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Most tap water in the United States is generally safe to use for drinking and washing. However, there are always exceptions to the rule, leading some to need effective ways to purify household water and eliminate harmful toxins. Localities are bound by law to follow a strict set of water purity requirements from the Environmental Protection Agency. So, you should understand the local municipal water situation before buying a house. However, the EPA also advises that things do slip through because of older infrastructure in certain areas or a localized disaster, like a toxic chemical leak.

For example, the EPA lists “microorganisms (e.g., E. coli, Giardia, and noroviruses), inorganic chemicals (e.g., lead, arsenic, nitrates, and nitrites), organic chemicals (e.g., atrazine, glyphosate, trichloroethylene, and tetrachloroethylene), and disinfection byproducts (e.g., chloroform)” as toxins that might show up in American tap water. To avoid getting sick, having irritated skin, or to just have better-tasting drinking water, many choose to filter the water coming into their homes. Luckily, there are many effective, relatively low-cost options that feature DIY installation and start working ASAP. These are the best options to choose from, and the science that backs them up.

One of the first steps to take for more purified household water is a whole-house water filtration system, using things like ion exchange, reverse osmosis, or activated carbon technology to get the job done. The CDC emphasizes that not all homes necessarily need water filtration systems, especially if your tap water meets federal and local safety standards and tests clean for harmful contaminants. In fact, chemicals like chlorine and fluoride, which are often targeted for removal by filters, serve important purposes. Chlorine helps disinfect water and prevent bacterial growth as it travels through the system, while fluoride helps reduce tooth decay. That said, many people choose to filter water to improve taste, odor, or personal comfort, especially when it comes to chlorine. Yet a whole-house systems that remove chlorine from all incoming water may increase the risk of bacteria growing in your home plumbing since the chemical is no longer there to suppress microbial growth.

For those who do prefer to filter anyway, there are different whole-house options to consider. The PurePlus Whole House Water Filter is great for getting rid of chlorine and sediment, using a 5-micron filtration system to remove these larger particles, making water taste a bit better. You can DIY install it, but remember to change the filter from time to time to keep things fresh. If you are focused on removing contaminants like lead or PFAS chemicals, you will need something like the APEC Water Systems ROES-PH75, which uses reverse osmosis instead of a typical filter.

Too much chlorine in tap water can irritate sensitive skin. If you are feeling dried out, itchy, or notice your eczema or rosacea is getting worse, it might be because of the water in your home. If you have hard water, the overabundance of calcium and magnesium can irritate the skin. A good way to cut back on this irritation is by using a shower filter, like the AquaBliss High Output Revitalizing Shower Filter. This option uses an activated carbon filter, among other layers, to remove chlorine, foul odors, and dirt. Activated carbon showerhead filters might also be able to reduce the presence of VOCs in the water, which the EWG says you can inhale in the steam while showering.

Before buying an activated carbon filter, it’s good to understand how it works to protect you. They trap harmful substances onto their surface as water passes through. Activated carbon is very porous, giving it a huge surface area. As water passes through it, the mentioned contaminants then get stuck to this complex surface. Because the substances will build up, you will need to change the filter to make sure it continues to do its job. For the AquaBliss, the manufacturer recommends replacing it every four to six months.

If you are primarily trying to improve the taste of your drinking water, you can purchase a filter just for the tap in the kitchen. The Waterdrop X8-Basic Reverse Osmosis System is a great size for most households, while those looking at a filter for a school or office might consider the larger Waterdrop X12-Alkaline Mineral pH+ Reverse Osmosis System. This brand is a great choice for this option, as independent third-party testing showed the WaterDrop Reverse Osmosis Filter X12 to filter fluoride by 80%, barium by 97%, strontium by 84%, and sulfate by 92%. The tested water also has reduced levels of lead, cobalt, and uranium, plus chlorine, copper, molybdenum, potassium, and zinc. Remember, for some, chlorine and fluoride are not an issue — it is a matter of preference.

However, the same tester advised that this option might not be a good fit for everyone. If you’re worried about things like wasted water, high electricity use, or the complex installation that often comes with reverse osmosis systems, this one might not be the right choice for you. Also, keep in mind that the X Series needs to be installed inside your sink area in a way that involves some work and space underneath. If that doesn’t work for your setup, you might want to look into simpler options like a filter that connects directly to your sink or a countertop reverse osmosis system instead.

