# Water filter questions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-questions/250933>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 17, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-questions/250933 "2004-06-17T22:42:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-questions/250933/1 "2004-06-17T22:42:13Z")

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A while back, after the city did some work to the water pipes in the area, my water began tasting a bit strange and metallic. I never ended up getting it tested, I just drank cheap spring water instead.

Now that it’s summer, though, I’ll be drinking more, and it might be more convenient to get a water filter. I’m not sure of the contaminants - or even if there are any, really - but if I get one of those common brita filters, can I be reasonably assured that if there is a metallic contaminant of some type, it will be effectively filtered?

Is there any risk of there being some sort of contamination that the filter won’t pick up?

Are the filters that attach directly to faucets as effective as the slower processing pitcher sorts of filters?

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**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\
**Post date:** [June 17, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-questions/250933/2 "2004-06-17T23:07:25Z")

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Here is a link that pretty well sums up the water filters. A good comparison chart:

[http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.net/WaterFilter\_Comparison.cfm](http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.net/WaterFilter_Comparison.cfm)

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**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-questions/250933/3 "2004-06-18T05:06:57Z")

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I ended up getting a Brita faucet filter.

I should clarify my main question/concern:

I’m a bit paranoid that my water will have contaminants that the filter won’t pick up. How big is the risk of that?

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**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\
**Post date:** [June 18, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-filter-questions/250933/4 "2004-06-18T05:32:22Z")

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Unless your water department is screwing up badly your tap water should meet EPA guidelines. The guidelines don’t address taste as water can be pretty yucky from corroding pipes and still be safe to drink. If this is the case pretty much any filter will make it taste better. I use a tap mounted filter so Phoenix city water doesn’t have a chlorine taste and smell but I don’t worry about the water being unsafe.