kanteen sale specials, Survivor Filter Active bottle, HydraPak 28mm filter kit, WaterH smart bottle, and Sawyer SP129. Check listings for today's price.
ContaminantsDon DiCostanzo explores PFAS and microplastics in everyday products, how they reach our environment, and practical ways to reduce potential exposure.
Buying GuidesChoosing between a countertop RO like AquaTru Classic and an under-sink system like the APEC ROES-50 depends on install, space and daily use. We also cover a pitcher and a portable squeeze filter for smaller jobs. Check Amazon listings for today's price.
ContaminantsThis op-ed by Don DiCostanzo, co-founder of WaterVO, was originally published on LinkedIn. It is shared here as part of Hydrology University's reading on microplastics and everyday water.
Waterdrop's tankless under-sink RO system pairs a smart faucet with fast rated output. Here are the brand's figures, the certification listings, and the installation and running-cost catches.
Buying GuidesA pocket TDS meter is one of the cheapest ways to keep an eye on a reverse osmosis system. Here is what the reading means, what it cannot tell you, and how to use it with an under-sink RO system like the APEC ROES-50.
ContaminantsSuffolk County (Oct 26, 2026): free PFOA/PFOS testing for nearly 800 Orient private wells and sampling near a closed Cutchogue landfill. What it means for well owners.
ContaminantsColumbia and Berkeley researchers (reported Oct. 21, 2026): microplastic surfaces generate reactive radicals in water. What the study shows, what it does not, and what it means at home.
ContaminantsEPA's PFAS TECH strategy (Oct 26, 2026): research grants, pilot tests of foam fractionation and supercritical water oxidation, and help for water systems. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsCayce, S.C. (Oct 25, 2026) stays in a national PFAS suit with four new defendants; about $1.8M received so far is set aside for treatment. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsLuleå thesis (Oct 23, 2026): organic matter can cut activated carbon's PFAS retention; ion exchange resins are more selective but phosphate-sensitive. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsHurricane Helene deposited 18.8% of a year's microplastics at one N.C. site, and one stream moved 70 billion particles an hour. What the study shows. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsFayetteville, N.C. (Oct 21, 2026): PWC breaks ground on a $155.1M granular activated carbon system for PFAS at its Cape Fear River plant. What it is, the timeline, what to do. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsPennsylvania (Oct 21, 2026): PENNVEST grants fund PFAS treatment at a school, two Aqua wells and Bucks County systems. What each project does. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsWisconsin (Oct 20, 2026): new PFAS sampling grants for communities and a home-kit testing program for private wells. Who qualifies and what to do. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsASU News (Oct 19, 2026): a palladium membrane fed with hydrogen broke down six PFAS in a 58-day lab test. What it means, and what it doesn't. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsUGA Extension (Sept 28, 2026): microplastics in private wells and public water, why nanoplastics are hard to capture, and how home filters compare. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsInside Climate News / WUSF (Oct 17, 2026): state tests found arsenic and PFOS in some Whitted, Fla., wells; a $2.3M water hookup is set for 2028. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsWhidbey News-Times (Oct 16, 2026): PFAS at 5.80-6.26 ppt in a North Whidbey private well; the Navy plans a ~$120,000 hookup to Oak Harbor water. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsFIU News (Oct 15, 2026): an automated online solid-phase extraction method cuts PFAS lab testing from 6+ hours to 30 minutes; certification still required. We are the water experts.
GuidesFrom blood at 7.4 to tap water at 6.5-8.5: a plain-English guide to pH in your body and your water, and what the numbers on alkaline and air-made water mean.
ContaminantsCPUC (Oct 14, 2026): San Jose Water's Williams Station ion-exchange PFAS facility would be among the largest in the U.S. Infrastructure story, not a new tap survey. We are the water experts.
Current NewsIn a laboratory inhalation study, researchers used a lab exposure model to deliver "environmentally simulated" PET nanoplastics as an aerosol over time. The particles reached the brain and were linked to loss of myelin, inflammation and cognitive deficits, most clearly at the highest, workplace-relevant dose. It's an inhalation study, not a drinking-water study, and it doesn't show harm in people.
