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NSF Standards
Why They Matter For Drinking Water
Filters
Carbon Block Technology, Inc. (CB Tech)
When you purchase a gallon of gasoline for your car in
the U.S., are you confident that you actually receive what you pay for?
Looking past the question of product quality, how do
you know how much gasoline was added to your fuel tank?
You know because you purchase gasoline using a uniform
standard of measure, the U.S. liquid gallon, established by a governmental
entity, the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Furthermore, you rely upon another governmental entity
responsible for local enforcement of weights and measures to regularly inspect
the vendor’s gasoline pump to make certain that precisely a gallon of fuel
actually is pumped on demand.
Standards and, equally as important, testing against
those standards, are key to consumers being confident that they are receiving
what they are paying for.
The application of standards and testing is just as
important in purchasing drinking water filters and delivery systems.
It is the only objective means for a consumer to
validate a drinking water system manufacturer’s product performance claims.
There are innumerable drinking water filters and
systems available in the market, and conclusive product test results support
the consumer’s ability to evaluate and differentiate among them.
Product testing conducted by a reputable and
independent third-party testing laboratory is the only way to ensure unbiased
test results.
However, in the complex sciences of chemistry and
toxicology that are applicable to evaluating the quality of drinking water,
awareness of the details behind the test results is critical to truly
understanding a product’s capabilities.
You cannot simply rely upon seeing a recognizable
logo; you must delve deeper.
The focus of this guide is on identifying the
standards that apply to the products that are commonly utilized for treating
drinking water at the point of use, and on what is behind the standards that
make standards compliance so important.
This paper also outlines the testing process employed
by the recognized leader in testing for the water filtration industry, NSF
International.
Finally, it describes how a leading drinking water filter
manufacturer, Carbon Block Technology, employs standards compliance and
independent testing to help consumers evaluate and compare the company’s
products to the competition.
Drinking Water Filter Standards in the United States
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) originally was
passed by Congress in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation’s
public drinking water supply.
The law was amended in 1986 and 1996 and requires many
actions to protect drinking water and its sources: rivers, lakes, reservoirs,
springs, and ground water wells.
SDWA authorizes the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) to set national health-based standards for drinking
water to protect against both naturally-occurring and man-made contaminants
that may be found in drinking water.
The EPA, individual states, and water systems then
work together to make certain that these standards are met.
Founded in 1918, the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) is a private, not-for-profit organization serving as the
official U.S. representative to the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
ANSI is also a member of the International
Accreditation Forum (IAF). ANSI accredits and coordinates several hundred
organizations and committees that develop standards for approval as American
National Standards based in part on evidence of due process and consensus.
ANSI provides the criteria and procedures for achieving
due process and determining consensus, as Why Standards Matter For Drinking
Water Filters Raising The Bar For Performance Measurement well as other
requirements for the development, approval, maintenance and coordination of
American National Standards.
These ANSI criteria and requirements are accepted by
each accredited standards developer as a condition of accreditation.
NSF Standards for drinking water filters
NSF International (NSF) is one such ANSI accredited
organization (Accreditation ID 0216).
NSF was founded in 1944 as an organization devoted to
public health safety and protection of the environment.
Today, NSF is the leading global, independent
third-party certification and testing organization for products that affect
water quality and food safety.
NSF is recognized as the leading authority in the
development of consensus, establishing national standards that bring together
experts from the regulatory, manufacturing, academic, scientific research, and
consumer industries.
These comprehensive standards provide the basis by
which product manufacturers can demonstrate the quality, reliability and
performance of their products, and through which buyers, consumers and health
officials can be assured of their safety and benefits.
The NSF Drinking Water Treatment Units (DWTU)
Certification Program for Point-Of-Use (POU) and Point-Of-Entry (POE) systems
and components was first established in the early 1970s, beginning with the
adoption of the first NSF DWTU Standard in 1973.
Based upon Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) standards
established by the EPA, and working within the auditing framework defined by
ANSI, NSF sets the standards for compliance and testing for drinking water
filters and systems.
Today, a total of seven NSF Standards for DWTU have
been adopted, to which hundreds of companies have certified thousands of POU
and POE systems and components used around the world to improve and protect
drinking water quality.
At a regional level, a limited number of states
enforce their own compliance standards for drinking water systems sold within
the state.
States with their own standards include California,
Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin. In most instances, states will
recognize NSF certification as acceptable proof of drinking water system
performance.
NSF also is an active participant in testing and
certification at the international level.
Countries throughout the world are developing and
adopting standards for the evaluation of POU and POE drinking water treatment
units.
For example, the European Committee for
Standardization (CEN) has been developing such standards, also referred to as
European Norms, for all of Europe.
