Lead can leach from old plumbing fixtures and service lines into your city water or well water supply. According to the EPA, it is one of the most toxic pollutants in drinking water and can cause a number of diseases.
If your tap water contains lead, don’t panic. I’ve selected the best lead removal whole-house water filtration systems available on the market based on their filtering performance, water filter life, durability, and certifications.
It’s time to bid farewell to this toxic pollutant for good.
1. SpringWell Whole House Lead and Cyst Removal System (LCR-1)
- Certified and durable
- $1,501.96
The SpringWell whole-house lead filter is 0.5-micron rated to remove both dissolved and undissolved lead along with PFOS/PFOA, chlorine, and microbes in water. Its high performance, 100,000 gallons of filtration life, and extensive warranty make it the best whole-house water filter for removing lead.
Pros
There’s a lot to like about this whole-house filtration system.
First, it takes care of many commonly occurring pollutants in city water besides lead, including chlorine, chloramines, PFOS, crypto, giardia, and cysts. The filter is rated to remove 99.6% of lead, 99.9% of chlorine, and 97% of PFOAs.
No other whole-house water filtration system uses such robust technology to trap harmful contaminants simultaneously.
Second, it removes lead in both soluble and insoluble forms. SpringWell uses a proprietary binder that attracts ionic lead and cleans your water supply. The insoluble lead particulates get trapped in a 0.5-micron filter, which is also responsible for capturing other pollutants.
The best part is that this water filter is certified by IAPMO R&T against NSF/ANSI 53, P473, 44, and 61 standards.
I like that this filter’s strong technology is compactly housed in one tank that can fit in tight spaces. It is easy to install and maintain. But if you’re not very handy, it’s better to call a professional plumber.
Lead in water can be toxic even in small amounts, so changing the filter in time is crucial. SpringWell ensures you don’t miss the filter changing date through its dynamic LED display, which indicates the life of the water filter using color-coded notifications.
What’s more? You’ll get an 8 GPM uninterrupted flow rate and a whopping 100,000 gallons of water capacity. You won’t find a better flow rate for a whole-house lead removal system anywhere else. Some brands offer more than 12 GPM, but a higher flow rate reduces the contact time and the lead-removing abilities. SpringWell is equipped with just the right flow rate.
Not only that, but you’ll also score a lifetime warranty and a six-month money-back guarantee with this whole-house unit. And the best part? It comes at a reasonable price, and that’s something worth praising.
Cons
First, the SpringWell water filtration system is that it comes in only one size suitable for a medium household.
Second, although you’ll receive a detailed installation manual, unless you’re an expert yourself, you might need a professional’s help for proper installation.
Finally, this filtration system is not suitable if you’re on well water with high iron and manganese. Heavy metals will oxidize the filter media and reduce its cleaning efficiency.
Overall
At just $1,501.96, finding a whole-house unit that is NSF/ANSI certified to remove 99.62% lead along with chlorine, PFOAs and microbes is the best bargain you can find on the market right now.
If you want to keep yourself and your family safe from lead for the rest of your life, get yourself SpringWell LCR-1 right now.
2. Aquasana OptimH2O: 8.50/10
- Strong filtration performance
- $3,598
If you can splurge over three grand on a whole-house filter, the Aquasana OptimH2O is your next best option. Its superb build quality, long life, certifications, and top-notch filtration performance make it stand out.
Pros
The OptimH2O uses a 0.5 micron-rated water filter and ultra-dense carbon block to remove 99% of lead, 98% of PFOA/PFOS, and about 90% of chlorine and chloramine. The best part is it’s independently certified by IAPMO against NSF/ANSI 53 and P473 standards to treat lead and PFOS in water.
The filter comes with a detailed guide on how to install and maintain it. If you face hurdles, you can contact customer service — one of the best on this list. Another win for this unit is its LED display unit that indicates the life of the water filter and lets you know when it’s time to change it.
The pre-filter lasts six months, while the main lead removal system has a capacity of 100,000 gallons or one year, with costs running around $500. And the tank is made up of a lightweight yet strong material that stands the test of time.
Aquasana offers a five-year warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee, which is not as grand as SpringWell’s lifetime warranty, but is still better than many brands.
Cons
Its super expensive price tag is the biggest knock against this whole-house water filter. Plus, you’ll be paying well over $500 annually for its replacement cartridges. You can find similar performance at half the price with SpringWell.
Another issue is its low flow rate of only 4.8 GPM. This means you can’t run multiple taps in the house without facing a dip in water pressure.
Overall
The Aquasana OptimH2O produces super clean and fresh water through every tap around your home. The filter itself is easy to install and maintain and also indicates when you need to swap the filter.
