Filters That Reduce Lead: What to Look For

Look for NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 with lead named on the listing.

To reduce lead, pick a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead, or a reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 for lead. Pitchers, faucet filters, under-sink filters and RO systems can all qualify, so choose the type that fits your home and budget. Lead usually comes from pipes and fixtures inside your home, so your city’s numbers can’t rule it out at your tap.

See the options Check my water

Why lead gets into tap water

It usually comes from the pipes, not the source

Lead rarely comes from the river or aquifer. It usually leaches from lead service lines, old solder and brass fixtures, most often in homes built before 1986. That’s why a city can report low lead overall while one older home has more.

No safe level. The CDC and EPA say no safe level of lead exposure has been identified. Children and pregnant people are most at risk.

River or aquiferRarely
Lead rarely comes from the source.
Treatment plant
Water is treated before it enters the mains.
Lead service lineLead can enter
The pipe from the main to your home.
Old solder and brassLead can enter
Most often in homes built before 1986.
Your tapFilter here
A test of your tap shows what reaches you; a filter certified for lead reduces it.

What to look for on the box

Four checks before you buy

You can look up any model in the free NSF, WQA or IAPMO online listings before you buy.

How to read a certification →

NSF/ANSI 53 or 58, naming lead

NSF/ANSI 53 certification for lead reduction, or NSF/ANSI 58 for a reverse osmosis system that names lead.

The exact model number

The exact model number on the certificate. Certification covers one model, not the whole brand.

A certified capacity

A certified capacity in gallons. The filter is only proven up to that point.

Not the same as certified

Wording like “tested to NSF standards” or “lab-tested” is not the same as certified.

Which type fits your home

Four types can qualify

NSF/ANSI 53

Pitcher

Cheapest and no install. Slow to filter, and cartridges need changing often.

Cost: Lowest
Install: None
Flow: Slow
Renters: Yes

NSF/ANSI 53

Faucet-mount

Clips onto most standard faucets without tools. Good for renters, but it won’t fit pull-down faucets.

Cost: Low
Install: No tools
Flow: At the tap
Renters: Yes

NSF/ANSI 53

Under-sink carbon

More capacity and a steady flow from its own faucet. Takes 30–60 minutes to install.

Cost: Medium
Install: 30–60 min
Flow: Steady
Renters: Ask first

NSF/ANSI 58

Reverse osmosis

Reduces lead plus many other contaminants. Costs more and sends some water down the drain.

Cost: Highest
Install: Drain line
Also reduces: Many more
Water to drain: Some

Simple habits that help too

These help, but they don’t replace a certified filter or a test of your own tap.

Use cold water for drinking, cooking and baby formula. Hot water picks up more lead from pipes.
If water has sat in the pipes for hours, run the tap until it feels colder before you drink it.
Clean the faucet aerator every few months; lead particles can collect there.
Don’t boil water to get rid of lead. Boiling doesn’t remove it.
Find out whether you have a lead service line, and ask your utility about replacing it.

Good for

Homes built before 1986, or with brass fixtures or a lead service line
Anyone whose city record or home test shows lead
Homes with babies, young children or a pregnant person

Not the right fit for

Hard-water scale→ that’s a softener’s job
Fixing the source→ a lead service line still needs replacing

Before you buy, check what is in your water. Your water system’s record shows which contaminants have been found, so you only pay for treatment you need.

Check my water →

Commercial · filters for lead we trackWe may earn a commission

Filters for lead we track

Each card shows whether the model is certified for lead. Open a product to see its certificate. Some links are affiliate links: PurityMap may earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.