# Charcoal leaking out of water filter?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-leaking-out-of-water-filter/320420>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 6, 2005, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-leaking-out-of-water-filter/320420 "2005-09-06T22:09:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-leaking-out-of-water-filter/320420/1 "2005-09-06T22:09:19Z")

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I just bought a Pur Advantage water filter / pitcher thing. I followed all the instructions for preparing the filter cartridge (soak in water, flush with water, discard first two pitchers full), but I still see tiny little carbon / charcoal pieces from the cartridge floating around in the filtered water.

Pur’s customer care line is closed for the day. What’s the story with these? Is their appearance normal? Are they safe to drink?

I assume they would be, since they’re just charcoal, but I’d like to be sure.

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**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-leaking-out-of-water-filter/320420/2 "2005-09-06T22:22:03Z")

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I just saw these floating around on top (the nonfiltered water) in a filter I used yesterday. I have not seen them in the pitcher models, but I have had the same experience with the faucet filters. I would suggest running a few more pitchers full through it and seeing if they disappear. If you don’t want to waste the water, then yes, it should just be filter material and I doubt it is harmful.

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**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/charcoal-leaking-out-of-water-filter/320420/3 "2005-09-06T22:27:11Z")

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I will second what **Gabe** said. My Brita pitcher has some charcoal dust for a few pitchers. The directions say, IIRC, to discard two pitchers. I dump them until I get clear water.