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No matter which corner of the internet I find myself in, conversations about PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” seem to find me. I try to control a lot of the things I can around my house to reduce contact with them, using “clean” products and striving for glassware over plastics, among other switches. But water, admittedly, has been a struggle. We’ve previously had pitcher water filters and even no water filters. But living an hour away from Flint, Michigan, home of the nation’s most infamous clean water crisis, I realized I had to do something more to keep my family safe.
We like
- Easy, quick installation
- Effective, custom solution to protect you and your family from PFAs and bacteria in your water
- Science-based company founded by experts
- Tests show extreme efficacy of the filters
- Brand really cares about your health
We don't like
- Higher price point
- Wish shower filter looked prettier
Meet The Water Nerds
When I discovered Hydroviv, a science-based water filtration company, I admittedly was skeptical of their “customized” approach to water safety. Promising a customized filtration system based on my zip code felt like a tall order. After all, there are over 41,000 zip codes in the US alone! When I started to read more about this approach, as well as the team’s experience, I had to try it out for myself. After all, I had a feeling my cheap-o Target pitcher filter wasn’t doing the job.
Dr. Eric Roy, the brand’s founder and Chief Scientist, leveraged his extensive background in chemistry and advanced military technology to develop the product in 2015. Like me (but far more charitably-minded), he was concerned about the impact of Flint’s water crisis, and decided to do something about it. From 2015 to 2019, he donated to daycares and families who couldn’t afford or access clean water. From here, he was able to venture onto NBC’s “Shark Tank,” where he struck a deal with Mark Cuban. Today, Hydroviv is still revolutionizing the world of water safety with products for the shower, under the sink, and in the refrigerator.
Because No Two Homes Are Alike
Getting into the science a bit more, Hydroviv is the only company on the market doing “custom” filters for your home. Each system is created by “pulling together water quality from local, county, state, and federal databases, identifying contaminants and susceptibilities to create fully customized filters based on your zip code.” This really excited me, especially since my zip code is not only close to Flint, but also is made up of really old homes. Don’t get me wrong, I love my 114-year-old house, but who knows what’s in her pipes.
While this was enticing, I still remained unsure of the price tag. What ultimately had me pulling the trigger was the fact that the brand continues to monitor your home area’s zip codes for adequate water quality. Should those metrics fall below the appropriate range, the team actually sends you a free replacement cartridge. This told me that the brand was about more than my money – they actually want safe water for me and my family above all else.
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The 114-Year-Old Home Test
I got both the Under Sink Water Filter, as well as the Shower Head Filter. Let’s start with the Shower Head Filter. I’m a modern, 21st-century-type woman, but if I’m keeping it real with you, I hate doing home projects. (After my husband redid our kitchen last year, I’m all home project-ed out just from watching.)
Installing the Shower Head Filter was actually crazy easy. You simply unscrew the existing shower head, add a bit of plumbers’ tape (which is provided) and screw it back on. Your existing shower head goes right back on over it! I wish I would’ve timed it because it was very, very fast to do and I did it all by my bad self.
As for the Under Sink Water Filter, I was more excited about this one, but admittedly was less excited to install. It promises under 15 minutes for installation, but I’ve fallen for that before and been sorely disappointed. While installation was very quick and I mostly did it by myself, I did have a little leakage that elicited a panicked “honey!” call to my husband. The video for installation is incredibly clear though, and outside of just not tightening it enough, I really think anyone can do the installation.
Is Hydroviv’s System Worth It?
I can’t make this up – in the middle of writing this review, I got a letter from the city stating there was an “unknown material” in our pipes that might be lead. Having two young kids, I was freaking out. Thankfully, we had installed the Hydroviv filters a few months ago (which is rated to protect against lead, among other contaminants), but I couldn’t help but worry about the water before.
As an engineer by training, I had to see the math mathin’. In an independent study analyzing the before and after of the Hydroviv filters, the under sink filtration system performed with >84% efficacy of removing undesirable fluorochemicals. If I can protect my family 84% more from problematic water, I’ll buy Hydroviv again and again. Cheers to drinking better for all.
Say hello to Hydroviv’s custom filtration systems and goodbye to PFAs!
