Let us tell you right off the bat, until you don’t understand the chemical properties of Chromium 6 and how it reacts with water, you will never figure out what would be the Best Water Filter for Chromium 6. It is unfortunate to see, people who don’t even understand the basic difference between Chromium and Hexavalent Chromium (Chromium 6), are recommending ineffective, inefficient, and low-priced water filters to remove chromium 6 from water.
We have seen people recommending Brita, Big Berkey, Zero water filters that use only Coconut Shell Carbon Filter to remove Chromium 6 from water. Don’t get us wrong they are good water filters but they are not NSF 58 certified. Therefore not effective against chromium 6 ions. This type of water filter might help you remove insoluble microscopic metal particles from water. But never ever in removing, completely water-soluble, chromium 6 ions.
Best Water Filter For Chromium 6
[wptb id=1039]1. Waterdrop G3 RO Water Filter: Best Tankless Reverse Osmosis Water Filter For Chromium 6
The first reverse water filter we recommend to remove chromium 6 from your drinking water is waterdrop g3. This tankless RO water filter is fast, powerful, and requires minimum maintenance. Most importantly, it is NSF 58 & NSF 372 certified. Waterdrop g3 comes with a smart faucet and is super easy to install. In short, it is the complete package that can keep you safe from chromium 6 contamination. Keep in mind it is meant to filter tap water and pretreated well water.
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Filtration System: Waterdrop g3 houses 3 composite filters in it. Those 3 filters purify water in a total of 7 stages by removing every possible toxic element from your drinking water. The first one is the pre-sediment carbon block filter which blocks rust, sands, and other large contaminant particles.
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Then the RO membrane filter comes into play. It is the most important filter of Waterdrop G3. The pore size of this filter is only 0.0001 micron. It removes hexavalent chromium ions with 99.9% accuracy. It also removes other toxic heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, etc.
And finally, the activated carbon filter removes bad smells and odors from water. The carbon filter is made of high-quality coconut shells. Some people have experienced better-tasting water because of the coconut shell filter. Since it is a subjective opinion, we will let you be the judge of that.
Water Flow: Waterdrop G3 has an insanely fast water flow rate. It purifies 1 cup of water in just 12 seconds. The process is so fast, it’s hard to guess that the water is actually going through a 7-stage purification process before coming out of the faucet. In a whole day, it can purify 400 gallons of water.
That fast purification process makes it a perfect water filter for large families, offices and restaurants, etc.
1:1 Drain Ratio: Waterdrop G3 has a 1:1 drain ratio which makes it the most efficient and effective RO water filter on the market. 1:1 drain ratio means, out of 2-liter unpurified water, G3 can filter 1 liter only. The remaining 1 liter goes to waste.
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Maintenance & Cost: Waterdrop G3 is a smart water filter that automatically flushes the system when needed. The only maintenance that is required is to change the filter periodically. Based on your water usage, the filter will last up to 6-9 months. The filters are widely available and cost around 80-90 bucks. Based on a rough calculation, you will get the safest and better-tasting drinking water for only 40-50 cents a day. Compared to buying bottled water every day, it is a much cheaper option. Isn’t it?
Special Features: Waterdrop G3 comes with a smart Chrome faucet that has indicative lights on it. It indicates filters lifespan and notifies you when it’s time to change them.
It also features an LCD that shows TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) Reduction levels and other vital information.
The holiday mode of this water filter helps you reduce energy bills and prolongs the lifespan of the system.
Installation: The simple installation process of Waterdrop G3 has made it popular among Do-it-yourselfer. The installation process is simple and well documented. It comes with all the kits required for a hassle installation process.
Waterdrop G3 has a body dimension of18.07 x 5.52 x 17.52 inches. It weighs only 31 pounds. Since the G3 is quite small and lightweight, you can install it wherever you like.
Warranty: Waterdrop company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, a 1-year manufacturer warranty, and lifetime tech support for all of their products.
