Questions, answered straight
What's in the $15 report, why it beats a free EPA lookup, which filter to buy, and how refunds work.
What does the $15 report contain?
A PDF with your utility name and PWSID, your state's PFAS detection rate and median, your utility's most recent results compared against the EPA limits (PFOA 4.0 ng/L, PFOS 4.0 ng/L, PFHxS/PFNA/HFPO-DA 10 ng/L), hotspot context if it applies, the filter to buy by NSF certification, three lab options if you want to test your own tap, and a 14-day plan.
How is this better than the free EPA NCOD lookup?
NCOD is the raw data portal. To get an answer from it you need to know your PWSID, what an MRL is, and how to compare a result row against a limit row. The report does that translation for you, adds hotspot context from state and DoD data, and names the filter to buy. If you'd rather do the lookup yourself, our UCMR 5 walkthrough shows you how.
Is this medical advice?
No. For medical questions about PFAS exposure, including during pregnancy, see your physician and the pregnancy guide for pointers to the ATSDR Clinician's Guide on PFAS. For questions about utility liability, see a licensed environmental attorney.
Are you affiliated with the EPA?
No. How Safe Is My Water is independent. We use the EPA's public data (UCMR 5, NCOD) and cite EPA rules (40 CFR § 141.61(c); 89 Fed. Reg. 32532), but we are not affiliated with or endorsed by the US EPA, ATSDR, NSF International, or any utility.
What if my utility's PFAS data hasn't been published yet?
UCMR 5 sampling runs 2023–2025 and publishes quarterly. If your utility hasn't been sampled yet, the report uses the most recent prior data available (state files, voluntary utility disclosures, UCMR 3) and clearly marks it as "interim" with the source year. We refresh the dataset every release.
My result says "non-detect." Is my water PFAS-free?
"Non-detect" means PFAS were below the analytical Minimum Reporting Level (MRL) for the method used, typically in the single-digit ng/L range. PFAS may still be present below that floor. The EPA's June 2022 interim advisories (PFOA 0.004 ng/L; PFOS 0.02 ng/L) were below what current methods can detect and were withdrawn when the 2024 limits were finalized. The limits are set at the level that is reliably achievable and measurable.
What filter should I actually buy?
It depends on what's in your water. For hotspot utilities or detections including short-chain PFAS like HFPO-DA (GenX), an under-sink reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 is the most reliable option. For PFOA/PFOS-dominant detections at lower levels, a carbon block certified to NSF/ANSI 53 with the P473 protocol is enough. Standard Brita/PUR pitcher filters (NSF 42 only) generally do not remove PFAS, see RO vs pitcher for the evidence.
Should I test my own tap?
On a public water system, the UCMR 5 data is generally more reliable than a single home test, because sample collection is tricky and one snapshot misses seasonal variation. Home testing is worth it for private wells, hotspot ZIPs where you want point-in-time verification, or sensitive households. Use a NELAP-accredited lab running EPA Method 537.1 and 533, see the testing labs guide.
Do you cover private wells?
Reports are scoped to public water systems. Private wells should be tested directly. If you live in a hotspot region near an AFFF site or a PFAS plant, your state may offer free PFAS testing for private wells; Michigan EGLE, NC DEQ, and several other state programs run this.
What if I'm pregnant or have an infant?
Check the "Pregnancy or infant in the household" box on the order form. The report adds a callout citing the EFSA 2020 Tolerable Weekly Intake (4.4 ng/kg body weight per week for the sum of PFOA + PFOS + PFNA + PFHxS) and the ATSDR Clinician's Guide on PFAS. Consult your obstetrician or pediatrician. The pregnancy guide explains the logic.
What's your refund policy?
If your ZIP doesn't resolve to a public water system in our coverage, we refund automatically, no email needed. If the report doesn't match what we describe, email [email protected] within 30 days for a refund.
How often is the data updated?
The dataset is refreshed every EPA NCOD quarterly release (March, June, September, December). State data overlays are refreshed continuously. The current snapshot is the June 2026 NCOD release.
Ready to see what's in your water?
One ZIP, one PDF. Your PFAS results read against the EPA's limits, hotspot context if it applies, and the filter that removes it.
Check my tap water · $15