Yes. EPA research finds reverse osmosis and other high-pressure membranes typically more than 90 percent effective against a wide range of PFAS, shorter-chain PFAS included. A model's PFAS claim is rarer: of 547 listings certified to NSF/ANSI 58 (read 5 October 2026), 39 carry a PFAS claim. EPA advises looking for NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 certification for PFAS reduction.
The short version:
- EPA's research figure is typically above 90 percent. EPA's research puts high-pressure membranes such as reverse osmosis typically above 90 percent removal across a wide range of PFAS.
- Few listings carry a PFAS claim. Of 547 listings certified to NSF/ANSI 58, 39 carry a PFAS claim and 467 name TDS.
- Our index holds claims, not test results. It records the claims each listing names.
- Certified is not the same as compliant. EPA says current PFAS certifications (as of April 2024) do not yet indicate removal down to its drinking-water standard.
Look up a model's listed claims in our certification checker.
How well does reverse osmosis remove PFAS?
EPA's researchers report that high-pressure membranes, the family reverse osmosis belongs to, are typically more than 90 percent effective at removing a wide range of PFAS, including shorter-chain PFAS. That is the figure EPA publishes for the technology.
EPA also says filters are only effective if they are maintained according to the manufacturer's instructions, and that not replacing a filter on the manufacturer's schedule can increase the risk of PFAS exposure.
RO vs carbon vs ion exchange
Every finding below is from EPA's research page on PFAS treatment technologies.
| Technology | What EPA's research says | Shorter-chain PFAS |
|---|---|---|
| Reverse osmosis and nanofiltration (high-pressure membranes) | Typically more than 90 percent effective at removing a wide range of PFAS. | Included in that range. |
| Granular activated carbon (GAC) | Can be 100 percent effective for a period of time that depends on the type of carbon, the bed depth, the flow rate, the PFAS to be removed, temperature, and the organic matter and other contaminants in the water. | Works well on longer-chain PFAS like PFOA and PFOS; shorter-chain PFAS like PFBS and PFBA do not adsorb as well. |
| Anion exchange resin | Like GAC, removes 100 percent of PFAS for a time set by the resin, bed depth, flow rate, which PFAS are present and the background water. | Not quoted here. |
Pitcher filters are not in this table.
The next section covers what the certification listings show. Our page on PFAS filters with certified claims shows the certifier listing behind each PFAS claim it reports.
How many certified RO listings carry a PFAS claim
The counts below are of the claims each listing names in our index. Across 547 listings holding an active NSF/ANSI 58 certification in the NSF, IAPMO R&T and WQA directories, read 5 October 2026, 467 name TDS and 24 name PFOA or PFOS on the NSF/ANSI 58 listing itself.
Here is every contaminant named across those 547 listings, counted on the NSF/ANSI 58 listing itself:
The same figures as a table:
| Claim on the NSF/ANSI 58 listing | Listings (of 547) |
|---|---|
| TDS | 467 |
| Cadmium | 239 |
| Chromium (trivalent) | 239 |
| Barium | 233 |
| Copper | 233 |
| Selenium | 233 |
| Chromium (hexavalent) | 227 |
| Radium 226/228 | 226 |
| Lead | 223 |
| Arsenic (pentavalent) | 221 |
| Fluoride | 178 |
| Cyst | 119 |
| Turbidity | 109 |
| Nitrate / nitrite | 98 |
| Uranium | 55 |
| PFOA / PFOS | 24 |
| Asbestos | 18 |
Another 15 listings carry a PFAS claim through another certification on the same record, which is how the count reaches 39 of 547. 54 of the 547 are IAPMO R&T listings, which our index holds as a product category label only, so they can be read neither as a PFAS claim nor as the absence of one.
Our index records a TDS claim and a PFAS claim as separate claims. This guide offers no reason for the gap between the TDS and PFAS counts; the counts above are what the listings show.
We cover certification pass thresholds in what a certification pass threshold really proves.
Certified is not the same as compliant
EPA's enforceable limits for PFOA and PFOS are 4.0 parts per trillion each, with health goals of zero. As of April 2024, EPA notes, filter certifications focus on PFOA and PFOS, two specific PFAS.
EPA's guidance on identifying certified filters says that current PFAS filter certification standards (as of April 2024) do not yet indicate that a filter will remove PFAS down to the levels EPA has set for its drinking-water standard.
We explain the gap between certification pass thresholds and the EPA health goal in certification pass thresholds versus the EPA health goal.
The trade-offs of reverse osmosis
With high-pressure membranes, EPA notes that about 20 percent of the feed water is retained as a high-strength concentrated waste, and suggests the technology may be best suited to point-of-use treatment for a homeowner, since the volume of water treated is much smaller.
The other trade-off is the one above: EPA warns that a filter not replaced on the manufacturer's schedule can increase the risk of PFAS exposure.
Our reverse osmosis systems page shows the certifier listing each system it covers resolves to, and PFAS in drinking water covers where PFAS come from.
How EPA says to check a filter
EPA's advice for a home filter is to check the product packaging for certification to NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 for PFAS reduction and, if in doubt, the certification body's product directory, to see whether the product has been certified to treat PFAS such as PFOA and PFOS. As of April 2024, EPA notes, filter certifications focus on PFOA and PFOS.
Our certification checker reads the NSF, IAPMO R&T and WQA directories as compiled in our certification index on 5 October 2026, and shows the claims each listing names.
Method, and what this doesn't cover
The counts come from the published NSF, IAPMO R&T and WQA certification directories as compiled in our certification index on 5 October 2026. The 547 figure counts listed models holding an active NSF/ANSI 58 certification: each listing is one listed model. A listing counts as a PFAS claim only when a certifier names PFOA, PFOS, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFNA or Total PFAS on an active certification, using the same reviewed vocabulary that checks the certification claims on our filter pages.
Two limits worth weighing:
- We read three directories. A product certified only by another certification body is not in these counts.
- The counts are dated. They are the directories as compiled in our certification index on 5 October 2026.
If you find a listing we appear to have missed, tell us and we will correct it.
The bottom line
EPA's research puts reverse osmosis and other high-pressure membranes typically above 90 percent removal across a wide range of PFAS.
What the listings show is narrower: Of 547 certified reverse-osmosis listings, 39 carry a PFAS claim and 467 name TDS.
