How to Remove Microplastics from Drinking Water: Practical Methods for UK Homes

If you have read our article on microplastics in UK tap water, you know that microplastic fibres have been detected in 72% of UK tap water samples. The natural next question is: what can I actually do about it?

This guide covers the practical methods available to UK households — from simple free techniques to filter systems — and provides the context you need to decide which approach suits your situation.

How UK Water Is Treated

Before looking at what you can do at home, it helps to understand what happens before water reaches your tap. UK water treatment is among the most advanced in the world, involving multiple stages:

1. Screening and coagulation: Large debris is removed and chemical coagulants cause fine particles to clump together
2. Flocculation and sedimentation: Clumped particles settle to the bottom of treatment tanks
3. Rapid gravity filtration: Water passes through sand and gravel beds that capture remaining particles
4. Disinfection: Chlorine or UV treatment kills bacteria and viruses
5. pH correction and distribution: Water is pH-balanced before entering the pipe network

Research from the University of Manchester found that UK water treatment plants remove approximately 99% of microplastic particles during this process. That sounds highly effective — and it is. But UK treatment plants process roughly 16 billion litres of wastewater daily, so even 1% getting through represents a substantial quantity re-entering the water cycle.

Importantly, none of these treatment stages were specifically designed to target microplastics. They were developed for bacteria, sediment, and chemical contaminants. The microplastic removal that occurs is incidental — a fortunate side effect of processes designed for other purposes.

What the Drinking Water Inspectorate Says

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) is the independent regulator responsible for drinking water quality in England and Wales (Scotland has the Drinking Water Quality Regulator, and Northern Ireland has the Drinking Water Inspectorate within the Department for Infrastructure).

As of 2026, the DWI does not include microplastics in its mandatory testing parameters. Water companies are required to test for over 40 substances — including bacteria, lead, nitrates, and pesticides — but microplastics are not yet on the list.

The DWI’s position is that UK drinking water meets all current statutory quality standards and that the existing evidence does not justify setting a microplastic threshold at this time. This is broadly consistent with the position of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which published a report on microplastics in drinking water concluding that current evidence does not suggest a health risk at observed levels, while recommending continued monitoring and research.

Several UK water companies have conducted voluntary microplastic testing:

• Thames Water has found microplastics in raw water sources but states treatment processes “significantly reduce” levels
• United Utilities funded research at Lancaster University finding decreasing concentrations through each treatment stage
• Severn Trent has invested in advanced filtration at several works, partly driven by microplastic concerns

Method 1: Water Filters

The most comprehensive home removal option. Different filter types offer different levels of effectiveness:

Activated carbon filters (jug filters like Brita): A study in Science of the Total Environment found carbon block filters removed approximately 70-80% of microplastic particles larger than 10 micrometres. They are less effective against smaller particles and nanoplastics.

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems: The most effective option, removing particles down to 0.0001 micrometres — well into the nanoplastic range. However, RO systems are more expensive (typically £150-500 installed), waste significant water (roughly 3 litres per 1 litre filtered), and remove beneficial minerals.

Carbon block filters with sub-micron ratings (0.5 micrometres or smaller): A middle ground offering strong microplastic removal without the water waste of reverse osmosis.

For a detailed comparison of specific filter products, certifications, and UK availability, see our water filter buying guide.

Method 2: Boiling

A 2024 study by researchers at Guangzhou Medical University, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, found that boiling tap water for five minutes and then filtering it through a simple strainer removed up to 90% of nano- and microplastic particles.

The mechanism is straightforward: when water boils, dissolved calcium carbonate forms solid deposits (the same limescale you see in your kettle). These mineral crystals encapsulate microplastic particles as they form. Once the water cools, pouring it through a coffee filter, fine mesh strainer, or even a clean tea towel catches the limescale — and the trapped microplastics with it.

Important Caveats

• Hard water areas benefit most. The process depends on calcium carbonate crystallisation. In hard water areas (most of southern and eastern England), there is more dissolved calcium to form these encapsulating crystals. In soft water areas (Scotland, Wales, the North West), the effect is reduced.
• You must filter after boiling. Simply boiling and pouring does not remove the particles — you need to strain the water to capture the mineral deposits.
• Energy cost. Boiling water uses energy. For occasional use this is negligible, but boiling all your daily drinking water adds to your energy bill.
• It takes time. Boiling, cooling, and filtering is not practical if you want a quick glass of water. It works better as a batch process — boil a kettle, filter into a glass or stainless steel jug, and refrigerate.

