Because most lead in tap water comes from your own plumbing.
Heavy metal · Enters water after the treatment plant
What it is
Lead is a heavy metal with no safe level of exposure, particularly for children and pregnant people. The EPA's maximum contaminant level goal for lead is zero.
How it gets into your water
Lead almost never comes from the source water — it leaches in after water leaves the treatment plant, through aging service lines, brass fixtures, and household plumbing soldered before the 1986 lead-solder ban. The EWG notes utility tests can underreport household lead because they sample under ideal conditions, not from average household plumbing.
Why families filter it
Because the only reliable way to know your water is lead-free at the tap is to filter at the tap. Service-line replacement programs are accelerating, but most U.S. homes still have at least some pre-1986 plumbing in the chain.
99.94%
Pure XP lead reduction. Independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI Standard 53 (Health Effects).
Source: U.S. EPA Lead and Copper Rule; EWG Tap Water Database (2025 update).
Because forever chemicals don't break down — in water or in the body.
Synthetic compounds · Widely detected in U.S. tap water
What it is
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of more than 12,000 synthetic chemicals used since the 1940s in non-stick coatings, stain-resistant fabrics, food packaging, and firefighting foam. They're called "forever chemicals" because they don't meaningfully break down in the environment or the body.
How it gets into your water
PFAS reaches drinking water through industrial discharge, firefighting-foam runoff, and landfill leachate. A 2023 USGS study tested tap water from 716 sites across the U.S. and estimated that at least 45% of U.S. tap water contains one or more PFAS compounds.
Why families filter it
Because the regulators agree this is a contaminant worth limiting. In April 2024 the EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking water standard for PFAS, setting maximum contaminant levels of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS — and stating in the rule preamble that no level of exposure to PFOA or PFOS is considered safe. Utilities have until 2027 to comply. Filtering at the tap is how you don't wait three years.
99.8%
Pure XP PFAS reduction. Independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI P473 (PFOA & PFOS).
Sources: USGS, "Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in United States tapwater" (Environment International, 2023); U.S. EPA, "PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation," final rule April 10, 2024.
Because the simplest way to drink less plastic is to filter your tap.
Plastic fragments · Detected in tap water and bottled water
What it is
Microplastics are plastic fragments smaller than 5 mm; nanoplastics are smaller than 1 micrometer — small enough to cross from the gut into the bloodstream and onward to organs. A 2024 Columbia/Rutgers study published in PNAS identified an average of ~240,000 plastic fragments per liter of bottled water, roughly 90% of which were nanoplastics — 10 to 100 times more than earlier studies estimated.
How it gets into your water
Through plastic packaging (especially bottled water), plastic plumbing components, and degradation of plastic waste in source watersheds. Tap water generally contains far less plastic than bottled water, but it's not plastic-free.
Why families filter it
Because the simplest way to drink less plastic is to stop drinking from plastic bottles and start filtering tap water at home. That's the core of Epic's mission — restoring trust in tap water so families can leave bottled water behind.
99.6%
Pure XP microplastics reduction. Independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI Standard 401 (Emerging Contaminants).
Source: Qian, N. et al., "Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy," PNAS, January 8, 2024 (Columbia University, Rutgers University).
Because what protects the water in the pipes doesn't need to reach your glass.
Disinfectant · The reason tap water often smells "like a pool"
What it is
Chlorine and its cousin chloramine are added to virtually all U.S. municipal water supplies to kill bacteria and viruses on the way to your tap. That disinfection step is one of the most important public-health interventions of the last century.
How it gets into your water
It's added at the treatment plant, on purpose. The downside is two-fold: residual chlorine creates the chemical taste and smell most people associate with tap water, and chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter to form disinfection byproducts (see #5).
Why families filter it
Mostly for taste, smell, and the experience of drinking the water. The disinfection step is doing useful work in the pipes; reducing the chlorine residual at the tap doesn't undo that work — it just means the water reaching your glass tastes cleaner.
98.4%
Pure XP chlorine reduction. NSF certified to Standard 42 (Aesthetic Effects: chlorine taste, odor, particulates).
Source: U.S. EPA, "Drinking Water Regulations: Chlorine, Chloramine, and Chlorine Dioxide."
Because the EPA's legal limit isn't the same as the health-protective limit.
Disinfection byproducts · EPA-regulated
What it is
Trihalomethanes (THMs) are a group of four chemicals — chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform — that form when chlorine reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in water. The EPA's legal limit for total THMs is 80 parts per billion.
How it gets into your water
It's a side effect of disinfection. Source water with more organic content (rivers, certain reservoirs) tends to produce more THMs at the treatment plant. The EWG's 2025 database update shows tens of thousands of U.S. water systems delivering THMs at levels above what many health scientists consider protective, even when within the legal limit.
Why families filter it
Because the EPA's legal limit and the level scientists consider health-protective aren't the same number. Filtering at the tap is the simplest way to bring the actual concentration in your glass closer to the latter.
99.4%
Pure XP trihalomethane reduction. Independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI Standard 53 (Health Effects).
Source: EWG Tap Water Database, 2025 update; U.S. EPA, "Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule."
Skip ahead — get the pitcher.
The Pure XP pitcher reduces every contaminant on this page, with the lab data and NSF/ANSI standard listed by name. 100-gallon filter capacity (about 3–4 months). $84.
Shop Pure XP Pitcher
NSF certified to Standard 42
Tested against 5 NSF/ANSI standards
Replaceable cartridge — 75% less plastic waste
BPA- and BPS-free, food-grade materials
Made in Palmetto, FL
Because how much fluoride your family drinks should be your call.
