What is NSF/ANSI standard 58?
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 – Applicable to systems employing reverse osmosis technology to address total dissolved solids (TDS) reduction and health claims. Standard 58 establishes minimum requirements for the certification of POU reverse osmosis systems.
What is NSF 55 and why is it important?
NSF 55 was developed in 1991, and originally applied to low-pressure UV systems using mercury – a technology that is now outdated. In 2019, the standard was finally revised to become more relevant to the UV-LED systems that are more commonly available today.
What is the NSF standard 53?
Standard 53 establishes minimum requirements for material safety, structural integrity, product literature, and health related contaminant reduction performance claims. The most common technology addressed by NSF Standard 53 is carbon filtration, and the standard includes both POU and POE products.
What is the NSF/ANSI Standard 401?
NSF/ ANSI standard 401 is one of the more recently established NSF standards, and is intended for water filters that can remove emerging compounds or incidental contaminants.
What do NSF numbers mean?
The numbers in the names reflect the order in which the standard or protocol was developed and are not a ranking or rating system. NSF/ANSI 42. Filters are certified to reduce aesthetic impurities such as chlorine and taste/odor.
What does NSF mean on a water filter?
This is the NSF certification mark, but what does that mean and who is NSF? The NSF certification mark means the water filter has been tested for safety to help protect you and your family. Filter testing ensures that: It can remove specific contaminants. It won't leach contaminants into your drinking water.
What are NSF water standards?
NSF Standards for Drinking Water Treatment Units NSF/ANSI Standard 42 covers POU and POE systems designed to reduce specific aesthetic or non-health-related contaminants (such as chlorine, taste and odor, and particulates) that may be present in public or private drinking water.
What is NSF 53 certified water filter?
NSF Standard 53 is known as the "Health Effects" standard. Water treatment products that are certified as NSF/ANSI standard 53 water filters receive this certification for their ability to reduce or remove harmful contaminants in unfiltered water that are known to cause adverse health effects.
Which water filter removes the most contaminants?
Reverse osmosis systemsReverse osmosis systems are some of the best options for your water. The Reverse osmosis system in the 4 stage design is a design that will help you remove the maximum number of contaminants from your water.
Does NSF mean potable water?
What Is NSF/ANSI Standard 61? NSF/ANSI 61 is a set of national standards that relates to water treatment. It establishes stringent requirements for the control of equipment that comes into contact with either potable water or products that support the production of potable water.
What does NSF 60 mean?
NSF/ANSI 60: Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals – Health Effects is an American National Standard that establishes the minimum health-effects requirements for the chemicals, chemical contaminants and impurities that are directly added to drinking water from drinking water treatment chemicals.
What is the difference between NSF 60 and 61?
NSF/ANSI Standard 60 includes requirements for chemicals that are used to treat drinking water; Standard 61 includes requirements for all materials that come in contact with drinking water...
Is NSF 61 for potable water?
The National Sanitation Foundation's standards help keep potable water in safe, drinkable conditions for the public. The NSF/ANSI Standard 61 certification signals that a product is safe to be installed in a potable water system for public use or consumption and is verified by a 3rd party.
Is Brita filter NSF 53 certified?
Brita - Complete Faucet Filter Full system NSF Certified to Standards 42 and 53 & 401. Certified to reduce 97% of chlorine and over 60 other contaminants. Short filter life lasts 100 gallons.
How do I know if my filter is NSF?
NSF certifies drinking water filters to standards applicable to each type of treatment option. You may notice the NSF mark on a product along with numbers such as NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 42, which refer to the standard to which the filter has been certified.
How important is NSF certification?
NSF certification is your key to making sure that the products you use meet strict standards for public health protection. Choosing a product certified by NSF lets you know the company complies with strict standards and procedures imposed by NSF.
What is NSF approved mean?
NSF, National Sanitation Foundation, is a non-profit organization founded in 1944, whose goal was to create standards for food safety and sanitation to promote public health. When you purchase NSF certified foodservice products, it means: The manufacturer of foodservice products uses only FDA approved raw materials.
How do I know if my filter is NSF?
NSF certifies drinking water filters to standards applicable to each type of treatment option. You may notice the NSF mark on a product along with numbers such as NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 42, which refer to the standard to which the filter has been certified.
What does NSF 401 certified mean?
Emerging Contaminants/Incidental CompoundsNSF/ANSI 401: Emerging Contaminants/Incidental Compounds is an American national standard that verifies the ability of a water treatment device to reduce up to 15 of the emerging contaminants shown below.
What does NSF 42 remove?
NSF/ANSI 42 – Removes non-harmful impurities such as chlorine and chloramine. NSF/ANSI 53 – Reduces contaminants with health effects, such as cysts (cryptosporidium, giardia), mercury, lead, MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether), turbidity, and asbestos.
What does NSF 58 mean?
Being certified to NSF/ ANSI 58 means that a system can remove the likes of nitrate and nitrite, heavy metals like lead, copper, mercury and chromium, fluoride, perchlorate, and much more.
What is the NSF?
NSF International is an independent organization that has developed standards and certifications to protect water, food, consumer products, and the environment. The main purpose of NSF is to protect and improve human health on a global scale.
How do I know whether a filter is certified by the NSF?
If a manufacturer claims that a product is certified by the NSF, they should have official documents from NSF testing to prove this .
What is NSF 177 certification?
These filters offer aesthetic improvements to water, and an NSF 177 certification can verify performance claims and offer peace of mind to the customer that the filter has been deemed effective by an independent third party.
What is NSF International 62?
If a distiller is certified to NSF International 62, it has been proven to remove specific microbiological and chemical contaminants , including chlorine, bacteria, cysts, and viruses.
What is the NSF standard for filtering?
