Meta Title: Water Filters That Remove TTHMs | Water Defense
Meta Description: Learn all you need to know about the 4 best water filters that remove TTHMS. We cover contaminant removal, filter life, and other important features.
Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) are present in most water supplies in the US, and as they have potentially negative health effects, you need a water filter that can effectively remove them.
But with so many different types of water filters that remove TTHMs, ranging from whole house systems to water pitchers, it can be tricky to decide which option is best for you. To help you out, we’ve created this list of the top 4 units on the market.
SpringWell CF1 is the best whole house filter as it can remove a minimum of 99% of TTHMs and it has an unbelievable filtration capacity of 1,000,000 gallons. Our favorite RO system is the AquaTRU RO System because it’s NSF-certified to remove TTHMs and it has a high 1-gallon storage capacity.
The best under-sink filter is the Clearly Filtered Under Sink System as, amazingly, it can remove more than 232 contaminants, including TTHMs. Finally, the best water pitcher is the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher, which can remove even more contaminants, a massive 365+!
- Filtration technology: KDF & catalytic carbon
- Filter type: Whole house filter
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 99%
- Contaminants removed: Unspecified
- Flow rate: 9 GPM (1-4 bathrooms)
- NSF 53 certification: Not certified
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Filtration technology: Activated carbon + reverse osmosis
- Filter type: Countertop reverse osmosis system
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 95%
- Contaminants removed: 82
- Filtered water capacity: One gallon
- NSF 53 certification: Certified
- Warranty: One year
- Filtration technology: Clearly Filtered’s own 3-stage filtration tech
- Filter type: Under-the-sink system
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 99.6%
- Contaminants removed: 232+
- Filtration capacity: 2,000 gallons for each filter (lasting roughly a year)
- NSF 53 certification: Certified
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Filtration technology: Affinity Filtration
- Filter type: Water filter pitcher
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 99.8%
- Contaminants removed: 365+
- Filtered Water Capacity: 10 cups (80oz)
- NSF 53 certification: Certified
- Warranty: Lifetime
Best Trihalomethanes Water Filters:
- SpringWell CF1 Whole House Filter System – Best Whole House Filter For TTHMs
- AquaTru Reverse Osmosis System – Best Reverse Osmosis System For TTHMs
- Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under-the-Sink Water Filter System – Best Under-the-Sink Filter For TTHMs
- Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher – Best Water Pitcher For TTHMs
1. SpringWell CF1 – Best Whole House Filter For TTHMs
- Filtration technology: KDF & catalytic carbon
- Filter type: Whole house filter
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 99%
- Contaminants removed: Unspecified
- Flow rate: 9 GPM (1-4 bathrooms)
- NSF 53 certification: Not certified
- Warranty: Lifetime
PROS
- The combination of KDF media and catalytic carbon bed builds the perfect defense against TTHMs
- Trusted brand – we’ve been impressed by every SpringWell unit we’ve tested
- Great flow rate for a whole house filter, meaning it can supply large homes without drops in water pressure
- Lifetime warranty, so you won’t need to pay for repairs and replacements
CONS
- Expensive, but you get what you pay for
- Doesn’t have any NSF certifications, meaning its contaminant removal capabilities haven’t been independently tested
- Difficult to install, so you’ll probably have to hire a plumber, which adds to the cost even more
SpringWell is the go-to whole-house water treatment brand we recommend because they produce the most effective and high-quality products, be it for filtration or softening. The SpringWell CF1 Whole House Filter System is one of the brand’s flagship products, and it perfectly encapsulates what we like about the brand with its efficiency against many contaminants, including total trihalomethanes.
4-Stage Filtration
The SpringWell CF1 reduces both chlorine, the chemical that by-produces TTHMs, and TTHMs with a minimum success rate of 99%. The device handles this task in a 4-stage filtration process:
- Flex bed: The flex bed technology increases contact time between the water and filtration media. This way, the filtration media is able to reduce chemicals with small molecules like TTHMs more thoroughly.
- Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF) bed: KDF media is a special alloy of copper and zinc that reduces chlorine, heavy metals, and TTHMs by at least 99%. But that’s not all it does; the KDF media also protects against granular or activated carbon, prolonging its operation by first handling some of the most arduous contaminants.
- Catalytic carbon media: If any TTHMs are left in the water after their treatment by the KDF bed of the SpringWell CF1, the catalytic carbon takes care of the rest. Standard activated carbon is already an excellent method to remove TTHMs, but catalytic carbon is a fantastic upgrade. In activated carbon, the carbon molecules are static, while in catalytic carbon, these molecules are electrically charged, which increases the method’s effectiveness.
- 5-micron sediment filtration: Lastly, the SpringWell CF1 ensures that no sediment particles can find their way to your taps.
High Flow Rate
What we particularly like about the SpringWell CF1 is that it removes TTHMs and other contaminants without a drop in water pressure thanks to its 9 GPM (gallons per minute) flow rate, which is ideal for houses with 1-4 bathrooms.
It’s super frustrating when you install a water filter and the pressure of your faucets and showers noticeably decreases. So, we were really pleased to find that this didn’t happen after we installed the CF1.
