Microplastics turn up in both private wells and public water systems, though concentrations vary widely, and the smallest particles, nanoplastics, remain the hardest to capture, according to a new University of Georgia Extension guide for residents. The guide, Microplastics in Drinking Water from Private Wells and Public Water Systems in Georgia (Temporary Publication 123, by program coordinator Uttam K. Saha), was published on September 28, 2026.

We are the water experts. This guide is written for Georgia, but its questions are the ones we hear everywhere: is it in my water, can I test for it, and which filters actually help?

What the guide found

Both kinds of water. Microplastics are found in both public water systems and private wells, though concentrations vary widely, the guide says. It adds that private wells are "not inherently more or less contaminated than public water supplies; exposure depends on local conditions."
Treatment helps, but not with everything. Municipal treatment plants capture most large microplastics, according to the guide, but conventional treatment is less effective at capturing nanoplastics, low-density plastics and thin synthetic fibers. Advanced membrane systems such as ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis offer higher capture rates but require significant capital and energy investments.
No routine microplastic monitoring. Private wells are not routinely tested or regulated for microplastics, and microplastic monitoring is not currently mandated for public water systems either, the guide notes.
Boiling doesn't help. Boiling kills biological pathogens but does not destroy synthetic plastic particles, according to the guide, and steam loss during boiling can slightly concentrate nonvolatile contaminants.
Bottled water adds more. Relying only on bottled water can add an estimated 90,000 additional particles ingested per year, compared with about 4,000 for tap water users, the guide says.

What the guide says about home filters

The guide's table of household treatment options rates each one's potential to reduce microplastics:

Reverse osmosis (RO): very high, more than 99%, but with a higher cost, wastewater and regular maintenance.
Ultrafiltration: high, 90% to 95%, with no wastewater.
Fine sediment filters (1 to 5 microns): moderate to high, 50% to 90%, depending on the pore-size rating.
Activated carbon and pitcher filters: variable; the guide says pitcher filters have limited fine-particle capture.
Water softeners: none; they are designed for ion exchange, not microplastics.

It also cautions that "nanoplastics and fine fibers below 1 micron can pass through basic home filters."

Read the guide carefully

No proven disease link. The guide says current evidence "does not establish that microplastics in drinking water cause specific human diseases," and it urges residents not to avoid safe tap water out of fear.
Testing is not routine. Most routine drinking water labs do not offer microplastic testing, though some specialized labs can on request, and methods are not standardized, according to the guide.
Regulators are still studying it. The guide says EPA placed microplastics on its Sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 6) in April 2026 and did not include mandatory microplastic testing in the proposed UCMR 6 because standardized, validated lab methods are lacking.
Written for Georgia. The guide's regional notes cover Georgia's Coastal Plain sandy soils and fractured-bedrock areas in the north; the general guidance applies more widely.

What the water experts recommend

On a private well? Follow the guide's basics: bacterial testing and a system inspection every year, a septic inspection every 3 to 5 years, regular checks of the well cap and seal, and testing right after severe flooding.
Want to test for microplastics? The guide suggests using a qualified lab experienced in microplastic analysis, asking about its method and detection limits, and having the lab's qualified drinking water specialist interpret the results.
Weighing your drinking-water options? Wells and city systems draw on ground and surface water, and the guide says nanoplastics remain hard to capture with conventional treatment and basic home filters. Atmospheric water generation, which we call vapor optimizing (VO), makes drinking water from humidity in the air instead. It uses electricity, and energy is the honest trade-off to weigh.

Sources

Uttam K. Saha, Microplastics in Drinking Water from Private Wells and Public Water Systems in Georgia, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, Temporary Publication 123, September 28, 2026: fieldreport.caes.uga.edu

Photo: A person fills a glass with water at a kitchen sink, by Shixart1985 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0); cropped, headline added in the featured image. Illustrative.