Water purification is a word that gets used for many different systems. A filter, a reverse osmosis unit and a UV lamp can all be called purifiers, and they do quite different things. This article sorts out what each one is for, using the published standards and the EPA’s own descriptions, so you can ask the right question when you look at water purification in Tampa.
Water Filtration Tampa is an independent referral service, not an installer or plumber. When you send the form, your details are passed to an independent local water treatment pro, who can contact you and prepare a quote.
Start with what is in your water
If you are a City of Tampa Water Department customer, the city’s 2025 report is the place to start. It says the water comes mainly from the Hillsborough River, is disinfected with chlorine and then ammonia to form chloramine, and had an average hardness of 211 mg/L, or 12.3 grains per gallon. On a private well, a certified lab test is the starting point; the EPA and the CDC advise one every year. The question to ask first is what contaminant you want to remove or reduce.
Filtration
Filters are certified for what they reduce. NSF/ANSI 42 covers aesthetic effects such as chlorine, taste and odor. NSF/ANSI 53 covers health effects such as lead. NSF/ANSI 401 covers incidental contaminants. A filter can sit under the sink for one tap or on the main line for the whole house; see the whole house water filter Tampa guide.
Reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis is the process by which pressure forces water through a semi-permeable membrane, producing treated water and reject water, the EPA explains. It says RO systems can potentially remove contaminants such as lead, volatile organic compounds, PFAS, arsenic, bacteria and viruses. A typical point-of-use unit sends five gallons or more down the drain per gallon treated, while WaterSense labeled units send 2.3 gallons or less. The standard is NSF/ANSI 58. See the reverse osmosis system Tampa page.
Ultraviolet (UV)
UV systems use ultraviolet light and are rated under NSF/ANSI 55, in Class A and Class B. Ask the installer which class a unit carries and what it is meant for in your home. If you are on a well and a test shows bacteria, talk to your health department and a qualified pro about the right response.
Purification and softening are different
A water softener is not a purifier. It removes the calcium and magnesium that make water hard and, in a salt-based unit, adds sodium in their place. The City of Tampa says using a softener is a matter of personal preference and may not improve the safety or quality of water as it relates to health. If hardness is your concern, see water softeners in Tampa.
One tap or the whole house?
Decide where you want treated water. If your concern is drinking and cooking water, a point-of-use system at the kitchen sink, such as reverse osmosis or an under-sink filter, treats the water you consume without treating every shower and toilet. If the concern is a taste or odor at every tap, a point-of-entry filter on the main line treats all the water. If it is a private well, the test results decide, and a combination may be needed. Each choice has its own upkeep, so follow the maker’s schedule for cartridges, membranes and lamps.
Whatever you choose, keep the paperwork, note the date each cartridge, membrane or lamp was changed, and ask the installer to show you how to use any bypass valve.
A word on claims
Be careful with promises of pure water or healthier water. This site makes no health claims, and neither should a quote. What you can check is a certification: the standard, the contaminants listed and the listing itself. The advice is simple: make sure the unit you are considering is certified to remove the contaminant you are concerned about.
| System | What it is for | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Filter for taste and odor | Chlorine, taste and odor | NSF/ANSI 42 |
| Filter for health effects | Contaminants such as lead | NSF/ANSI 53 |
| Reverse osmosis | Drinking water at one tap | NSF/ANSI 58 |
| UV system | Ultraviolet treatment, Class A or B | NSF/ANSI 55 |
| Water softener | Hardness | NSF/ANSI 44 |
When you know what you want removed, send the form. Your request goes to the operator of this site, who passes it to an independent Tampa water treatment pro, who can contact you and prepare a quote. The water treatment in Tampa page covers the wider options.