2. APEC ROES50 RO Water Filter: Best Under-sink Water Filter To Remove Chromium 6
As a more affordable water filter to remove chromium 6, we can recommend the APEC ROES-50 RO water filter. It’s an NSF-certified tank-type under sink water filter. One great advantage of this RO water filter is its ability to filter tap, well & hard water.
Water Filtration System: APEC ROES 50 purifies water in 5 stages. In the first stage, a sediment filter removes dust and rust particles. In the 2nd & 3rd stage, a solid carbon block filter extracts various chemicals like chlorine, VOC, chloramine, etc.
At the 4th stage, a high rejection TFC reverse osmosis filter extracts hexavalent chromium, chromium 3 ions, and other toxic heavy metals. At this point, filtered water gets stored in a high-pressurized water tank.
When needed, APEC ROES 50 sends stored water through a coconut shell filter directly to your cup. The coconut shell filter is responsible for removing any possible residual smell from the water.
Water Supply rate: To be honest, we are not really impressed with APEC’s water flow rate. It can only provide 50 gallons of water per day. Meaning, you will have to wait 2 full minutes to get one cup of water. The pressurized water tank that comes with it can hold only 4 gallons of water. Although you have the option to upgrade the tank later.
The slow water purifying rate might not be an issue for small families. But for large families and restaurants, it can be a deal-breaker.
4:1 Drain Ratio: Another disadvantage of this water filter is its 4:1 drain ratio. Meaning, out of 5 gallons of unfiltered water, it will purify 1-gallon water and the remaining 4 liters will go to waste.
Maintenance and Cost: The filters used in APEC ROES 50 are larger than industry standard-sized filters. So, logically, they have a longer lifespan. APEC says their filter lasts for over a year. Just like the main system, its filters are also affordable, costing around 30-35 bucks. So, you can pretty much neglect the maintenance cost associated with this water filter.
Installation process: To make the installation process easier, APEC used color-coded tubes and universal connections fittings.
Special Features: The system comes with a lead-free faucet and a complete installation kit.
Warranty: APEC Water warrants to the customer that its residential reverse osmosis systems will be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of 1 year.
3. Frizzlife PD600 RO Water Filter: Best Countertop Water Filter For Chromium 6
As a countertop uranium water filter, we are a fan of the FrizzLife PD600 reverse osmosis system. It filters heavy metals and ions like chromium 6, chromium 3, radium, lead and also balances the pH levels of your drinking water. It’s a stylish water filter that increases the value of your kitchen and shows off your personality.
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Filtration System: Just like Waterdrop G3, Frizzlife PD600 also purifies water in 7 stages. But the added benefit you get with Frizzlife is Alkaline Remineralization. The filtration process is systematically designed to remove rust, dust, hexavalent chromium ions, lead, pfas chemicals with its 0.0001 micron RO membrane filter. But in the last stage of its filtration process, PD600 also adds back some necessary minerals to your water. Those minerals are necessary to maintain the pH levels of your water. PD600 delivers alkaline water which has a pH level of 7.5+. According to many experts, drinking alkaline water boosts your immune system and so on.
Water flow: Frizzlife PD600 is designed to filter 600 gallons of water per day. The system is able to fill a 330ml cup of water in about 10 seconds. So yeah, it will be suitable for large families, offices, and restaurants.
1.5:1 Drain Ratio: The drain ratio of PD600 is slightly less impressive. A 1.5:1 drain ratio means out of 2.5 liters of unfiltered water, it can purify 1 liter and the remaining 1.5 liters go to waste.
Maintenance and cost: Frizzlife PD600 3 filter cartridges in it. The first one is the ARS211, which is the pp+ carbon filter. It costs around 3 bucks and needs to be changed once a year. The next one is the ARS212, which is the RO membrane filter. It costs around 80 bucks and needs to be changed every 2 years. And the third filter costs around 30 bucks and has a 1-year lifespan. So, your total maintenance cost would be 30 + half of 80 + 30 = 100 dollars each year.
Special features: The system comes with a system cover, brushed nickel faucet. You will find a smart LED display at the front. The display is there to tell you real-time TDS reading and the remaining lifespan of each filter.
