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At EWG, our team of scientists, engineers, policy experts, lawyers and computer programmers pores over government data, legal documents, scientific studies and our own laboratory tests to expose threats to your health and the environment, and to find solutions. Our research brings to light unsettling facts that you have a right to know.
Bottled Water Quality Investigation: 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants: EWG’s Guide to Safe Drinking Water
Drinking plenty of good, clean water is important for a healthy body. Read EWG researchers' top tips to learn how to stay hydrated while cutting down on your exposures to common drinking water pollutants.
Bottled water
Drink filtered tap water instead. You can read the bottle label, but you still won’t know if the water is pure and natural, or just processed, polluted, packaged tap water. EWG found 38 contaminants in 10 popular brands.
Tap water
Learn what’s in it. Tap water suppliers publish all their water quality tests. Bottled water companies don’t. Read your annual tap water quality report. Look up your city’s water in EWG’s National Tap Water Atlas. (Private well? Get it tested.)
Filtered tap water
Drink it, cook with it.
- Carbon filters (pitcher or tap-mounted) are affordable and reduce many common water contaminants, like lead and byproducts of the disinfection process used to treat municipal tap water.
- Install a reverse osmosis filter if you can afford it, to remove contaminants that carbon filters can’t eliminate, like arsenic and perchlorate (rocket fuel).
Filters
Change them. Change your water filters on time. Old filters aren’t safe – they harbor bacteria and let contaminants through.
On the go
Carry water in safe containers. Hard plastic bottles (#7 plastic) can leach a harmful plastics chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) into water. Carry stainless steel or other BPA-free bottles. Don’t reuse bottled water bottles. The plastic can harbor bacteria and break
down to release plastics chemicals.
While Pregnant
Stay hydrated with safe water. It’s especially important for women to drink plenty of water during pregnancy. Follow all the tips
above, and take your doctor’s advice on how much to drink.
Infants
Use safe water for formula. Use filtered tap water for your baby’s formula. If your water is not fluoridated, you can use a carbon filter. If it is, use a reverse osmosis filter to remove the fluoride, because fluoridated water can damage an infant’s developing teeth. If you choose bottled water for your infant, make sure it’s fluoride-free. Learn more at www.ewg.org/babysafe.
Breathe Easy
Use a whole house water filter. For extra protection, a whole house carbon filter will remove contaminants from steamy vapors you
and your family inhale while showering and washing dishes.