NSF Standards for Drinking Water Treatment Units
Of the seven NSF Standards for DWTU, this paper
primarily focuses on the two that are applicable to POU devices employing
filtration technology:
o NSF/ANSI Standard 42 – Aesthetic Effects
o NSF/ANSI Standard 53 – Health Effects
NSF/ANSI Standard 42 covers POU and POE systems designed to reduce specific aesthetic or
non-health-related contaminants (such as chlorine, taste and odor, and
particulates) that may be present in public or private drinking water.
The scope of Standard 42 is to establish minimum
requirements for material safety, structural integrity, product literature and
aesthetic, non-health related contaminant reduction performance claims.
The Standard applies most commonly to carbon
filtration, but it also applies to other filtration media such as ceramic
filters.
It’s worth noting that a device may be certified under
this and other NSF Standards for specific contaminant reduction (e.g.,
chlorine) by meeting just the minimum level of reduction required by the Standard,
not necessarily by removing all of the contaminant present in the source water.
With regard to particulate reduction, several classes
are used to define the level of particulate reduction, ranging from Class VI
for those devices removing coarse particulates of 50 micrometers and larger, to
Class I for drinking water treatment units that reduce the smallest submicron
particles (i.e., 0.5 to 1.0 micron).
NSF 42 vs NSF 53 water NSF Standards NSF/ANSI Standard 53 addresses POU and POE systems
designed to reduce specific health-related contaminants that may be present in
public or private drinking water.
Standard 53 establishes minimum requirements for
material safety, structural integrity, product literature, and health related
contaminant reduction performance claims.
The most common technology addressed by NSF Standard
53 is carbon filtration, and the standard includes both POU and POE products.
Some products fall under the scope of both NSF Standards
42 and 53 because they claim a combination of aesthetic and health claims.
NSF tests and certifies under Standard 53 if a filter
system reduces a significant amount of a specific harmful contaminant from
drinking water.
Such hazardous contaminants may be microbiological
(including filterable cysts), chemical (including disinfection byproducts,
pesticides, herbicides, and insecticides), or particulate in nature.
NSF may certify that a DWTU may be effective in
controlling one or more of the health effects contaminants.
By carefully reviewing the performance data sheet for
a product, you will be able to determine whether the device is effective in
reducing many pollutants or just a few.
Another consideration in evaluating performance claims
is to be aware of the role a Performance Indication Device (PID) plays in NSF
product certification.
A PID measures the actual water usage and notifies the
consumer when it is time to replace the filter cartridge.
A product manufacturer may incorporate a PID into the
drinking water system to be able to certify the same system with a higher
capacity.
It should be noted that a drinking water filter with a
PID actually is tested to 120% of the capacity claimed.
Without a PID, the filter is tested to 200% of the
capacity claimed. In both instances, actual performance is the same.
NSF Certified Water Filters
There are several other NSF Standards for DWTU
applicable to water treatment that rely upon technologies other than
filtration.
They include:
o NSF/ANSI Standard 44 – Applicable to water softener systems designed for hardness reduction
and health claims. Standard 44 establishes minimum requirements for the
certification of residential cation exchange water softeners. The scope of
Standard 44 includes material safety, structural integrity, accuracy of the
brine system, product literature, the reduction of hardness, and the reduction
of specific contaminants from a known quality water source. The most popular
claims made under Standard 44 are barium reduction, radium 226/228 reduction,
and softener performance.
o NSF/ANSI Standard 55 – Applicable to systems utilizing ultraviolet (UV) light to provide
disinfection. Standard 55 establishes minimum requirements for the
certification of UV systems. The scope of Standard 55 includes material safety,
structural integrity, product literature, and UV performance. UV systems are
categorized either as Class A (delivers minimum 40 mJ/cm2 UV dose and has an
alarm) or Class B (delivers minimum 16 mJ/cm2). Systems may be POU or POE. Class
A systems may claim to disinfect water that may be contaminated with pathogenic
bacteria, viruses, Cryptosporidium, or Giardia. Class B systems may claim to
reduce normally occurring nuisance microorganisms.
o NSF/ANSI Standard 58 – Applicable to systems employing reverse osmosis technology to
address total dissolved solids (TDS) reduction and health claims. Standard 58
establishes minimum requirements for the certification of POU reverse osmosis
systems. The scope of Standard 58 includes material safety, structural
integrity, product literature, TDS reduction, and additional contaminant
reduction claims. These additional contaminant reduction claims may include the
reduction of cysts, barium, radium 226/228, copper, hexavalent and trivalent
chromium, arsenic, nitrate/nitrite, cadmium, and lead.
o NSF/ANSI Standard 62 – Applicable to distillation systems designed for TDS reduction and
health claims. Standard 62 establishes minimum requirements for the
certification of POU and POE distillation systems. The scope of Standard 62
includes material safety, structural integrity, product literature, TDS, and
additional contaminant reduction claims.
