Coldstream Filter Lab Testing
Coldstream water filters and purifiers stand out for their effectiveness, in particular for their very strong action on the reduction of nitrate and fluoride and because their tests are carried out on several thousand liters of water.
Most other manufacturers don't offer testing on that many liters of water. Coldstream wants to be as transparent as possible with its customers. Coldstream filters preserve the mineral salts present in the water.
Coldstream has been successfully tested according to the following standards and methods
- NSF/ANSI 42 Aesthetic Effects
- NSF/ANSI 53 Health Effects
- Microbiological Purifier NSF P231
- U.S. EPA Method 200.8 Determination of Metals and Trace Elements in Water and Waste
- U.S. EPA Method 505-2.1 Analysis of Organic Pesticides and Commercial Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Products in Water
- USA EPA Method 508.1-2 Chlorinated Pesticides, Herbicides, and Organohalides in Water by GCECD
- USA EPA Method 515-2 Chlorinated Acids
- USA EPA Method 524-2 Measurement of Organic Compounds Purgeable in Water
- USA EPA Method 525-2 Organic Compounds in Drinking Water
- USA EPA Method MS301(a) A test-based indicator strip based colorimetric test for nitrates (NO3) in water and soil.
Standards and laboratories
Testing is performed to NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and P231 by Envirotek Inc, New Jersey USA, EPA ID #NJ01298 NJ.
Their laboratory complies with all laboratory certification and quality control procedures and requirements set forth in NJAC 7:18; NYCRR Subpart 55-2, National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference (NELAC) standards, and ISO 17025.
The filters have been tested using a Coldstream system to NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and P231 for the reduction of listed substances. The reduction in the concentration of substances in water was reduced to a value less than or equal to the limit for water leaving the system, as specified in NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, and P231.
To ensure that Coldstream products meet consistently high standards, Coldstream has implemented a series of strict quality control procedures.
Finished filters are regularly tested for pore size, flow rate, bubble point, and compressive strength, confirming that each batch will perform perfectly. In addition to this, the effluent water they produce undergoes sensory evaluation and chemical testing to ensure that all contaminants have been removed.
Document 1: All of our analysis reports I
Document 2: All of our analysis reports II
Document 2 bis: All our analysis reports II Bis
Document 3: Colstream's NSF Certification - NSF CERTIFICATION
Document 4: Coldstream FTO+ Gravity Filter (CF163W) - FTO+ Data Sheet
Document 5: CTO MAX Pressure Filters - CTO MAX Data Sheet
Document 6: CTO MAX Lab Test Data Sheet for Pure Filters TAP Classic
Coldstream uses an innovative manufacturing method for its filters, which is based on high-pressure casting of ceramics.
This technique makes it possible to produce filters with an extremely fine and uniform porous structure, which significantly improves their ability to remove contaminants from the water, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, heavy metals, and chemicals.
The high-pressure process ensures that the filter media, often a mixture of ceramic and activated carbon, is compacted in a way that maximizes the filtration surface while maintaining optimal porosity. This allows Coldstream filters to provide excellent filtration performance, long life, and high efficiency in reducing contaminants, while maintaining an acceptable water flow.
This approach differs from more traditional methods of ceramic filter production, where the pressure applied may be less, resulting in less controlled porosity and potentially less consistent filtration performance.
By incorporating cutting-edge technologies and high-quality materials into their manufacturing process, Coldstream ensures that its filters meet the highest standards for water purification.
Coldstream's Scientific Transparency: A Benchmark in Gravity Filtration
At Coldstream, scientific transparency takes precedence over marketing. This philosophy makes our water filtration systems more serious, honest and reliable than those usually offered on the market.
Why choose the Pure Filters equipped with Coldstream FTO+ ?
1. The widest filtration panel on the market
Cartridges Coldstream FTO+ and CTO Max cover the filtration of more than 230 rigorously monitored substances, including:
- Viruses (Rotavirus)
- Bacteria
- Parasites
- Heavy metals
- Microplastics
- HAA5 (Haloacetic Acids)
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Pesticides
- About thirty common medications
These performances are clearly documented in our test sheets made according to IAPMO / ISO 17025 standards. For comparison, competitors typically publish between 60 and 125 tested parameters; Berkey achieves about 125 parameters on a single lab test, while ProOne achieves about 160 substances, but tested on ten times lower volumes of water.
2. Full access to raw data
Coldstream provides comprehensive and transparent data, with detailed results indicating for each contaminant:
- Initial concentration (influential)
- Final concentration after filtration (effluent)
- Precise reduction rates at different volumes treated (4,000 L, 5,000 L, 6,000 L)
For example, for aluminum: < 1 μg/L at 4,000 L, 18 μg/L at 5,000 L, 24 μg/L at 6,000 L, i.e. a constant reduction of more than 99%.
This data allows our users to verify for themselves the exceptional consistency of performance over several years of home use, a transparency that is unique in the gravity filter market.
In summary:
Coldstream does more than just advertise performance of more than 99% on low volumes of water tested in the laboratory. We publish all the results obtained in full on realistic and relevant volumes for daily use. This dual requirement, exhaustive coverage of filtered substances and full transparency on raw data, positions Coldstream as the most serious and honest brand in the gravity filter market.
Why do some results differ for the same contaminant? (Example: cadmium)
It sometimes happens that the test results show different percentages of reduction for the same contaminant, which can legitimately surprise. Take cadmium, for example, which appears in our data sheets Pure Filters equipped with the Coldstream FTO+.
In the independent report carried out by the laboratory Envirotek/IAPMO, the cadmium reduction is indicated at 41.3%. This figure corresponds to the lowest performance measured over the entire test, i.e. the least favourable value observed at a given time during the complete filtration cycle up to 3000 litres.
On the other hand, in our own data sheets, the figure presented is 94.87%. This percentage corresponds precisely to the cadmium reduction efficiency measured at the end of the 3000 litres filtered.
Thus, the difference is not an error, but simply a different methodological approach:
- Independent laboratories (Envirotek/IAPME): indicate the worst-case scenario observed throughout the duration of the test.
- Technical data sheets Pure Filters (Coldstream FTO+): show the performance measured precisely at the final stage of the test (here, after 3000 liters).
We favor this transparent approach so that you can clearly understand and appreciate the actual performance of our filters under normal usage conditions. If you would like more explanations about these methodologies or the results of the tests, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@pure-filters.com. We will be happy to enlighten you further.
Important : Cartridges using activated carbon should be replaced every 6 to 8 months maximum, as the carbon remains fully effective and stable during this period.