Third-party testing is supported and encouraged!
We want to empower you with the tools and knowledge to truly know your water quality. For official product testing we use IAPMO R&T Lab. For in-house, quick testing, we like to use My Tap Score, also known as Simple Labs. They're easy to use, fast, and offer exceptional customer service. There are a variety of different types of tests, depending on the type of water (city or well) and the type of analysis wanted. We recommend using My Tap Score tests for your water testing needs.
It's important to know and compare your water quality. Ideally, the tap water wouldn't need filtering and would be free of all contaminants, however, that's not the reality for most. Most drinking water has some sort of contamination, whether that's lead leached from old pipes, chlorine from the disinfection process, or pesticides from runoff. Because of that, an at-home water filter is needed. Understanding what's in your unique water helps you know which water filter is best, and how long your filters will last. The water test kits from My Tap Score offer insight into your source water quality.
How it Works
We love My Tap Score because it's so user-friendly. Everything is included in the kit and the step-by-step instructions are a breeze to follow. First, you pick the kit you want. Select from a range of niche, one-contaminant kits, to full, all-encompassing kits. Then, once you receive your kit, it's time to collect! Depending on which kit you're using this step may vary some. You fill the small collection bottle or tube with the water that you want tested, make sure to keep it clean and consistent. Fill out the informational postcard and ship it to the nearest lab with a prepaid label (so convenient!). Most kits have a turnaround time of 5 business days, the most extensive kits require 12 days to fully analyze the collection sample. Once the lab is finished analyzing your sample, you receive your results!
Once you have your results, compare it to what the BOROUX Foundation Filters remove. Most everything that comes in test reports is often filtered by BOROUX. These comparison test reports offer peace of mind, knowing that your filter is doing what its supposed to. The red dye test is a visual way to see that the filters are blocking, but we know that you want and deserve more. Results from a real lab, analyzed by experts for your assurance. If there's a contaminant present in your water that's not listed on our site, it may still be filtered out. BOROUX Foundation filters can filter out contaminants larger than 0.5 microns. We have not yet tested for everything, and if we haven't officially tested for it, we cannot claim it. That's why it's important to test your tap water, and your filtered water to make sure the filters are working.
Caution
Test results may vary. There's a lot of variables that go into these at-home tests. As we said earlier, keep it clean and consistent. Where and how you collect the sample should be carefully concise.
If your report comes back with shocking results, we encourage you to reach out to us and My Tap Score to double check the accuracy.
A Note about Cobalt
One online reviewer shared at-home test results showing trace amounts of cobalt from BOROUX filtered water. The report showed 0.0069 PPM of cobalt in the water. These low levels are far below the level where there is any observed impact on human health. A 100 kg person would need to ingest almost 775 liters of water (over 200 gallons) per day to exceed ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) guidelines.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has established a Health Guideline of 70 ppb for cobalt. This was defined by the Environmental Protection Agency as a benchmark for testing under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. 70 ppb is more than 10 times the amount reported by the reviewer referenced above.
Cobalt is a metal element that is found naturally in the earth's crust. The general population is exposed to low levels of cobalt in air, water, and food. In fact, at low levels cobalt is essential for human health and is even contained in vitamin B12. Trace levels of cobalt, in the range of parts per billion, can commonly be found in many products, including those made from stainless steel grade 304 materials. These low levels are far below the level where there is any observed impact on human health.
BOROUX uses 304-grade stainless steel, recognized by the FDA as safe for drinkware. This material may contain trace levels of cobalt, which can be minimized with thorough cleaning prior to use.
The US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has established a Minimum Risk Level (MRL) for cobalt of 0.03 mg/kg (body weight/day) for oral ingestion (drinking water or eating food). In order for a 100 kg (220 lb) person to exceed the MRL of 0.03 mg/kg, they would need to consume 3 mg of cobalt per day.
Affiliate Disclaimer
To be completely transparent and offer a disclaimer, we use affiliate links for My Tap Score, meaning we may earn a very small commission for recommending their products and services. Also in full disclosure, they do not recommend us or any water filter, so it's a one-way recommendation, ensuring that their test results are unbiased.
