# Introduction ## Countries ranked by drinking water quality - [Water Quality by Country](https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/water-quality-by-country) ## Potential contaminants in "safe" water There can be a lot of things in "safe" water. Even though tap water is regulated, many of the following things can still be present at "low" or "acceptable" levels depending on the country, the local water source, and the treatment quality: - **Microorganisms**: - Bacteria (e.g., _E. coli_, _Legionella_) - Viruses (e.g., Norovirus, Hepatitis A) - Parasites (e.g., _Giardia_, _Cryptosporidium_) - **Chemical residues**: - Chlorine (added for disinfection) - Chloramine (another disinfectant) - Fluoride (added for dental health in some countries) - Nitrate and nitrite (from fertilizers) - Pesticides and herbicides - Pharmaceuticals (like antibiotics, antidepressants — trace amounts) - Hormone residues (e.g., from birth control pills) - **Heavy Metals**: - Lead (from old pipes) - Mercury - Arsenic - Cadmium - Chromium-6 - **Industrial pollutants**: - PFAS ("forever chemicals" — used in non-stick cookware, waterproof materials) - VOCs (volatile organic compounds — from paints, fuels, etc.) - PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls — industrial lubricants) - **Microplastics**: - Plastic particles from bottles, filters, pipelines - Nanoplastics (extremely tiny, harder to filter) - **Byproducts from water treatment**: - Trihalomethanes (THMs) — formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter - Haloacetic acids (HAAs) - **Nanoparticles** (not just plastics, but also from sunscreens, cosmetics) - **Algae toxins** (from algal blooms — cyanotoxins) # Tap water By AS ## TL;DR - Filters for shower & faucet available in Europe - Shower, NSF 42 : [AquaHomeGroup 15 Stage Shower Filter with Vitamin C, E for Hard Water – NSF 42 Certified](https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B085Y3F6V9?smid=A1X6FK5RDHNB96&th=1) - Faucet : **[PUR PLUS Faucet Mount Water Filtration System – Chrome](https://www.amazon.com/PUR-Faucet-Filtration-System-Chrome/dp/B01I3D6DZ6)** → Blocks 70 chemicals/minerals including pesticides, etc. (**Does not block PFAS**) ## What makes a good water filter? - [Certifications NSF/ANSI: gold standard. Need to be certified, and not just “tested”](https://www.notion.so/Water-filter-cfc72f123cda46319b0fd977e9c54435?pvs=21) - **NSF/ANSI 42**: Filters are certified to reduce aesthetic impurities such as chlorine and taste/odor. These can be point-of-use (under the sink, water pitcher, etc.) or point-of-entry (whole house) treatment systems. - **NSF/ANSI 53**: Filters are certified to reduce a contaminant with a health effect. Health effects are set in this standard as regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health Canada. Both standards 42 and 53 cover adsorption/filtration which is a process that occurs when liquid, gas or dissolved/suspended matter adheres to the surface of, or in the pores of, an adsorbent media. Carbon filters are an example of this type of product. - **NSF/ANSI 401**: Treatment systems for emerging contaminants include both point-of-use and point-of-entry systems that have been verified to reduce one or more of 15 emerging contaminants from drinking water. These emerging contaminants can be pharmaceuticals or chemicals not yet regulated by the EPA or Health Canada. - **NSF/ANSI 177**: Shower filters attach directly to the pipe just in front of the homeowner’s showerhead and are certified to only reduce free available chlorine. ## Water filter formats ### Faucet mount - [PUR is the best](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-faucet-water-filter/) - Not sold in the EU - Simplest installation and use, and can be bypassed with a switch - this is useful to draw hot water as temperatures above 40deg celsius will damage the filter ### Under Sink - Aquasana : Best, not sold in EU - Only linked to cold water ### Shower - Less stringent certifications there, as it is not being drunk. Filters just remove chloride. - [Pitcher](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-water-filter-pitcher/) - Comparison - simplest/cheapest - PUR classic : the best by far - Brita Elite Filter (formerly the Longlast+) has even more certifications, but it can get clogged - Brita standard : Ok - Lifestraw : Ok # Bottled water ## Why drinking water from glass bottles and not plastic bottles? - Ideally, you should never drink water from a plastic container. Only from glass. - Even BPA-free plastics still release microplastic particles into the water. And that, in particular for men, this can lead to reduced fertility. - Bryan Johnson - Mentioned that each person now has the equivalent of a ping-pong ball or even a tennis ball of plastic spread throughout their body. - The average male has eight milligrams of plastics in each testicle and the average brain has over 50% more plastic than I did 10 years ago. ## Water bottle - **Criteria for a reusable water bottle**: - **Material**: Glass, ideally with a glass lid (or at least stainless steel) - Avoid plastic, even BPA-free plastic. - **Capacity**: Around 1L, to be used during a workout session (e.g., home trainer, etc.) without needing to refill, and to encourage drinking more water. - **Wide opening at the top** for: - Easy handwashing when needed (for example, after using it as a shaker or smoothie). - Adding powders or smoothies directly into it. - **Impact protection for the glass?** For example, a cover or sleeve. - **Leak-proof**: A lid/cap that seals well to prevent spills when placed in a bag. - **Dishwasher-safe** for easy maintenance. - Shortlist of resusable bottles accessible in Europe: - [HYDRAGLAZIC 2L Glass Water Bottle with Straw and Motivational Time Marker, Bottle with Silicone Sleeve, Wide Mouth, Borosilicate, BPA-Free, Leak-Proof, Grey: Amazon.fr: Sports & Outdoors](https://www.amazon.fr/HYDRAGLAZIC-Motivationnel-Bouteille-Borosilicate-Anti-fuite/dp/B0CM9DYB93) - Unfortunately, it has a plastic lid - Removable straw - => **Good trade-off** - Best bottle in many American rankings (e.g., [The 8 Best Water Bottles of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-water-bottle/#the-best-glass-water-bottle-purifyou-premium-22-ounces)). - [Purifyou's Glass Water Bottles Are the Best Choice for Your Health](https://www.purifyou.com/blogs/blog/why-purifyous-glass-water-bottles-are-the-best-choice-for-your-health?_pos=10&_sid=fd5586ac2&_ss=r) - [12oz/32oz Premium Glass Water Bottle – Purifyou](https://www.purifyou.com/products/glass-water-bottles?variant=40200855715974) - Bottle without plastic (stainless steel lid). But spout not wide enough. - [Seekua 0.6L Sports Glass Water Bottle with Straw & Motivational Time Marker 600ml Reusable BPA-Free Glass Bottle with Time Marking: Amazon.fr: Sports & Outdoors](https://www.amazon.fr/Seekua-Motivation-Bouteille-R%C3%A9utilisable-Marqueur/dp/B0C8G2L2B8) - The spout doesn't seem wide enough to be practical - [2-Liter Glass Water Bottle with Neoprene Sleeve, Portable Waterproof Eco-Friendly Borosilicate Glass BPA-Free Lid: Amazon.fr: Sports & Outdoors](https://www.amazon.fr/Bouteille-Protection-Couvercle-%C3%89cologique-Borosilicate/dp/B07QCT7K96) - Stainless steel lid - Comes with a cleaning system for the bottle - But everyone in the reviews says it's too fragile