A third of U.S. households are renters. Most of them are stuck with whatever the building owner installed, sometimes decades ago. That doesn't have to include the water.
The big constraint for renters isn't curiosity about water quality — it's that nothing you can install requires drilling, plumbing changes, or a conversation with a landlord who'd rather not hear about it. Under-sink systems and reverse-osmosis units are out. Whole-home filtration is out. What's left is the pitcher format — and the pitcher format has caught up.
This guide walks through the four constraints renters face that homeowners don't, what each one means for your tap water, and why the Pure XP pitcher is built specifically around the renter's reality: no install, no permission, fits any kitchen, and comes with you when the lease ends. Every removal percentage cited comes from independent third-party lab testing against the NSF/ANSI standard listed alongside it.
The four constraints
Why most home filtration is built for homeowners — and what to do instead.
Renters face four constraints homeowners don't. Each one is the reason most people skip home filtration entirely. Each one is also why the pitcher format exists.
Because your landlord doesn't want you drilling under the sink — and that's fine.
Most home filters require permanent installation · Pure XP doesn't
Why it's a constraint
Most "home water filtration" systems — under-sink filters, reverse-osmosis units, whole-house systems — require permanent plumbing modifications: cutting into the cold-water line, drilling through the cabinet for a faucet, mounting a tank, running new tubing. That's a property modification. Most leases either prohibit it outright or require landlord approval, which usually means the conversation never happens.
What works instead
The pitcher format exists specifically to bypass this. Pure XP sits on your counter, fills from the tap, and runs entirely on gravity. There's nothing to install, nothing to drill, nothing to modify. When you eventually move, you take it with you.
0
Plumbing modifications required. Fill from any tap, sit it on any flat surface. Pure XP is approved for use on any countertop your landlord approves of you putting a coffee maker on.
Source: Industry standard lease terms; pitcher-format filter design.
Because pre-1986 plumbing affects renters more than anyone.
Lead pipes and brass fixtures · The single biggest reason renters have a real reason to filter
Why it's a constraint
Lead in tap water almost always comes from the building's own plumbing — service lines, brass fixtures, and pre-1986 lead solder. Older buildings, particularly multi-family rental stock in older neighborhoods, are most likely to have at least some legacy plumbing in the water path. The EPA's Lead and Copper Rule requires utilities to identify and replace lead service lines, but the timeline runs into the 2030s — and the rule applies to public service lines, not what's inside your apartment building.
What works instead
The EPA specifically recommends a point-of-use filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction. Pure XP is independently lab-tested against that exact standard, with 99.94% lead reduction on the lab report. As a renter, you can't replace your building's plumbing — but you can filter the water that comes out of it.
99.94%
Pure XP lead reduction. Independently lab-tested against NSF/ANSI Standard 53 — the EPA's recommended standard for lead.
Source: U.S. EPA Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water; CDC Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention.
Because filtering at home is roughly five times cheaper than bottled.
Annual math · The single most-skipped financial argument for renters
Why it's a constraint
Renters who don't trust their tap water tend to buy bottled. The math is brutal: the average household spends roughly $1,000+ per year on bottled water at retail prices, with urban renters often paying more for delivery or convenience. The water itself is bottled tap, frequently sourced from public utilities and resold at a 1,000x markup. A 2024 PNAS study also found ~240,000 plastic fragments per liter of bottled water — most of them nanoplastics small enough to cross into the bloodstream. The case for switching is partly health, mostly money.
What works instead
Pure XP is $84 up front and roughly $200/year in replacement cartridges (one every 3–4 months). That's about a fifth of the bottled-water spend, and the break-even is usually within the first month. Add in not having to lug bottled water up apartment stairs and the calculation tilts further.
~5x
Cheaper than bottled water. Pure XP all-in is roughly $200–$300/year vs. $1,000+ for the average household's bottled spend. The math gets worse for bottled the more people are in the household.
Source: Beverage Industry Magazine (2025); Beverage Marketing Corporation; PNAS January 2024.
Because anything you install is something you leave behind.
Movability matters · The reason most renters skip home filtration entirely
Why it's a constraint
If you install something permanent — under-sink filter, RO unit, water softener — you're either leaving it behind when you move or paying a plumber to remove it. Both options waste the original investment. The unspoken effect is that most renters skip home filtration entirely; the math doesn't work when the asset doesn't follow you.
What works instead
Pure XP unscrews from its filter cartridge in about 30 seconds, packs in a moving box, and resumes filtering the same day at the new place. Cartridges are sold at any Epic store and ship to subscribers automatically. The investment compounds over years and apartments instead of getting written off when you sign a new lease.
30s
Disconnect time. Unscrew the cartridge, drop in a moving box, refill at the new tap. The total install/uninstall labor across a renter's lifecycle is essentially zero.
Source: Pure XP product specs; renter-format design.
Frequently asked questions
Can I install a water filter as a renter?
Yes — if you pick the right format. A pitcher filter like Pure XP requires zero installation, drilling, or plumbing modification. It sits on your counter or in your fridge and runs entirely on gravity. No landlord conversations, no security deposit at risk. Under-sink filters and reverse-osmosis systems do require drilling and plumbing changes, which is why most renters skip them.
Why do older buildings have more lead in the water?
Lead in tap water almost never comes from the source — it leaches in through aging service lines, brass fixtures, and pre-1986 lead solder. Buildings constructed before 1986 are most at risk, which means renters in older neighborhoods often have more lead exposure than homeowners in new builds. The EPA's Lead and Copper Rule requires utilities to identify and replace lead service lines, but the timeline runs into the 2030s. Filtering at the tap with a filter certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 is the EPA's recommended interim solution.
Is filtered tap water cheaper than bottled water?
Significantly. The average household spends roughly $1,000+ per year on bottled water. A Pure XP pitcher costs $84, with replacement cartridges at ~$50 every 3-4 months — about $200/year for unlimited filtered water. The break-even is usually within the first month. Add in not having to lug bottled water up apartment stairs and the math gets even better.
Will the pitcher fit my apartment fridge?
Pure XP is sized for a standard refrigerator door or top shelf. The pitcher is 8.5 liters in capacity but designed slim for fridge fit. If your kitchen is small, it works equally well on the counter. The pitcher format is specifically intentional — it doesn't need its own dedicated space the way an under-sink unit does.
Can I take the filter when I move?
Yes — that's one of the main reasons renters choose pitcher filters. The Pure XP pitcher unscrews from its filter cartridge in about 30 seconds, packs in a moving box, and resumes filtering at the new place the same day. Compare to an under-sink filter, which would either stay with the apartment or require a plumber to remove and re-install.
Does Pure XP work with my refrigerator water dispenser?
No — fridge water dispensers run on the building's water line and have their own internal filter (which the building owner replaces, or doesn't). Pure XP is independent of the fridge's water system. You fill the pitcher manually and drink from the pitcher itself. If your fridge dispenser's filter hasn't been changed in a while, the Pure XP gives you a parallel filtered-water source you control.
How do I know if the water in my building is safe?
Every U.S. public water system is required to publish an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) listing detected contaminants and how they compare to EPA limits. Your landlord or property manager can usually point you to it; the EPA's website also lists CCRs by zip code. The CDC and EPA agree that legal compliance is not the same as health-protective levels — many utilities operate within EPA limits while still delivering water with measurable contaminants.
Where is Pure XP made?
In our own facility in Palmetto, Florida. Epic is vertically integrated — manufacturing, quality control, and assembly all happen in-house, with filtration media sourced from the U.S. and Japan.