ContaminantsEnvironment America and Frontier Group (Oct 13, 2026): PFAS detected at 1,329 of 1,602 U.S. surface-water sites, 2022–2024. Surface water, not tap water. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsEPA tentatively approves Illinois PFAS primacy (FR Sept 30, 2026). Final Oct 30 if no hearing. Monitoring 2027; MCLs April 26, 2029. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsNYSDEC links ultra-short-chain PFAS PFPrA in East Hampton, NY wells to a fire suppressant from a 2023 battery fire. Two wells offline. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsAnalytical Chemistry (Oct 7, 2026): tannic acid-coated glass microbubbles capture nanoplastics in 10 minutes for sensitive detection. We are the water experts.
ContaminantsNationwide TEA/LCA (Nature Communications, Oct 1 2026): utility size drives PFAS GAC vs IX costs; small/rural systems face disproportionate burdens. The water experts explain.
ContaminantsAs of October 1, 2026, California's Department of Toxic Substances Control can evaluate consumer products that contain or shed microplastics for possible regulation. The listing places no new obligations on manufacturers or retailers. Any requirements would need a separate Priority Product rulemaking with public comment.
ContaminantsAugusta restored east-side wells after a ~$2M PFAS filtration project. The water experts explain the timeline, Maine's 20 ppt limit, and absorption treatment.
ContaminantsGreensboro approved about $260M for PFAS treatment at its Mitchell plant. The water experts explain granular activated carbon and what it means for you.
Contaminants101 of 184 tested Tiverton, R.I. private wells exceed the state's 20 ppt PFAS standard. The water experts explain the findings and private-well testing basics.
ContaminantsA 2026 review of 239 studies finds nanoplastics-in-drinking-water research is booming, but methods, treatment and distribution systems lag. The water experts explain.
ContaminantsUMaine’s NSF-funded FTIR microscope facility will help Maine map microplastics in water, seafood and soil. What FTIR imaging does, and what’s next.
ContaminantsA bench-scale Water Research study uses LIBD to count nanoplastic deposition and release on nanofiltration membranes in real time. An engineering measurement advance, not a consumer product claim.
ContaminantsA mouse study tracked size-dependent plastic accumulation in liver immune cells and changes in fat storage. It does not establish effects or health risks in people.
Video BriefingsA 97-second visual briefing on why drinking-water source, monitoring, and treatment technology matter, and how atmospheric water generation changes the equation.
ContaminantsA Hydrology University deep dive into 390+ peer-reviewed studies on aluminum in drinking water — the EPA's unregulated contaminant associated with a 2–3× increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. No enforceable federal health standard exists.
ContaminantsA landmark Concordia University review reveals bottled water drinkers ingest up to 90,000 more plastic particles annually than tap water consumers. We break down the chronic health risks, brand-level contamination data, and the regulatory vacuum.
Video BriefingsA 52-second Hydrology University visual briefing on shower and bath water, indoor exposure pathways, and the questions that require specialized laboratory testing.
Regulation & LegalInvestors are backing on-site PFAS destruction technology. We break down what this means for municipalities, homeowners, and the legal landscape around water contamination.
Learn what PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are, where they are used, and how researchers and water systems monitor them.
Municipal water quality reports describe system monitoring and may not reflect conditions at an individual tap. We compare water-source considerations and explain how atmospheric water generation works.
A comparison of reverse osmosis point-of-use systems and whole-house filtration, including installation, cost, operation, and maintenance considerations.
A guide to DIY water testing kits, professional lab analysis, and understanding the results available from a test or water-quality report.
Sodium chloride vs. potassium chloride, pellets vs. crystals, and how often you really need to refill. Everything you need to know about water softener maintenance.
We review research on microplastics in drinking water and explain the questions researchers are still studying.
We calculated the true cost of ownership for popular RO systems versus buying bottled water. The results might surprise you—and your wallet.
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A False Sense of Security. By Sean Lupton-Smith, revised digital edition.
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