Water, it’s essential to our health and survival. So it’s really important that we choose the best and most pure H2O available to keep us thriving.

But water can also contain lots of icky stuff we don’t want to ingest. From metals to chemicals, there’s a whole bunch of impurities that can make water look, taste and even smell bad (yuck!) Plus, some of these contaminants can be really, really bad for you.

So, how do we get rid of these pollutants? Water filters!

Filtering your own tap water and using a stainless steel or reusable glass bottle when on the go is really the best way to stay hydrated and healthy. And because bottled water is often just filtered tap, why not do it yourself? Especially when bottled water can come with issues that can find their way into our tissues (and our precious environment).

According to an investigation done by the Environmental Working Group, “PET plastics (the kind used to make plastic water bottles) can contain dozens of chemical additives, manufacturing impurities and breakdown byproducts. That’s more than 80 additional contaminants that could be leaching into your water.” That’s not tasty or healthy.

And if you’re an earth lover like me, did you know that around 80% of water bottles end up in landfills each year (and not recycled)? These bottles can release toxic chemicals as they decompose, chemicals that can find their way into the soil and waterways.

Speaking of water, according to Oceana an estimated 20 million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean each year. Sadly, many of our fish friends and other marine life often mistake the stuff for food! Plus, bottling alone uses up over 1.5 million barrels of oil in the U.S.

When you add it all up, the costs of bottled water are just too high for regular consumption. So let’s walk through how to clean up and drink your own wonderful water!

What’s in Your Water?

First, it’s helpful to know what’s in your water. Here are a few ways to find out the current condition of your H2O:

Check online

If you’re in the U.S., Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database lets you know which contaminants are in your water. Type in your zip code and see what comes up. You can also use your annual Consumer Confidence Report

Or you can contact your local water supplier to find out what’s in your local area (but they may not be able to tell you what’s specifically coming out of your tap).

And if you have well water, check out this info from the CDC on testing and treating.

Try an at-home test kit

Water test kits are available at home improvement stores, and sometimes through your local health department. It’s best to send the kit to a lab for analysis, so you can get the best results.

Check when your home was built

One big water contaminant is lead—which comes from pipes, not the water. The lead content in your water may be based on when your house was built. If your house was built in the U.S. before 1986, it is likely to have lead pipes. Find out what kind of pipes run into your house so you know if lead is something you have to factor into your filtering.

Why You Need to Filter

Once you’ve got a snapshot of what’s in your water, you can figure out how to improve it if needed. More than half of the contaminants found in drinking water aren’t regulated by the EPA. Some of these are known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.