While it does what it claims, it’ll cost you an arm and a leg. If you’re OK with the price tag, buy it here.
3. Crystal Quest Lead Removal System
- Long life and decent flow rate
- $1,631
Crystal Quest is another excellent option if you want to treat more than just lead in your city water supply. The filter can remove chlorine, VOCs, pesticides, herbicides, and hard minerals, as well as lead.
Pros
The best thing about Crystal Quest is its different filter sizes to suit every household. You can choose between four variations with flow rates from 6 GPM to 18 GPM and filtering capacities ranging from 750,000 to 1,000,000.
Plus, depending on your region’s humidity and temperature conditions, you can choose either a stainless-steel or fiberglass tank.
Regarding its filtration performance, Crystal Quest uses resin beads covered with sodium ions to attract soluble lead along with calcium and magnesium minerals. This media needs to be flushed and regenerated with fresh brine solution, but the system does it automatically, so you don’t have to worry about it.
It also features proprietary SMART multimedia containing more than one granular activated-carbon filter, Eagle Redox Alloys 6500+9500, and ion exchange resin to remove a boatload of pollutants.
I love that it also features tourmaline ceramic balls that enhance the water’s pH.
Cons
One of the biggest knocks against this filter is no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t find any certification or performance sheet that proved it could filter lead.
Unlike SpringWell, this unit cannot tell when the filter is due for a change, so you might inadvertently consume lead when the filter nears its expiration.
And lastly, you’ll get only one year of warranty, which is incomparable to SpringWell’s lifetime warranty.
Overall
Crystal Quest lead removal filter is available in different sizes with varying flow rates. While it does a decent job of making your water smell fresh and clean, it doesn’t have any certifications to prove it effectively removes lead. If you don’t care about certifications a lot, you can buy it here.
4. iSpring WGB32B-PB
This recommendation is for people not willing to spend a thousand bucks on a filter. The iSpring whole-house filter is priced at $465.22 and features three filtration stages.
The first cartridge is a sediment filter that removes dirt, debris, and anything over 5 microns. The next stage is a carbon filter dedicated to removing chlorine smell, taste, and cloudiness. And the last filter is a lead-removing filter that takes out 99% of lead from the water.
I like that it’s affordable yet effective. I don’t like that it doesn’t have any certification to back its claims of removing lead in water.
I was also not a fan of its build quality. The filter is not very easy to set up and install. You might need to call a plumber for this job. Plus, this whole-house water filter is pretty high maintenance. Due to its low-quality build, you’ll be facing a lot of leakage down the road. So buy some spare plumber’s tape with this filter; it’ll come in handy.
The iSpring filtration system comes with a high flow rate of 15 GPM, and the filters will last almost a year before needing a change.
You’ll get a one-year warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee, which is not bad considering the price of this unit. Plus, you have the option of buying extended warranties.
Although the price of this unit is tempting, you won’t get a quality unit that requires minimal maintenance and indicates the life of the filter, like my top choices.
5. US Water Systems Pioneer Lead Removal System
The Pioneer lead removal system is yet another NSF/ANSI 53-certified option to remove lead in your water supply.
This whole-house water filter contains binders that attract soluble ionic lead. Its filtration principle is similar to SpringWell’s, except this filter loses efficiency as it nears its expiration date. Plus, it’s designed to remove contaminants at a slow flow rate of 4.51 GPM, which is 50% less than what my top recommendations offer.
Apart from lead, it can also capture PFOS, chlorine, and chloramine in water.
I like that it has an LED display that gives color-coded notifications about the filter’s conditions and its remaining life.
I don’t like that the filter loses its efficiency by removing chlorine. You will need to install a pre-filter that removes chlorine before the water enters this system, which means higher maintenance and extra cost.
This whole-house filter is priced at $1,295 and offers users no warranty or money-back guarantee. It’s better to go with brands that provide some sort of protection. You’re shelling out over a grand, so it better be worth it.
6. Express Water Whole House Filter
The Express Water Whole House Lead Filter, priced at $476, features sediment, carbon, and KDF filters in its three-stage unit. It removes lead, dirt, chlorine, and hydrogen sulfide. But I couldn’t find any certification that proved these claims.
Upon testing, I noticed that it does remove these contaminants but loses efficiency as it approaches the end of filter life, which means you can accidentally consume lead if you forget to change the filter before the expiration date.
You’ll get 100,000 gallons of clean water at 15 GPM, which is superb. You might need a professional’s help to install this unit, but changing the filters is a breeze. Another good thing about this unit is its clear sediment filter housing, allowing you to judge the filter condition in real time.
The filter life is 6–12 months, depending on the incoming water quality. This doesn’t include filter life indicators, so you will need to set alarms or reminders, which involves a lot of guesswork.