A commentary published in the same journal noted the need for replication studies and cautioned that results may vary with different water compositions and microplastic types. The boiling method is promising but should be considered one tool among several, not a complete solution.

Method 3: Letting Water Stand

Microplastic particles are denser than water (most common plastics have densities between 0.9 and 1.4 g/cm3). In still water, some particles will gradually settle to the bottom through simple gravity.

This is the principle behind sedimentation — one of the oldest water treatment methods and a key stage in UK water treatment plants.

At home, the practical version is straightforward:

1. Fill a glass or stainless steel jug with tap water
2. Cover it and leave it undisturbed for several hours (overnight is ideal)
3. Pour carefully from the top, leaving the bottom centimetre or two undisturbed
4. Discard the bottom portion

Limitations

• Only works for denser particles. Some plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene) are less dense than water and will float rather than sink. This method primarily captures denser polymer types like PET and PVC.
• Slow process. Meaningful settling requires hours, not minutes.
• Partial removal. No study has quantified precisely what percentage of microplastics settle in a domestic jug setting. This method is best used as a supplement to other approaches, not as a primary removal strategy.
• Nanoplastics unaffected. Particles at the nanoscale are subject to Brownian motion and will not settle under gravity regardless of time.

Method 4: Tap Water vs. Bottled Water

If your instinct is to switch to bottled water to avoid microplastics, the research strongly argues against this.

UK tap water averages approximately 4.9 microplastic particles per litre, according to the University of Portsmouth/Orb Media study. Bottled water averages 325 particles per litre — nearly 70 times higher — according to research by the State University of New York at Fredonia. A 2024 study in PNAS using advanced detection methods found approximately 240,000 nanoplastic particles per litre in bottled water.

The plastic bottle itself is the contamination source. The PET plastic, the cap, and the bottling process all contribute particles.

The clear conclusion: drink tap water from a non-plastic vessel. A stainless steel bottle like the Klean Kanteen Classic, the HydroFlask Standard Mouth, or a glass bottle like the Lifefactory eliminates the container as a contamination source entirely.

For a full comparison, see our article on bottled water vs. tap water and microplastics.

Which Method Is Best? A Decision Framework

Method	Effectiveness	Cost	Effort	Best For
Reverse osmosis filter	Very high (99%+)	£150-500 + maintenance	Low (once installed)	Maximum removal, permanent solution
Carbon block filter	High (70-80% for >10um)	£20-50/year	Low	Affordable everyday use
Boiling + straining	High (up to 90% in hard water)	Energy cost only	Medium	Hard water areas, no filter budget
Letting water stand	Partial (denser particles only)	Free	Low	Supplementary method
Non-plastic vessel	Eliminates container source	£15-35 one-off	None	Everyone, immediately

Our recommendation: Start with the easiest and most impactful change — drink tap water from a stainless steel or glass vessel. This eliminates the largest controllable source of drinking-water microplastics (the container itself). If you want additional protection, a carbon block jug filter provides meaningful reduction at a modest ongoing cost. The boiling method is a practical free option for households in hard water areas.

For a more thorough look at reducing microplastic exposure across your whole home, see our room-by-room home guide.

Sources

1. Wastewater treatment plants as a pathway for microplastics — Nature Sustainability, 2020
2. Drinking Boiled Tap Water Reduces Human Intake of Nanoplastics and Microplastics — Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 2024
3. Comment on boiling study — Environmental Science & Technology Letters, 2024
4. Removal of microplastics by drinking water treatment — Science of the Total Environment, 2021
5. Invisibles: The Plastic Inside Us — Orb Media / University of Portsmouth, 2017
6. Synthetic polymer contamination in bottled water — Frontiers in Chemistry, 2018
7. Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy — PNAS, 2024
8. WHO: Microplastics in drinking water — World Health Organisation

This article is based on published research and publicly available information from UK regulatory bodies. It does not constitute health advice.