There is one more these NSF Standards to note.
NSF/ANSI Standard 61 applies to drinking water treatment products, but it is
focused at the component level rather than at the system level like the other
NSF Standards.
Standard 61 typically is referenced in relation to
material extraction testing conducted for municipal drinking water system
components.
Components certified to meet Standard 61 have been
tested for material safety and, if applicable, structural integrity, but not
for aesthetic and/or health claims.
Achieving NSF Standards Certification
The first step in obtaining an NSF certified water
filter is to submit an application to NSF along with the requisite fees and
product information. The application must include:
o Wetted parts list – every part that touches the
product water must be identified
o Contaminant reduction claims – testing is conducted
for each individual contaminant (and a separate variable fee is charged for
each contaminant reduction claim tested)
o Product diagrams or drawings
o Product samples
o Production facility location for inspection
o Many factors are considered when NSF begins its
product testing. The following product testing against Standards is conducted:
o Extraction testing for material safety – tests for
ingredients, monomers, or impurities that could leach into the water and
negatively impact the water quality
o Structural testing for structural integrity – tests
can include cyclic pressure, hydrostatic pressure, and burst pressure
o Contaminant reduction testing – only complete systems
that attach to plumbing, not just components, are certified for aesthetic and
health claims. Testing is conducted for:
-
Chemical
reduction – includes chlorine, volatile organic chemicals (VOC), pesticides,
herbicides, metals
-
Mechanical
reduction – includes cysts, turbidity, asbestos, particulates
In addition to validating the specific contaminant
reduction claims, NSF tests and certifies that:
o The filter materials will not add anything harmful to
the product water
o The pressure vessel (housing) is structurally sound
under high operating pressures
o The literature and labeling of the product is accurate
and truthful, and
o The manufacturing process remains consistent.
The arduous NSF testing and certification process provides
assurance to consumers that the performance claims for an NSF certified water
filter are accurate and the product is reliable.
As mentioned previously, certification is limited to
just the specific contaminants for which testing was conducted.
NSF conducts unannounced, annual inspections to verify
continued compliance, including production facility inspections, and sometimes
purchases additional product samples on the open market for further testing.
The product certificate awarded by NSF is valid for 5
years, and complete product re-testing and facility inspection is required to
renew the certificate for another 5 years.
Using NSF Standards to Evaluate Competitive Products
NSF Standards are the yardstick for objectively
comparing drinking water filters.
But before evaluating any drinking water filtration
products, begin by understanding what your filtration objectives are.
You must understand the characteristics of the source
water that you are filtering and identify the water quality problems you want
to address.
Beyond just considering contaminant reduction
objectives, you need to understand how filter capacity and flow rate relate to
each contaminant reduction claim.
For example, a filter certified to reduce lead for 40
gallons at 0.5 GPM may not meet your output needs, but increasing the flow rate
through the filter will have an impact on the capacity of the filter to reduce
lead.
You should not assume that just seeing the NSF logo on
a product means that the product performance will be acceptable.
Carefully review the performance claims on the
required product label.
First, identify which NSF Standards the certification
is based upon. Then, verify which specific contaminant reduction claims have
been certified.
Confirm that the certification is not for just one or
two contaminants but for the specific contaminants that are being targeted for
reduction.
A marketing claim that a drinking water filter is
“tested to NSF Standards” is not the same as the filter being tested and
considered an NSF certified water filter.
NSF maintains an online database of manufacturers and
certified products that is open to the public for viewing.
The web site provides information regarding the
specific contaminants the product is certified to reduce under certain NSF
Standards, as well as information about service cycle, flow rate, replacement
media, and style.
You can access the NSF database by visiting
www.nsf.org.
Leading the Drinking Water Industry with Standards
Compliance
Carbon Block Technology, Inc. (CB Tech) is an
industry-leading manufacturer of the highest quality drinking water filtration
products available.
CB Tech recognizes that formal third-party testing and
certification of its products is the most objective means to communicate the
high quality of the company’s products.
NSF established the first NSF standards for DWTU in
1973, and CB Tech had its first product NSF tested and certified in 1991.
Today, every CB Tech CB Techbranded product the
company manufactures is submitted to NSF for testing and certification.
CB Tech believes that in-depth testing and
certification by NSF is the best possible proof of performance, and provides
consumers a reliable means of differentiating between products and validating
the various performance claims made.
More broadly, CB Tech’s Vice President of Technology
and Chief Scientist actively participates in NSF policy-making committees to
help provide market leadership and industry stewardship.
The quality of CB Tech’s Solid Carbon Block filter
products, marketed under the brand name “CB Tech Drinking Water Systems,” is
clearly demonstrated by the impressive results of independent product testing
conducted and certified by NSF.