I like that this brand is in a partnership with Charity: Water. Buying from Express Water means you’ll be indirectly helping the deprived communities.
7. APEC Water Systems
Featuring a granular activated-carbon filter, KDF media, and sediment filter, APEC filter claims to remove lead, iron, chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, and other heavy metals. I couldn’t find any certifications that backed these claims, but my own tests concluded that it removes lead in the start and slowly loses its performance.
Like iSpring and Express Water, APEC is light on the pocket and costs only $471, but you should expect frequent filter replacements. It’s rated to filter 100,000 gallons of water, but many customers reported that it gives up much earlier than that.
Although there’s a lot of helpful material on the website, installing this filter is not very easy and requires professional help.
If your water quality is not very poor and contains only a few contaminants besides lead, give it a go. But for serious lead problems, you’re better off with the SpringWell.
The Bottom Line
For over five months, I’ve tested and analyzed 15 whole-house water filtration systems that claim to remove lead in water. Only seven of them lived up to my expectations. But one among them actually exceeded my expectations: the SpringWell LCR-1 whole-house filter.
It’s perfect if your water has a combination of lead, chlorine, PFOAs, and microbes. The filter is NSF/ANSI 53 certified to remove about 99.62% of lead in both soluble and insoluble forms.
Its electronic head measures the life of the filter through the change in water conditions and the flow rate. You’ll be notified when the filter is due for a change.
Although it comes in only one size equipped with 8 GPM and can filter 100,000 gallons of water, this filtration capacity is more than enough for small to medium-sized homes.
If you want to get rid of lead for good at just $1,501.96 with minimal maintenance, get the SpringWell LCR-1 right now.
Methodology
You must wonder how I arrived at my top seven choices for the best whole-house lead removal system. This section will walk you through the research steps I followed for this review.
Step 1: A big list of every product and service available
To start my research, I spent one whole day just scouring the internet for whole-house lead filters available on the market. To make sure I included every popular water filtration system on my list, I asked some of my friends and colleagues for suggestions.
After compiling a list of over 15 whole-house water filter systems, I took a nap.
Step 2: Online reviews
In the next step, I read hundreds of reviews and feedback left by customers on review websites like Consumer Reports, Angie’s List, and Amazon reviews. Once I got the insight into how the filters on my list performed for the customers, I identified the ones with the worst rankings and removed them from my list.
Step 3: Product/service analysis
I needed more information on what made a whole-house water filtration system the best and how I should judge its ability to clean lead from water. Here are a few questions that helped me find the best filters:
- What filtration technology is best for removing lead in water?
- Does the filtration system feature a filter life indicator?
- Is the water filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 standard for lead removal?
- How long will the water filter last?
- What else can the water filter remove from water?
- Can I count on it to remove lead in my water for the rest of my life?
Step 4: Interviews with real customers
In the next step, I decided to reach out to the customers and hear what they had to say about the filters. I also conducted a survey on Facebook, and to my surprise, many people provided feedback. Some customers shared their water test report with me while others invited me to their homes to test the water filter myself. It helped me learn a lot.
Step 5: Interviews with brands
To judge the customer service of the brands on my list, I decided to email the companies with a few queries related to their certifications, warranties, and the shortcomings of their filters. A few companies responded back immediately and were willing to jump on a call with me, while others did not respond at all. I struck off the brands that didn’t reply within 72 hours.
Step 6: Test drives
Of course, I had to test each whole-house water filter system myself to determine a winner among them. I rented a few filtration systems and bought others. While the filters were on their way to my home, I prepared a testing rig and bought a testing kit.
I used the same water supply to test each unit. The testing included the taste, color, and smell of water, the concentration of lead in filtered water, ease of installation, and ease of maintenance.
Don’t worry, I put the filtered water to good use.
Step 7: Ratings
In the last step, I developed a rating system based on the following factors and scored the filters accordingly:
- Lead removing capabilities
- Filter life
- Flow rate
- Filter build quality
- Ease of maintenance
- Certifications
- Warranty
- Cost
- Customer reviews
Final Thoughts: Best Whole-House Water Filter for Lead Removal
What I learned from this testing process is this: If you want a lead removal whole-house water filter that actually removes lead, you should look for certifications and test performance results.
The SpringWell whole-house lead removal system is my number one choice because of its overall excellent performance. Here are a few characteristics that make this whole-house water filter stand out:
- NSF/ANSI 53, P473, 44, and 61
- 8 GPM flow rate
- 100,000 gallons water filtration capacity
- Lifetime warranty and six-month money-back guarantee
- Low maintenance
- Cost-effective
If you’re worried about lead in your drinking water, buy it today and enjoy fresh and clean water, free of lead.