NSF/ANSI standard 53 is another common certification, and is awarded to filters that can remove specific contaminants that are known to cause health effects.
How many NSF standards are there for water treatment?
There are 13 NSF standards in place for drinking water treatment systems today. You might come across any of the following standards when searching for a water filter in the US:
What is NSF 58?
NSF 58 is the certification specifically designed for reverse osmosis filters. Similar criteria as the NSF 53 apply. These filters must reduce contaminants as outlined by both the EPA and Health Canada. The 401 certification is based around ‘emerging contaminants’.
What is the NSF 53 certification?
NSF 53. A filter can only be awarded NSF 53 certification if it treats (and effectively reduces) at least one of the contaminants with health effects, as detailed by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).
What is the NSF and why does their certification matter?
According to their website, “NSF independently tests, audits, certifies, trains and consults for the food, water, health science, sustainability and consumer product sectors.”
What does NSF 401 mean?
The NSF 401 certification means that the filter reduces at least one one ‘emerging contaminant’. There are currently 15 of these types of contaminants, as shown here.
What is the NSF 42 filter?
NSF 42 is a certification based around the taste and smell of water. NSF 42 filters have the ability to remove chlorine as well as other unpleasant impurities which can cause your water to have a strong and unpleasant odor. NSF 53. A filter can only be awarded NSF 53 certification if it treats ...
Can a filter have multiple NSF ratings?
Yes. The filter can have more than one of the certifications listed above. If they fit the criteria for multiple NSF ratings then they can be advertised with multiple certifications.
Can you judge a water filter by NSF certification?
It is worth taking into account that the NSF certification is not the ultimate best way of judging a filter. Because of the way the filters are certified, they only need to be able to treat one contaminant to carry the certification. This means that filters which treat one contaminant can have the same rating as one that treats eight or nine. This is why it is best to read water filter reviews and only take NSF certification into account for part of your buying decision.
When was NSF founded?
NSF was founded in 1944 as an organization devoted to public health safety and protection of the environment. Today, NSF is the leading global, independent third-party certification and testing organization for products that affect water quality and food safety.
How long is NSF certification valid?
NSF conducts unannounced, annual inspections to verify continued compliance, including production facility inspections, and sometimes purchases additional product samples on the open market for further testing. The product certificate awarded by NSF is valid for 5 years, and complete product re-testing and facility inspection is required to renew the certificate for another 5 years.
What is standard 53?
NSF/ANSI Standard 53 addresses POU and POE systems designed to reduce specific health-related contaminants that may be present in public or private drinking water . Standard 53 establishes minimum requirements for material safety, structural integrity, product literature, and health related contaminant reduction performance claims. The most common technology addressed by NSF Standard 53 is carbon filtration, and the standard includes both POU and POE products. Some products fall under the scope of both NSF Standards 42 and 53 because they claim a combination of aesthetic and health claims.
How many NSF standards are there for DWTU?
Of the seven NSF Standards for DWTU, this paper primarily focuses on the two that are applicable to POU devices employing filtration technology:
How to access NSF database?
You can access the NSF database by visiting www.nsf.org.
What is an ANSI?
Founded in 1918, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private, not-for-profit organization serving as the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and , via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). ANSI is also a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). ANSI accredits and coordinates several hundred organizations and committees that develop standards for approval as American National Standards based in part on evidence of due process and consensus. ANSI provides the criteria and procedures for achieving due process and determining consensus, as Why Standards Matter For Drinking Water Filters Raising The Bar For Performance Measurement well as other requirements for the development, approval, maintenance and coordination of American National Standards. These ANSI criteria and requirements are accepted by each accredited standards developer as a condition of accreditation.
Which states have NSF certification?
States with their own standards include California, Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin. In most instances, states will recognize NSF certification as acceptable proof of drinking water system performance.
🚰 Drinking Water System Standards in The United States
- There are a number of independent bodies that have set standards for drinking water systems in the US. The standards you are most likely to hear about are as follows:
📝 NSF Standards For Drinking Water Treatment Systems
- NSF/ANSI 42
NSF/ ANSI standard 42 is one of the most commonly available NSF standards today. Companies seeking an NSF 42 certification must be able to prove that their filter can greatly reduce or remove aesthetic contaminants, including chlorine (taste and odor) and chloramines. Note that a filter w… - NSF/ANSI 44
NSF 44 offers requirements for cation exchange water softeners that remove hardness mineralsfrom public and private water supplies. Any system that uses a resin that requires regenerating with sodium or potassium chloride can apply for an NSF 44 certification. A system …
🏅 How Manufacturers Achieve NSF Standards Certification
- To be certified by the NSF, a company will be required to complete a number of application steps. 1. The company submits an application, providing information about their product. A parts list, user information, and drawings may be submitted at this stage. 2. This application will then be reviewed by NSF’s technical team. Test samples will also be ...
📊 Evaluating Competitive Products Using NSF Standards
- NSF standards make it much easier to compare drinking water treatment options. But before you get started, it’s wise to consider your filtration objectives. If you don’t know what contaminants you’re dealing with in your water source, you’ll struggle to figure out which filter is best for you. It’s also wise to be aware of additional important filter factors, including flow rate and filter capacity…
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
- Should I still buy a water filter if it doesn’t have an NSF certification?
It’s your decision. There are plenty of water fitlers out there that don’t have an NSF/ANSI certification. The Big Berkey is perhaps the most obvious example. There are a number of reasons why a company may decide not to get its products tested and certified, and generally, a lack of c… - How do I know whether a filter is certified by the NSF?
If a manufacturer claims that a product is certified by the NSF, they should have official documents from NSF testing to prove this. Don’t just take a manufacturer’s word for it. It’s easy for anyone to say that their product is NSF certified, but without the documents, you have no rea…