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Screenshot from the website https://dansmoneau.fr (Générations futures and Data for Good) consulted on 17/10/2025
More information about your water
Discover whether the water flowing from the tap of your sink contains chemical pollutants. Go to the website dansmoneau.fr and use the interactive map provided by Générations futures and Data for Good to know the quality of your drinking water.
Filtration levels
Reverse osmosis
Nanofiltration
Ultrafiltration
Microfiltration
Tap water
Porosity
up to 0.0001 µm
up to 0.001 µm
up to 0.01 µm
up to 0.1 µm
-
Filtration size
Retains almost everything
Retains medium-sized organic molecules
Retains medium bacteria and viruses
Retains visible particles
Variable
(depends on the plant)
Effectively eliminates
99% of nitrates, pesticides, heavy metals, pharmaceutical residues, microplastics, viruses, bacteria
Pesticides, solvents, a portion of nitrates, heavy metals, pharmaceutical residues, viruses
Bacteria, parasites, microplastics, a portion of viruses
Sands, rust, algae, protozoa, certain bacteria
Common pathogenic germs (chlorine kills bacteria, viruses), coarse particles, turbidity
Lets through
Very few minerals (remineralization possible)
Certain mineral salts (Ca, Mg), a small portion of nitrates & very small pollutants
Nitrates, mineral salts, dissolved pesticides, solvents, heavy metals, PFAS
Viruses, pesticides, nitrates, heavy metals, chemical micro-pollutants, PFAS
Traces of chlorine, nitrates, pesticides, heavy metals, microplastics, pharmaceutical residues, PFAS
Impact on PFAS
It is the only reliable domestic process against PFAS, with an efficiency >90–95%
Can reduce part of the PFAS (depending on their size and structure), but not 100%
No notable effect
No effect
PFAS pass through almost completely, as they are unregulated and very persistent
To make your life easier,
we have created the Aquascore
Because it’s simple! By ranking the different purification levels from A to E on a model you are familiar with, based on the filtration capacity of your equipment, it becomes easier to choose your device. Let’s start from your network water ranked E to reach the ultimate purification level ranked A and easily navigate between ultrafiltration, nanofiltration or reverse osmosis!
Discover the different levels of the Aquascore:
REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO)
Retains particles down to 0.0001 microns
Filters most of the dissolved mineral salts and contaminants that may be contained in the water.
Reverse osmosis uses the finest membrane, which eliminates up to 99% of pollutants: nitrates, pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, microplastics, medicinal residues.
It produces water that is almost pure, sometimes too “demineralized”. Osmosed water can be rebalanced by lightly remineralizing it with finishing cartridges to adjust its taste and smell and make it perfectly drinkable on a daily basis.
Reverse osmosis is the only true domestic shield against all pollutants, including forever pollutants (PFAS).
Advantages: better health safety, neutral taste, maximum protection.
Limitations: more expensive equipment, need for maintenance, slight loss of water concentrated in waste.
NANOFILTRATION (NF)
Retains particles down to 0.001 microns
Filters dissolved organic molecules, pesticides and nitrates that may be contained in the water.
Nanofiltration uses a very fine membrane, close to reverse osmosis, but lets part of the minerals through; it is therefore not necessary to remineralize it to drink it. It produces very purified water with certain minerals (calcium, magnesium) and a small amount of nitrates and pesticides. Nanofiltration protects against most chemical pollutants and retains a majority of heavy metals, medicinal residues, viruses and bacteria. It is therefore an excellent purification compromise even if some forever pollutants (PFAS) are not retained.
Advantages: very good reduction of chemical pollutants (pesticides, solvents, heavy metals), while keeping a bit of minerality.
Limitations: more expensive and requires higher pressure than ultrafiltration.
ULTRAFILTRATION (NF)
Retains particles down to 0.01 microns
Filters bacteria, viruses and colloids that may be contained in the water.
Ultrafiltration uses a very fine membrane that stops bacteria, parasites, microplastics and part of the viruses.
It produces purified water that keeps its dissolved mineral salts. Ultrafiltration does not retain pesticides, nitrates, heavy metals, chemical molecules and even less the forever pollutants (PFAS).
