The EPA's standard for zinc is a Secondary Standard of 5 mg/L — a non-enforceable, aesthetic guideline rather than a health-based limit. Zinc at elevated levels is mainly a taste issue, not a documented health hazard at the concentrations typically found in household water.
It most commonly enters water from corroding galvanized pipe or brass fixtures, similar to several of the other metals on this list.
Illustrative water-testing concept.
Watch For This
Signs to Look For
A metallic taste in the water
Slightly cloudy or milky appearance at elevated levels
Older galvanized plumbing or brass fixtures
No recent water test to confirm the actual level
How We Fix It
Reverse Osmosis System
Reverse Osmosis System
Reverse osmosis filtration reduces zinc along with other dissolved metals, which can help with taste even though zinc isn't a health-based regulatory concern at typical household levels.
Note: this is addressed by our reverse osmosis drinking-water system specifically — our whole-house filtration systems are not designed or certified to remove it.
Curious What's In Your Water?
We'll test it for free and show you exactly what a system would remove.