Incredible Filter Longevity
One of the most impressive things about the CF1 is its unbelievable filtration capacity of 1,000,000 gallons. We’re used to systems with a filtration capacity in the thousands, meaning their filters must be replaced every few months.
So, we were blown away to discover the massive capacity of the CF1 and that its main filter can last for 10 years!
2. AquaTru RO – Best Reverse Osmosis System For TTHMs
- Filtration technology: Activated carbon + reverse osmosis
- Filter type: Countertop reverse osmosis system
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 95%
- Contaminants removed: 82
- Filtered water capacity: One gallon
- NSF 53 certification: Certified
- Warranty: One year
PROS
- The combination of activated carbon and reverse osmosis technologies makes it highly efficient at dealing with TTHMs
- Holds an NSF 53 certification and a performance data sheet that proves its claims regarding the removal of TTHMs
- Will have one gallon of filtered water ready at all times as long as its unfiltered water tank is full
- No installation is required since it’s a countertop unit
- It’s portable, so you can easily move it to different rooms in your home
CONS
- Only a one-year warranty, so you have to cover repairs and replacements after 12 months
- Expensive for a countertop water filtration device
- Made of plastic, making it less durable than stainless steel units
You can’t find a better reverse osmosis system for TTHMs than the AquaTru Reverse Osmosis System. In some ways, this unit is even better than the SpringWell CF1 system because it holds an NSF 53 certification (the certification pertaining to the removal of TTHMs), which proves it reduces TTHMs by a minimum of 95%.
Effective Filtration
Like the SpringWell CF1, the AquaTru Reverse Osmosis System utilizes a four-stage filtration process to deal with TTHMs:
- Mechanical pre-filter: It removes sediment and turbidity from the water, allowing the other filtration components to do their job more effectively.
- Activated carbon pre-filter: As we mentioned when reviewing the SpringWell CF1, activated carbon is a successful treatment method against TTHMs, but that’s not all it does. It also removes chlorine and aesthetic impurities, such as odor, taste, and color.
- Semi-permeable reverse osmosis membrane: Reverse osmosis is one of the most robust water treatment methods for heavy metals, such as lead and arsenic, and dangerous chemicals like TTHMs. The semipermeable RO membrane of the AquaTru system takes care of whatever TTHMs are left after the activated carbon stage.
- Activated Coconut Shell Carbon VOC Filter: Lastly, the VOC filter of the AquaTru RO System eliminates volatile organic compounds from water. It also gives the water a pleasant taste thanks to its coconut shell.
With the 4-stage filtration process, the AquaTru RO System removes 81 contaminants, including lead, hexavalent chromium, PFAS, and TTHMs, as listed on its performance data sheet.
Good Storage Capacity
As long as you regularly fill its unfiltered water tank, you’ll always have one gallon of filtered water ready for drinking. This means you don’t need to wait around while the system purifies your water. Instead, you can simply fill up your container with water directly from the storage tank.
Although this unit doesn’t have the biggest storage tank we’ve ever come across, it’s still larger than plenty of other countertop units we’ve tested. This earned it some extra points and is one of the reasons it’s our top pick for RO systems that remove TTHMS.
No Installation and Low Maintenance
One of the best things about countertop units (as opposed to whole house units) is that they require very little or no installation. We’re happy to report that the AquaTRU RO requires none whatsoever. All we had to do was place it on a counter and plug it into an electrical outlet.
Of course, this saves you time and hassle. It also saves you money as there’s no need to hire a plumber.
3. Clearly Filtered 3-Stage Under-the-Sink System – Best Under-the-Sink Filter For TTHMs
- Filtration technology: Clearly Filtered’s own 3-stage filtration tech
- Filter type: Under-the-sink system
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 99.6%
- Contaminants removed: 232+
- Filtration capacity: 2,000 gallons for each filter (lasting roughly a year)
- NSF 53 certification: Certified
- Warranty: Lifetime
PROS
- Innovative Clearly Filtered technology impressively reduces TTHMs by a minimum rate of 99.6%
- Can staggeringly remove more than 232 contaminants
- Holds NSF 53 certification for TTHM removal
- Lifetime warranty, which demonstrates Clearly Filtered’s confidence in the product’s durability
- Long filter life for an under-sink model
CONS
- Clearly Filtered replacement filters are expensive, so maintaining this unit can become quite costly
If SpringWell is our favorite brand for whole house units, Clearly Filtered fills that spot for small devices, like under-the-sink units, water pitchers, and refrigerator filters. The brand’s 3-Stage Under-the-Sink Water Filter System is a case in point as it’s NSF-certified (NSF Standards 42, 53, & 401) to reduce a staggering 232+ contaminants with an impressive 99.6% success rate for eliminating TTHMs.
Key Features:
- 3-stage filtration: The unit uses an advanced priming filter, heavy metal and VOCS filter, and a built-in fluoride filter. This enables it to effectively remove TTHMs and many other contaminants like heavy metals, PFAS, chlorine, sediment, and fluoride.
- Retains healthy minerals: RO systems typically remove healthy minerals from water. What we like about Clearly Filtered products is that they don’t use RO, so beneficial minerals remain in the water.