When compared to similar carbon filters on the market,
CB Tech Drinking Water Systems reduce the widest range of NSF-certified
contaminants of health concern.
CB Tech relies upon NSF to certify all of its CB Tech
Drinking Water Systems under NSF/ANSI Standards 42 (Aesthetics Effects) and 53
(Health Effects).
The company’s drinking water systems that incorporate
reverse osmosis technology in concert with solid carbon block pre and
post-filters are further certified under NSF/ANSI Standard 58 (Reverse
Osmosis).
Additionally, a great majority of the standard
“component” filters manufactured by CB Tech, but not offered for sale in an NSF
certified water filter (e.g., standard-size water filter cartridges), are
tested and certified under NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for material safety
requirements.
CB Tech has consistently led the water treatment
industry by being the first to have products NSF-certified for:
o Lead
o Asbestos
o Cysts
o Chloramine
o Toxaphene
o Chlordane
o Arsenic V
o PCBs
Currently, CB Tech is the only manufacturer with an
NSF-certified water filter under Standard 53 to reduce levels of Arsenic V.
Partnering Options for NSF Standards Compliance
Certification
The arduous process of having a drinking water
filtration product and the associated manufacturing facility certified by NSF
is both time consuming and expensive.
However, there is ample opportunity for companies to
partner with CB Tech to make the process much easier and less expensive.
CB Tech is one of the world’s leading producers of
carbon block water filters, and the company’s experience and established
reputation can be leveraged by savvy partners using three alternative options.
First, CB Tech is a custom contract manufacturer that
produces carbon block filter elements for many companies marketing drinking
water systems under their own brand names.
CB Tech offers guidance to its contract customers in
the design of OEM filters to meet NSF Standards and specific contaminant
reduction claims.
The company’s rapid prototyping capability, with
in-house development of all custom carbon block tooling, allows CB Tech to
quickly respond to the need for product samples for testing, formulation
tuning, and re-testing.
Very importantly, CB Tech’s comprehensive quality
assurance plan helps ensure that NSF-certified filters remain compliant
throughout the product lifecycle.
In NSF parlance, this certification approach is
referred to as an “Other Than Listed Manufacturer” (OTLM) listing.
CB Tech’s contract customer will save through reduced
NSF inspection fees because the NSF inspector can perform inspections for both
companies during the same visit to a single production facility.
Second, a CB Tech customer can add their private label
to a CB Tech product that already is tested and certified by NSF.
This option is referred to by NSF as a “Another Name
For” (ANF) listing.
CB Tech’s customer can have their own complete NSF
listing, with their own model designations, based entirely on a CB Tech branded
product that already has received NSF certification.
Because the product is identical to CB Tech’s
certified product, no NSF inspection fee is charged for ANF listings.
Third, CB Tech’s customer can use the private label
option previously noted, but not create their own NSF listing.
Instead the customer can have their private-labeled CB
Tech product appear as a separate model under CB Tech’s “CB Tech” listing.
The product literature of the private labeled product
can carry the name of CB Tech’s customer.
However, it must also reference CB Tech so that
consumers can trace the product back to NSF’s published listings.
This option is most economical because no additional
listing or inspection fees are applied.
Raising the Bar
Extensive product testing and certification by an
independent third party is the most reliable means for consumers to obtain
documented proof of actual drinking water filter product performance.
NSF International literally sets the NSF Standards for
the drinking water treatment industry, and CB Tech is firmly committed to
manufacturing NSF certified water filters that unequivocally meet or exceed the
applicable NSF Standards.
CB Tech has a well-established track record of leading
the industry in NSF Standards compliance, as evidenced by the depth and breadth
of the company’s product performance certifications.
For commercial customers, CB Tech is an excellent
supplier partner that assists companies in achieving NSF certification under
their own drinking water filter brand name.
World Class Water Filter Manufacturers
Carbon Block Technology, Inc. (CB
Tech) is a world leading water filter
manufacturer specializing in the development and production of compressed carbon block
filters.
From its corporate headquarters in Las
Vegas, Nevada, CB Tech manages the production and worldwide distribution of its
proprietary Carbon Block filters and drinking water
treatment systems.
Applying technological experience gained
from over 40 years of research and development, CB Tech successfully creates
innovative, industry-leading solutions to new contamination problems, and its
drinking water filters are acknowledged around the world for their comprehensive
and cost-effective treatment of contaminants of health concern.
CB Tech successfully develops innovative,
industry-leading solutions to new contamination problems.
Founded in December 1970, CB Tech
continues its mission to provide the best quality drinking water available at
an affordable price.
CB Tech’s Carbon Block filter technology
has been widely accepted and utilized by hospitals, major universities and
schools, laboratories, restaurants, foreign embassies, and millions of
consumers. In turn, the company has become a leader among other water filter manufacturers in the
U.S. and around the world.
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