If you want to filter your water, but rent, or don’t have the space to install an under-sink filtration system as mentioned, a countertop pitcher is a reasonable solution. However, a lot of these pitcher filters don’t work perfectly. Popular brand Brita even has a lawsuit leveled against it because of allegedly overpromising what their filters can remove, like harmful PFAS or “forever chemicals,” from your tap water. So before buying one, do thorough research to understand exactly what type of filtering the pitcher you are interested in is, and how it works.

A great place to begin is with a water testing kit, like the 20-in-1 Drinking Water Testing Kit. It’s one of many great water testing kits to use at home. If you know exactly what’s in your local water supply, you can narrow in on what you need to prevent. For example, your tap water might be high enough in chlorine that it makes the water taste bad to you, but low on metals like mercury and lead. In this instance, you would search for a filter that advertises more effectiveness against chlorine. The Epic Water Filters Pure Filter Pitchers scored high on independent, third-party tests for overall contaminant reduction, while the ZeroWater 10-Cup Ready-Pour 5-Stage Water Filter Pitcher and Clearly Filtered Pitcher also had high contaminant reduction scores and functionality.

If you’re trying to remove harmful chemicals like PFAS from your drinking water, gravity-fed water filters can be a good option instead of just regular pitcher filters, especially if you are just renting or not in the position to make more permanent changes to your home’s plumbing. Unlike pitchers, which usually hold only a small amount of water and are mostly made of plastic, these gravity-fed filters can hold more water and are often made from stainless steel or other materials that don’t contain plastic — great for people who want to avoid plastic touching their water. They don’t need plumbing or electricity to work, making them useful for daily home use or in emergencies when resources might be limited.

The Travel Berkey Gravity-Fed Water Filter with 2 Black Berkey Elements is one highly-rated option. While initially expensive at over $300, the EWG conducted independent testing and found that Berkey filters are nearly 100% effective at removing PFAS chemicals. The company itself advertises that its lab results indicate Berkey filters remove up to 99.9% of heavy metals, pharmaceutical drug contaminants, trihalomethanes, and even pesticides and VOCs.

Sometimes, instead of installing a permanent filter on the tap itself, you can hang a bath ball on the faucet and clean the water that way. While bath balls are sometimes advertised to filter out many of the mentioned toxins, they are most effective at ridding water of chlorine and chloramine, which can be irritants. These chemicals are added to municipal water companies to disinfect the supply, but they can be harsh on skin and hair, especially for young children or those with allergies or dry skin conditions. By reducing these chemicals, bath ball filters can help minimize irritation, redness, or that tight, dry feeling after a bath. They’re a simple solution for households looking to make bath time gentler, without committing to a full-home filtration system.

There are many options for this on the market, like the Crystal Quest Chrome Bath Ball Filter. This is a US-based company and the product is also BPA-free. It also comes in a few different colors, if that’s something that is important to you. The Crystal Quest in particular works for about 2,500 gallons of water, before you will need to replace the filter. The typical tub holds about 40 to 50 gallons of water, so that’s roughly 50 baths per filter.

If you are concerned about chlorine, you might reach for filters that have sulfur-based dechlorination chemicals. However, the USDA recommends using Vitamin C-based options, as they are safer. Sulfur-based dechlorination agents are effective, but they can produce acidic byproducts and lower dissolved oxygen levels in the water. This can irritate skin or be potentially harmful in some uses, like in aquariums or gardens. Both ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate (forms of vitamin C) will react with chlorine compounds like hypochlorous acid (HOCl), converting them into dehydroascorbic acid, hydrochloric acid, and water. In simple terms, this reaction makes the chlorine disappear.

Both types of vitamin C are safe to use and don’t greatly lower the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water, unlike chemicals that use sulfur. Yet for most folks, you will likely just purchase water filters that incorporate vitamin C into their systems already, like the AquaHomeGroup Luxury Filtered Shower Head Set, instead of making any solutions yourself. Like other filters, they don’t last forever and will need to be replaced to remain effective.