What Water Should I Use for Baby Formula?
Safe water for infant formula: what to avoid and what works.
Not all water is created equal for formula
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using water that is safe and clean for mixing infant formula. Specific concerns: lead (no safe level for infants), nitrate (above 10 mg/L causes blue baby syndrome), high fluoride (above 0.7 mg/L may cause dental fluorosis in developing teeth), and bacteria.
Best water sources for formula
Best: Filtered tap water through an NSF-certified reverse osmosis system. Removes lead, fluoride, nitrate, PFAS, and bacteria. Good: Nursery water (sold specifically for infant use). Purified bottled water. Acceptable: Tap water that has been tested and confirmed safe. Avoid: Untested well water, water softened with sodium chloride (elevated sodium), unfiltered tap water in cities with known lead or PFAS issues.
Boiling is not enough
Boiling kills bacteria but does not remove lead, PFAS, nitrate, or other chemical contaminants. If your concern is contaminants rather than bacteria, you need filtration. Check your city to see if there are specific concerns.