NSF International has published a new American National Standard for drinking water filters designed to reduce potentially harmful microorganisms from municipal drinking water systems during the critical period between a water-supply contamination and a boil-water advisory.

NSF/ANSI 244: Supplemental Microbiological Water Treatment Systems – Filtration establishes minimum requirements for mechanical water filtration devices that reduce bacteria, viruses and protozoan cysts.

Filtration devices certified to the new standard from NSF International and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) can reduce the risks associated with disease-causing microbes in the hours or days before a boil-water advisory can be issued.

Devices covered under the new standard are intended only for protection against accidental microbiological contamination of otherwise safe drinking water.

NSF/ANSI 244 was developed according to ANSI processes, by a committee of 33 stakeholders representing consumers, the water industry, and state and federal health and environmental agencies in the U.S. and Canada. The ANSI standards development process is designed to ensure openness, balance, consensus and due process for all stakeholders. NSF International’s standards development group facilitated the standards development process.

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