Advantages: Very economical, excellent microbiological barrier, safer water.
Limitations: does not remove chemical pollutants.
MICROFILTRATION (MF)
Retains particles down to 0.1 microns
Filters sediments and large particles that may be suspended in the water.
Microfiltration does not use a membrane, but only filter cartridges that retain sediments, rust, sand, particles and certain bacteria. Due to the size of its pores, microfiltration is a mechanical barrier but not a chemical one. It is an ideal tool for prefiltration or clarification of rainwater or borehole water. It produces clear water, without the unpleasant taste linked to particles. Microfiltration does not stop viruses, pesticides, heavy metals, chlorine, nitrates… nor chemical molecules and even less the forever pollutants (PFAS).
Advantages: improves clarity and removes the unpleasant taste linked to particles.
Limitations: limited protection, does not treat chemical or very fine contaminants.
DOMESTIC NETWORK
The water that supplies the domestic network and flows from the tap has generally undergone treatment to make it drinkable: disinfection (chlorine, ozone, UV) and coarse filtration in treatment plants. Depending on the region, chlorine, residual heavy metals, pesticides, nitrates, microplastics, medicinal residues, forever pollutants (PFAS)... may generally remain.
Even if the water distributed by the public network is rigorously monitored, there is always a risk of occasional or secondary contamination, especially between the treatment plant and the tap: microbiological contamination, chemical contamination, physical contamination (sand, rust, limescale deposits, fine sludge), secondary contamination within the building.
In summary, contamination can occur in the drinking water network, mainly microbiological and chemical, due to leaks, corrosion, soil pollution or faulty internal installations.
This is why domestic and professional filtration equipment remains an essential guarantee of sanitary safety.
Advantages: drinkable and monitored, very economical.
Limitations: taste, odor, and possible presence of traces of unregulated emerging pollutants.
In summary (**) :
PROFESSIONAL REVERSE OSMOSIS (RO)
Retains particles down to 0.0001 microns
* The retention rate of a reverse osmosis membrane depends on its quality, its maintenance condition, the applied pressure and the type of pollutants. Overall, the retention rate varies between 90 and 99.9% of the dissolved pollutants in the water.
A professional-quality reverse osmosis membrane, such as the 40-21 or 40-40 membranes, produces water very close to maximum purity, ideal for industrial processes. This water is not drinkable as is and must undergo a remineralization treatment to be consumed.
** These informations are indicative and may vary depending on the technologies and filtration equipment, the geographical area, the maintenance of filtration systems...
Focus on forever pollutants (PFAS)
What is it?
Family of thousands of chemical compounds (teflon, firefighting foams, water repellents, food packaging…).
Why forever?
They are extremely persistent, do not degrade in the environment and accumulate in living organisms.
Health:
Endocrine disruptors, effects on liver, thyroid, fertility, immunity.
In water:
Present in trace amounts (nanograms per liter), but difficult to remove.
Effective solution:
Reverse osmosis
The eternal pollutants (PFAS): a major challenge for water quality
The eternal pollutants, also called PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), represent today one of the greatest environmental challenges related to water. Used since the 1950s in many industrial and domestic products (textiles, food packaging, firefighting foams, non-stick coatings…), these substances are extremely persistent in the environment. They hardly degrade and can accumulate in soils, groundwater and living organisms, including human beings.
Scientific studies have shown that certain PFAS can have harmful effects on health, notably on the hormonal, immune and reproductive systems. Their growing presence in groundwater and surface water has led the authorities to strengthen regulations and encourage the deployment of suitable treatment solutions.
The effective treatment solutions
Faced with this issue, it becomes essential to equip installations with devices capable of capturing or eliminating PFAS before their discharge or consumption.
Among the most effective technologies are:
-
Activated carbon filters, capable of retaining a large part of fluorinated compounds.
-
Ion exchange resins, which allow targeted elimination of certain molecules.
-
Membrane systems (nanofiltration, reverse osmosis), particularly suited to professional and industrial uses requiring impeccable water quality.