Dental-health additive · Discretionary for some households
What it is
Fluoride is added to about two-thirds of U.S. public water systems for dental-health reasons. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends a level of 0.7 mg/L — a level it lowered in 2015 from the previous range of 0.7–1.2 mg/L.
How it gets into your water
For most U.S. households, it's added on purpose at the treatment plant. In some regions, fluoride also occurs naturally in groundwater at higher levels.
Why families filter it
Some families want fluoride at the tap; some prefer to control their fluoride intake separately, through toothpaste and dental visits. Pure XP gives families the option without making the choice for them.
97.88%
Pure XP fluoride reduction. Independently lab-tested.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "U.S. Public Health Service Recommendation for Fluoride Concentration in Drinking Water for the Prevention of Dental Caries," 2015.
Because there's no federal limit on pharmaceutical residues in tap water.
Trace residues · Not currently regulated by the EPA
What it is
Trace levels of pharmaceuticals — antibiotics, antidepressants, hormones, painkillers — and personal-care chemicals have been detected in source waters and treated tap water across the U.S. since major USGS and Associated Press studies first surfaced the issue in the late 2000s.
How it gets into your water
Through normal human excretion, flushed unused medications, agricultural runoff, and industrial discharge. Standard municipal treatment processes weren't designed to remove pharmaceutical residues at trace levels.
Why families filter it
Because there's no current EPA regulation for pharmaceutical residues in drinking water, which means there's no enforced limit. NSF/ANSI Standard 401 was developed specifically to test filter performance against these "emerging contaminants."
Tested
Pure XP pharmaceuticals. Independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI Standard 401 (Emerging Contaminants), which covers ibuprofen, naproxen, estrone, and other common pharmaceutical residues.
Source: NSF/ANSI 401 Standard for Emerging Compounds/Incidental Contaminants; USGS National Reconnaissance of Pharmaceuticals and Other Organic Wastewater Contaminants.
Because herbicide levels rise with the planting season — and the watershed.
Agricultural herbicide residues · Detected in farming-belt watersheds
What it is
Glyphosate is the most widely applied herbicide in U.S. agriculture. Atrazine — also commonly detected in U.S. drinking water — is one of the most heavily used corn-belt herbicides. Both are tracked by the USGS in surface and groundwater.
How it gets into your water
Through agricultural runoff into the rivers and aquifers that feed municipal water supplies. Detection rates rise during spring application season and after heavy rainfall.
Why families filter it
Because herbicide presence in tap water tends to be regional and seasonal, which makes it hard to know what your tap is delivering on any given week. Filtering at the tap removes the variable.
99.9%
Pure XP glyphosate reduction (and 99.8% atrazine). Independently lab-tested.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, National Water-Quality Assessment Program, pesticide monitoring.
Because municipal disinfection is excellent — until it isn't.
Microbiological contaminants · Boil-water advisory backstop
What it is
Giardia and Cryptosporidium are protozoan parasites that can survive standard chlorine disinfection and have been the cause of municipal boil-water advisories. Cryptosporidium was responsible for the 1993 Milwaukee outbreak that affected an estimated 400,000 people.
How it gets into your water
Through contamination of source water — typically from agricultural or animal waste — combined with treatment failures or pipeline breaks. Private well water carries higher baseline microbiological risk.
Why families filter it
Because municipal disinfection is excellent until it isn't. A boil-water advisory is when most people learn their tap doesn't have a backup. Microbiological filtration at the tap is the backup.
Tested
Pure XP microbiological protection. Independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI P231 and P473 — the standards covering bacterial, viral, and protozoan reduction for travel, well-water, and emergency-preparedness use cases.
Source: U.S. CDC, "Cryptosporidium Outbreak Reports"; NSF/ANSI Standards P231 and P473.
Frequently asked questions
Is U.S. tap water safe to drink?
By regulatory standards, yes — most U.S. tap water meets EPA legal limits. But the EPA's legal limits and what scientists consider health-protective are not always the same number. The EWG Tap Water Database catalogs hundreds of contaminants found in U.S. utilities at levels above health-based guidelines. Many families choose to filter for an additional layer of removal at the tap.
Does the Pure XP pitcher remove PFAS?
Yes. The Pure XP filter is independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI P473 and reduces PFAS by 99.8%. The EPA's federal PFAS drinking-water rule, finalized in April 2024, sets a maximum contaminant level of 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS — utilities have until 2027 to comply.
How long does the Pure XP filter last?
100 gallons, which works out to roughly 3–4 months of typical household use. The pitcher's LED filter timer tells you when it's time to swap the cartridge. Replacement cartridges are available individually and in 3- and 6-packs on subscription.
Is the Pure XP NSF certified?
Yes. Pure XP is NSF certified to Standard 42 (Aesthetic Effects). It is also independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 401, P231, and P473. We're specific about this because most competitors say "tested to NSF" — which is not the same as being NSF certified. NSF certification means NSF International itself reviews, tests, audits, and retests the product on an ongoing basis.
Where is the Pure XP made?
In our own facility in Palmetto, Florida. Epic is vertically integrated — manufacturing, quality control, and assembly all happen in-house, not outsourced. Filtration media is sourced from the U.S. and Japan.
Will Pure XP remove minerals like calcium and magnesium?
No, and that's intentional. Pure XP targets contaminants — PFAS, lead, microplastics, chlorine, pharmaceuticals, parasites — without stripping out the minerals that contribute to water's taste and to dietary mineral intake.
How does Pure XP compare to a typical Brita pitcher?
The two are tested to different standards. Most basic pitcher filters target chlorine taste/odor (NSF 42) and a limited set of heavy metals. Pure XP is tested across NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401, P231, and P473 — covering PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, parasites, and other contaminants outside the scope of a basic pitcher. Every removal claim on this page is from third-party lab testing against the specific standard cited.
