Posted by Janet B. Stroud — November 28, 2023 — Water filtration provider Pure Spout has launched an on-fountain filtration system designed to protect students and others using drinking fountains by reducing lead from the water system.
The On-Fountain System is an affordable and easy-to-install filter that removes lead right at the drinking fountain spout. Image courtesy of PureSpout
Pure Spout filtration technology is engineered to exceed federal lead reduction requirements and provide safe drinking water for students so they can thrive. Pure Spout’s flagship product, the On-Fountain System, is an affordable and easy-to-install filter that removes lead right at the spout.
The Pure Spout On-Fountain System won the Industrial Design of America (IDEA) Silver Award for Social Impact Design in 2023. The product is listed and certified by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) R&T to NSF Standard 53 for lead reduction — demonstrating the effectiveness of the new technology.
The Pure Spout On-Fountain System is designed to replace existing drinking water fountain spouts with filtered spouts. This innovative design makes for easy installation and maintenance in addition to being an affordable alternative to traditional lead mitigation and remediation strategies. Pure Spout Filters are designed to reduce the lead content of drinking water to less than 1 part per billion (ppb) — much less than the EPA’s “Action Level” of 15 ppb.
Matthew Griffith, Pure Spout co-developer, stated:
Our first priority is to make sure communities have access to safe, high-quality drinking water. We believe this solution can make an immediate impact on this critical national water issue.
Lead was used in pipes and fittings as recently as 1991, until the EPA’s passing of the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). With a majority of students attending facilities built prior to 1979, it’s no surprise that a Harvard study focused on lead testing samples in 2016 and 2017 showed the water in 44% of school systems serving over 35 million students had tested positive for lead.
Mark Campbell, water quality scientist and Pure Spout co-developer, explained:
While water utilities typically provide clean, safe, high-quality water direct to their consumers’ homes and businesses, water quality and safety can still be compromised once it enters older facilities with aging plumbing.There is no safe level of lead in the water, especially when it comes to children, so our team wanted to create a viable, cost-effective lead-remediation solution.
The current lead mitigation solutions that Campbell is referring to often include expensive options like replacing drinking fountains, mass ordering of bottled water, costly plumbing projects, or even complex water testing programs that are difficult to implement and maintain.
Griffith pointed out:
National Child Safety Month and National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week reminds us all about the importance of safe drinking water in schools. According to the Centers for Disease Control, lead in blood can cause developmental delays, difficulty learning, behavioral issues and neurological damage in children.
Pure Spout filters are certified to reduce >99.9%* of lead in drinking water, so customers will have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that everyone in their facility is receiving high-quality, filtered water at the spout.
Griffith and Campbell developed this groundbreaking new product in collaboration with one of the nation’s premier certified water technology and treatment laboratories.
Find out more about the PureSpout On-Fountain Filter System at PureSpout.
