Checked Water Editorial Team
Editorial team
The Checked Water editorial team researches home water quality and treatment using certification listings, EPA and state data, utility reports and peer-reviewed studies, following our editorial policy. Every article cites its sources.
Articles
Best Reverse Osmosis Systems, Checked Against Their Certifications
We checked six popular home RO systems against their NSF, WQA and IAPMO listings: what each is certified for, filter costs, wastewater and who it suits.
How Reverse Osmosis Works: What It Removes and What It Wastes
How a home reverse osmosis system works, what it removes and misses, how much water goes down the drain, and how to tell if you need one.
Hard Water: What It Does (and Doesn't Do) and How to Fix It
Hard water is calcium and magnesium, not a health hazard. What it does to pipes, skin and hair, how to test it, and when a softener is worth it.
How to Read Your Water Quality Report (CCR), Step by Step
What MCL, MCLG, action level and range mean in your utility's water quality report, when it arrives, what changes in 2027 and what it can't tell you.
Well Water Testing: What to Test For and How Often
Nobody tests a private well but you. What to test every year, what to add for your area, when to test again, how to sample, and how to read the results.
Lead in Drinking Water: Sources, Testing and Filters That Work
Where lead in tap water comes from, what the 2024 lead rule changes, how to check your service line and test, and how to pick a filter certified for lead.
Strong evidencePFAS in Drinking Water: What They Are and What the EPA Rules Say
PFAS are long-lasting chemicals found in some US tap and well water. What the research shows, where EPA limits stand in 2026 and how to check your water.
Moderate evidence