Water Filtration 101

Reduction Claims

List of specific contaminants a water filter has been tested to reduce from the water source. For example, the 3MDW301 reduces Particulate, CTO (Chlorine Taste & Odor), Chloramines, Lead, Asbestos, Cyst, VOCs, MTBE and TTHM.

Micron Rating (μm)

The ability of the filter media to remove particles of a certain size. The lower the number, the finer the level of particles are being reduced.

Flow Rate (lpm or lpd)

How quickly water is flowing from the source after the water filter system is installed. The higher the number, the quicker water should flow from the faucet head. Often expressed as liters per minute (lpm) or liters per day (lpd).

Capacity/Life*

(Liters/months)

A measurement of how many liters can flow through a filter system while maintaining the performance claims. The higher the capacity, the longer the filter life. A water filter that has a lower micron rating and wider range of contaminant reductions will tend to have a lower flow rate. If you think about it, filtering water will usually restrict the flow of the water, but we have different solutions that provide you with options to meet your customer’s needs. For example, the 3MFF100 is a great innovation in water filtration technology as it filters several contaminants at a full flow rate of 2.5 lpm from an existing faucet and is rated to last twice as long compared to our previous generations of 3M Purification under sink products.

* Filter life dependent on local water quality.

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