Weight Down Foods

Once you know more about what's in your tap water, you can make a more informed choice on water filters. While there are many different brands of filter available these days, they mostly fall into two major categories: carbon filters and reverse osmosis filters. When you're shopping for these, you should look for a brand that is certified to remove the chemicals in your tap. (The EWG recommends looking for the NSF certification seal in particular.)

Carbon filters tend to be the less expensive option, and you can find ones that attach to your tap or in pitcher form. Some highly rated carbon filters include Pur, Brita, Aquasana, and Soma.

Carbon filters are effective at getting rid of things like chlorine, sediment, and volatile organic compounds. But if you're concerned that your water has any of the contaminants listed in the section above, you might want to consider a reverse osmosis system. They are typically more expensive but better at filtering out small, persistent chemicals and impurities in your water.

"[Reverse osmosis filters] have what is essentially a very fine sieve that can filter out all contaminants except for the water. They usually cost about $200 and are installed under your sink," says Andrews.

"Reverse osmosis filters offer the broadest filtration," echoes Gay Browne, an environmental health adviser and the author of Living With a Green Heart. "They also remove the minerals from your water that make it 'hard.' This can be beneficial if you prefer soft water. However, it also removes good minerals, such as calcium." Some of the top-rated ones include Brondell, APEC, and iSpring.

Whichever option you go with, remember to clean it regularly.

And, in case you're not all tapped out yet, one more thing to keep in mind: Andrews and Patisaul both recommend using a filter not only on your drinking water but the water you cook with too.