Quick Drips

A stainless steel pot of water at a full rolling boil on a stovetop with steam rising.

Does a Water Filter Remove Bacteria? Boil It Anyway

Maricopa, Arizona spent a day under a boil advisory over a possible E. coli result, and a lot of households asked the same question: does a filter pitcher count? The CDC answer is no, and here is why.

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Two plain unmarked white envelopes lying on a pale tiled entryway floor just inside a door.

A Notice From Your Water Utility: What Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 Mean

Two Midwest utilities sent notices days apart this month: a 24 hour boil water advisory in Kalamazoo and a 30 day PFAS notice in Pewaukee. The tier on a drinking water notice tells you how fast to act, and where a filter fits.

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A clear glass of fresh water on a bright kitchen counter in soft morning light

What to Do During a Boil Water Advisory

Boil water advisories are showing up more often as water mains age. Here is what an advisory actually means, exactly what to do while it is in effect, and why a carbon filter is not the fix.

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A modern kitchen faucet running a clear stream of cold water into a stainless steel sink in morning daylight.

Your Boil Water Advisory Just Lifted. Now What?

A 30-inch main break in Cary, North Carolina put 50,000 customers under a boil water advisory on September 14, and the all-clear came about 24 hours later. Here is what to actually do once a notice lifts, why utility guidance on flushing and filters genuinely differs, and what a drinking-water filter can and cannot do.

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