We often take the water we drink every day for granted, but have you ever stopped to consider what might be in it? From chlorine to microplastics, our water can contain a variety of contaminants, some that are healthy for us and some that are increasingly concerning as more research about their longterm impact emerges.
One of these contaminants that has been subject to these concerns is Microplastics. With more and more studies emerging, a greater understanding of the damage of microplastic ingestion is raising public awareness around what is in our drinking water.
Research of Microplastics in Water
A UK study published in 2025 by researchers from the University of Birmingham investigated 262 water samples, including tap water from 13 UK cities and bottled water from 17 popular brands.
Here’s what the researchers found:
- Every sample tested contained microplastics, across both tap water and bottled water.
- Tap water contained an average of 40 microplastic particles per litre, compared with 37 per litre in bottled water.
- Estimated daily intake of microplastics across UK age groups showed that, by body weight and water intake, infants and toddlers had higher exposure.
You can read more about the study here.
Why Do Microplastics Matter?
The tiny particles of plastic, called microplastics, can make their way into our drinking water from a range of everyday sources. From synthetic clothing to plastic packaging, the small, lightweight microplastics are all around us in modern day life and can travel easily through air, soil and water systems. You can learn more about microplastics and where they come from in our blog post Microplastics in Water.
Evident in our food, drinking water, and even in the air we breathe, it’s becoming harder to avoid microplastics, but there are ways to reduce exposure, and using a water filter is one of them.
Reducing Microplastic Exposure
There are multiple ways to reduce your everyday exposure to microplastics. Limiting single-use plastics and packaging helps to reduce the amount of microplastics you ingest—you can find out more about this in our blog post on The Dangers of Drinking from Plastic Water Bottles.
Reducing microfibre shedding from clothes will also help limit exposure, so where possible choose clothing made from natural materials rather than synthetic.
Opting to filter your tap water with an NSF-certified filter will also make a significant difference. Our filters are designed to reduce a wide range of common contaminants found in tap water, but if you are looking to specifically address microplastics, we recommend the Doulton Kingfisher Under Sink Water Filter System with Biotect Ultra or our 8.5L British Berkefeld Gravity System with Ultra Sterasyl filters. Both have been fully tested & certified to NSF/ANSI Std 401 for microplastic reduction and filter 99.9% of microplastics with a particle size range of 0.5 to 1 micron (µm).
Microplastics may be increasingly more prevalent in our everyday lives, but taking small, easy steps to minimise exposure will help to keep your family healthy for years to come.
Ready to reduce the microplastics in your household? Find your perfect water filter solution here.
