What Are Nitrates?

Nitrate (NO3) is a naturally occurring form of nitrogen (N) which is very mobile in water. It is essential for plant growth and is often added to soil to improve productivity. Water moving down through soil after rainfall or irrigation carries dissolved nitrate with it to ground water. In this way, nitrate enters the water supplies of many homeowners who use wells or springs. Drinking water high in nitrate is potentially harmful to human and animal health.

Because nitrate is colorless, tasteless and odorless, water must be chemically tested to determine contamination. In levels above 10.0 ppm as Nitrogen, it is considered as a hazard to infant's health and that of animals and should be removed. See our WaterSafe well water test kit for a do-it-yourself laboratory-quality home nitrate water test.

How Do You Filter Nitrate From Water?

An ideal, low cost method for removing Nitrates is a system much like a water softener only it contains a Type II strong base Cation resin, which the CuZn Nitrate Water Filters use. Cation resin is a negatively charged resin bead that exchanges positively charged ions in the water to remove nitrates.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Hardness over 8 grains, all chlorine and iron must be removed from the water supply for a nitrate filter to work effectively. The single cartridge nitrate filter is best used for a kitchen sink in conjunction with a whole house filtration system because it only removes nitrates and nothing else.