- Lifetime warranty: Sharing the same advantage as the SpringWell CF, this under-the-sink system has a lifetime warranty, showing the manufacturer’s trust in its product.
- Long-lasting filters: Most under-the-sink filters require you to replace them once every few months since contaminated water makes these filters inefficient quickly. However, that’s not the case for the Clearly Filtered unit, as most customers replace filters only once a year.
4. Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher – Best Water Pitcher For TTHMs
- Filtration technology: Affinity Filtration
- Filter type: Water filter pitcher
- TTHMs reduction rate: Minimum of 99.8%
- Contaminants removed: 365+
- Filtered Water Capacity: 10 cups (80oz)
- NSF 53 certification: Certified
- Warranty: Lifetime
PROS
- Affinity Filtration technology reduces TTHMs by 99.8%, making it the best TTHMs filter on our list
- Can remove 365+ other contaminants
- Holds all the relevant NSF certifications
- Filter lasts about three to four months, which is pretty long for a water pitcher
- Lifetime warranty, which is always reassuring
CONS
- The product itself and its replacement filters are among the most expensive on the market
Did you think that the Clearly Filtered Under-the-Sink System was remarkable? Well, let us introduce you to the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher, an amazing product not only in its category (water pitchers) but also in the water treatment niche as a whole.
Key Features:
- Very impressive filtration: The Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher reduces an unprecedented number of contaminants. According to tests run by an independent lab, that number is higher than 365, as listed in its performance data sheet. In addition, thanks to the unique Affinity Filtration technology, the filter can reduce TTHMs by 99.8%, which is extraordinary for a water pitcher.
- Filter longevity: Despite its unrivaled efficiency in contaminant reduction, the Clearly Filtered filter cartridge is long-lasting. It produces 100 gallons of clean water until it needs replacing, roughly three to four months. However, the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher and its replacement filters are among the most expensive in their category. Although the product is worth it, it might not be ideal for every budget.
- Good storage capacity: The 10-cup capacity of the pitcher is also enough to meet the daily drinking water requirements of small families without needing too many refills.
- NSF certified: It holds all the relevant NSF certifications, including the NSF 53, proving its TTHMs removal rate. Therefore, it inspires the ultimate confidence in customers and us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here, we answer some of the most commonly asked questions about TTHMs and water filters that remove TTHMs.
Total trihalomethanes are associated with many health risks, such as:
– problems in the central nervous system
– liver and kidney issues
– bladder and rectal cancer
– and increased cancer risk overall
Many variables prevent scientists from reaching comprehensive conclusions regarding the causal relationship between exposure to TTHMs and the above-mentioned problems. Still, the scientific consensus is that there is risk.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency now regulates TTHMs under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs). According to the EPA, TTHMs in drinking water should never exceed the 80 parts per billion (ppb) threshold.
If the level of TTHMs in your water surpasses the limit set by the EPA, 80 ppb, you should purchase a water filter that removes TTHMs. As TTHMs are associated with many serious health problems, exposing yourself to these chemicals poses a risk to your health.
The best way to conduct a water test for TTHMs or other contaminants is to collect a water sample from one of your faucets and send it to an EPA-certified water testing lab.
Sending a sample to an EPA-certified lab will cost roughly $25 to $400, depending on the lab and what you need testing. The process takes time, but you’ll get a detailed list of what contaminants are in your water, at what levels, and how these levels compare to EPA standards.
Although the answer to this question depends on what type of filter you’re in the market for, the best filter for reducing TTHMs is the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher, with an unequaled success rate of 99.8%.
However, a water pitcher might not be ideal for meeting the drinking water demands of crowded families. For bog families, the most powerful filter options against TTHMs are the SpringWell Whole House System and the Clearly Filtered Under-the-Sink Filter.
Note that while the former will provide TTHMs-free water for the whole house, the latter produces clean water only at one faucet.
If you want to purchase an NSF-certified filter for removing TTHMs, you should look for an NSF 53 certification. This is because the EPA regulates TTHMs under the NPDWRs, and the NSF 53 certification pertains to contaminants regulated under the NPDWRs.
Conclusion
Total trihalomethanes are disinfection by-products associated with various health concerns, including increased cancer risk. So, it’s only reasonable that you want to remove them from your drinking water supply.
If you’re looking for a whole house filter that can provide clean water at all the faucets of your household, the SpringWell CF1 Whole House System is the ideal product for you due to its 99% TTHMs reduction rate.
For those needing an effective reverse osmosis unit, we recommend the AquaTru RO System. It can remove 95% of TTHMs alongside 81 other equally dangerous contaminants like lead.
Will an effective under-the-sink system providing clean water only at one faucet suffice? Then, you can do no better than the Clearly Filtered Under-the-Sink Filter, which has a 99.6% success rate at reducing TTHMs.
Last but not least, if you’re in the market for an effective water filter pitcher, the Clearly Filtered Water Pitcher is not only the most impressive water pitcher on the market but also the most impressive water treatment product you can find anywhere. Its 99.8% TTHMs reduction rate and 365+ other contaminants reduced are a great testament to this.