Installation: The installation of this system is straightforward and easy. You will get all the necessary tubing’s in the box.
Warranty: The reverse osmosis water filtration systems are guaranteed for 18 months at maximum for quality-related issues by Frizzlife.
4. AlcaPure & OnliPure RO Water Filter: Best Water Filter Pitcher For Chromium 6
As an installation-free and portable water filter to fight against chromium 6, our weapon of choice would be the AlcaPure Reverse Osmosis Countertop Water Filter by RKIN. Actually, there are 2 versions of this water filter available on the market. Alcapure and Onlipure. Alcapure provides alkaline water (pH 7-8) along with water purification. On the other hand, Onlipure provides ZERO TDS water. For your information, in order to provide alkaline water, a water filter needs to add back necessary minerals that get removed in the reverse osmosis process. Both systems are similarly priced and equally effective against chromium 6.
Filtration System: RKIN countertop RO system, filters water in 4 stages. In Stage 1, comes a five-micron Sediment Filter which moves large particles like rust, sand, dust. Then, in Stage 2, an Activated Carbon Block filter removes organic contaminants like viruses, bacteria, pesticides, etc. In Stage 3 comes the heart of the RO system, the RO Membrane. It removes chromium 6, chromium 3, and other heavy metal.
In Stage 4, an OnliPure Post Filter gets to work. It removes any leftover contaminant after the RO process and brings the TDS level to an absolute ZERO.
Water Supply: In terms of water flow rate, it is not really a fast water filter. It can filter 45.4 gallons of water a day. In other words, 1 gallon every 30 minutes. It will be suitable for a family of 4-5 people.
1:1 Drain Ratio: Both of the RKIN Countertop RO water filters have an impressive 1:1 drain ratio.
Maintenance and cost: Filters used by Alcapure and Onlipure need to be changed once per year. The replacement-filter set of Alcapure costs around 50 bucks and Onlipure’s filter bundle set costs around 70 bucks.
Warranty: With RKIN countertop RO, you get an unconditional 1-year money-back guarantee, which includes a warranty for the same period.
What Is Chromium 6/ Hexavalent Chromium?
Chromium is a chemical element that is an extremely hard, steel gray-colored metal. Although chromium is relatively abundant on earth, it can never be found in its pure form. It is always found in oxidation states, most commonly +3,+6 states.In oxidation states, they are called ions. So, Chromium 6 or Hexavalent Chromium is one of many ions of Chromium.
Pay attention here,
Don’t get fooled by thinking that pure chromium and its ions will be similar in characteristics. Nothing can be further from the truth. Pure chromium and its ions have different chemical bonds, so their chemical properties and effects on humans are also different.
Pure Chromium: Pure Chromium in its metal form is a nontoxic stable element. It does not react with water at room temperature. It is safe to touch but not to consume. Microscopic particles of chromium metal can contaminate water. Since it doesn’t dissolve in water, filtering it out is pretty easy.
Chromium 3 ion: Chromium 3 ion, when consumed in small quantities, is considered helpful for human metabolism. Chromium 3 ions can be found in various foods including garlic, potatoes, broccoli, etc. But in large quantities, they can be a little toxic and have adverse health effects. Just like pure chromium, chromium 3 ions are also insoluble in water.
Toxic Form, Chromium 6 ion: Chromium 6, this infamous chromium ion, is extremely toxic to humans and animals even in trace amounts. . It is poisonous & carcinogenic to consume, inhale, and even to touch. Consumption and inhalation of chromium 6 leads to lung, nasal and gastrointestinal cancer. If you get in-touch with hexavalent chromium, you can get skin burn, severe dermatitis, and skin ulcers, etc.
Chromium 6 is a highly reactive, tasteless & odorless compound. To make things worse, it is also characterized as a water-soluble ionic compound. Upon contact with water, it completely dissolves in it, just like sugar gets mixed with water. The high solubility of Hexavalent chromium makes it extremely difficult to remove it from water.
