The Consumer Confidence Report available from you local utility company can provide you with the results of previous water tests which will identify the substances found in your water supply. Then you can determine if you want to do further testing for lead, pesticides or chlorine, some of the potential hazards that you may find in your drinking water. Once you know what substances are in the water, you can determine what type of water purifiers are available to filter out the substances in your water.

There are different types of water purifiers on the market. A carbon filter water purifier is probably the least expensive. You should opt for the solid block charcoal filter over the carbon granules as they are more effective. Some of the water filtration systems attach directly to your faucet or to the pipes underneath.

A reverse osmosis system will more efficiently filter the substances out of your drinking water. They utilize a membrane to strain out the sediment. These types of filtration systems are very effective when there are a lot of contaminants in the water but they tend to be more costly. The reverse osmosis water purifier is a good choice when you need to remove numerous substances.

Founded in 1944, The National Sanitation Foundation, the most highly respected third-party testing institution in the water treatment industry, developed a system for certifying water filters. NSF uses the terms "certified" or "listed" in connection with a product, good, component, system, material, compound or ingredient ("Product"). A Product that is certified or listed means that NSF: (1) reviewed the Product, most often through a sampling of the Product; (2) determined at the time of the review that the Product complies with the relevant NSF consensus standard and/or protocol ("Standard"); and (3) conducted or will conduct (as more specifically set forth in the Standard) periodic audits to review whether the Product continues to comply with the Standard. After NSF certifies or lists the Product, NSF authorizes the manufacturer of the Product to use the NSF Mark on or in connection with the sale, use or distribution of that Product. Knowing this, it is a good idea to buy a water purifier that is NSF approved.

The most important objective is to choose a system that specifically targets the known or potential contaminants in your personal water supply.