How To Remove Chromium 6 From Water
By now, you must have understood the basic differences and characteristics of chromium and its ionic compounds. So, now it’s time to explain which water filter you can buy to remove chromium 6 from water.
According to the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), only NSF 58 certified Reverse Osmosis Water Filters are effective against Chromium 6 ions. Because, NSF 58 certified RO water filters have the ability to remove dissolved contaminants from water, including chromium 6 ions, by pushing water across a semi-permeable membrane.
The National Sanitation Foundation rigorously tests every water filter on the market and, based on its performance, gives certificates. From every NSF 58 certified water filter, you can expect to have performances like:
- Cyst reduction
- Hexavalent and trivalent chromium reduction
- Arsenic reduction
- Nitrate/nitrite reduction
- Cadmium reduction
- Lead reduction
- Barium reduction
- Turbidity reduction
- Fluoride reduction
- Copper reduction
- VOC
- Radium 226/228 reduction
- Selenium reduction
Do You have Chromium 6 in your water?
The environmental working group has prepared a map that shows the level of Chromium contamination in the U.S.A. The map will give you a general idea if you have chromium in your drinking water. According to that map, states on the west coast like Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico are in higher danger of chromium contamination. If you live in those states, you should immediately contact your water supplier for the Consumer Confidence Report.
The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR in short), tells you where your water comes from and what’s in it. Every water supplier system in the U.S.A. prepare an updated report each year by July 1st. You can find their online report at this link here.
Also, you can send water samples to the National Testing laboratories LTD in Michigan, to check whether you have chromium 6 in water or not. You can contact them and find out about their services here.
How chromium 6 gets into our water sources?
Chromium 6 has been excessively used for industrial purposes since the 19th century. Improper and unsafe discharge of waste material from throes industries is the primary reason for Chromium 6 contamination. Hexavalent chromium sneaks into our water system through wastage of dye and paint pigments, leather tanning, wood preservatives, chrome plating wastes, etc.
Logically, the concentration of Chromium 6 found near those industries is far higher than other water sources. According to experts, people working and living near those factories are the worst sufferers of chromium 6 contamination.
What Are the Federal Standards for Chromium 6 in Drinking Water?
The Safe Drinking Water Act (1974) regulates the Environmental Protection Agency to periodically figure out the maximum contaminant level for chromium 6 at which is considered to be safe for humans. For chromium, EPA has the safety standards at 0.1 milligrams per liter or 100 parts per billion.
It is a well-known human carcinogen when inhaled, and recent evidence indicates it can cause stomach or gastrointestinal cancer when ingested in drinking water.
One thing that needs to be mentioned here is that, they don’t count the individual amount of chromium ions, like chromium 6, present in the water. Rather, they count all forms of chromium together for the chromium drinking water standard.
Chromium 3 ions and chromium 6 ions are highly reactive. So, depending on the environment, they can convert back and forth in the water and also in the human body. This makes it almost impossible and highly expensive for the EPA to accurately count the amount of toxic hexavalent chromium present in water.
So, until they revise their regulation and standard it becomes an individual’s responsibility to ensure safe drinking water for themselves.
Can You Remain Safe Only by Drinking Bottled Water
Drinking bottled water is not an ideal solution to remain safe from chromium 6. It is not possible to say whether your bottled water contains chromium 6 or not. Bottle water in the U.S.A. is regulated by the U.S. food and drug administration. They try to follow the same standard as the public water utilities. But they have not set a legal limit for chromium 6 ions in bottled water yet. So, you can’t assume that bottled water will be safe for you.
However, if you are willing to take the risk, make sure you buy bottled water that is filtered by the reverse osmosis process.
F.A.Q
1. Does Reverse Osmosis Remove Chromium 6?
Yes, Reverse Osmosis Water Filter removes chromium 6 from drinking and cooking water.
2. Does Boiling Water Remove Chromium 6?
No, boiling water will not help you get rid of chromium 6.
3. Who is most at risk for chromium toxicity?
Pregnant women, children, and elderly people.
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