Delta Clarifi Tankless Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis System (DWQ1001012)

1. Proven reduction 35% of the rating 5 of 5

   IAPMO lists this model for total PFAS (seven compounds tested to 20 ng/L), lead, fluoride, arsenic (V), nitrate, chromium, mercury, VOCs, cysts and 15 trace compounds. EPA’s WaterSense record repeats the lead, arsenic, PFAS and nitrate figures.

2. What touches the water 20% of the rating 3 of 5

   Plastic cartridges and a pump with unnamed tubing and fittings, and a Prop 65 nickel warning on some metal part. Lead-free parts are certified and no antimicrobial is mentioned.

3. Independent testing 15% of the rating 4 of 5

   The widest paid certification here (five NSF/ANSI standards and ASSE 1086), a published data sheet with each challenge level, and EPA’s own WaterSense listing of the efficiency. No independent lab has tested it that we found.

4. Trust 10% of the rating 4 of 5

   No recall or Prop 65 notice found, and a full data sheet. Against that, one reviewer says Delta refused a warranty claim, noise complaints are common, and Delta’s own site showed the system and all three cartridges out of stock.

5. Running cost & value 20% of the rating 2 of 5

   About $800 plus a $160 faucet, then about $170 a year in cartridges at Amazon prices. That is $1,650 over five years against about $600 for the APEC RO-90, though it wastes far less water.

The rating, 3.8 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank water filters and our standard.

• Amazon (opens in a new tab) approx. $799. Shipped and sold by Amazon.com. The system alone; Delta’s matching beverage faucet is about $160 more. Delta’s own site lists the system at $1,142 and showed it out of stock on 2026-10-23.
• The Home Depot (opens in a new tab) approx. $799. Model DWQ1001012, the system alone, with free delivery or store pickup. A separate package with the beverage faucet is about $959.
• Lowe’s (opens in a new tab) approx. $799. Model DWQ1001012, item #6578837, the system alone, with free shipping or store pickup. Sets with a beverage faucet start near $1,138.

Prices as we saw them on October 23, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.

1. Three plastic cartridges: a pre-filter, a four-layer reverse osmosis membrane cartridge and a carbon cartridge; an optional remineralizer cartridge adds a seventh stage
2. An electric pump and control board, powered from a 120 V outlet (222 W)
3. Tubing, fittings and a manifold: materials not stated. Delta’s page carries a California Prop 65 warning for metallic nickel (cancer risk) and says to wash hands after installing or removing the product, without naming the part
4. A separate beverage faucet with an air gap, sold apart (about $160)
5. No silver or antimicrobial is mentioned. IAPMO also lists the system under NSF/ANSI/CAN 372 for lead content of parts that touch water

• Paid certification IAPMO R&T

  Lists DWQ1001012 under NSF/ANSI 58 (certificate W-12342) for total PFAS, lead, fluoride, pentavalent arsenic (up to 300 ppb), nitrate/nitrite, barium, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, radium, selenium, TDS, cysts, asbestos and turbidity, rated 600 gallons a day. Delta’s data sheet shows total PFAS cut by 99.5% (2.16 µg/L in, 20 ng/L limit), lead by 99.3%, arsenic (V) by 99.3%, fluoride by 91.1% and nitrate by 97.6%. The maker pays for the program. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

• Paid certification IAPMO R&T

  Lists the same model under NSF/ANSI 53-2024 (certificate W-16658) for VOCs and total PFAS, with a carbon cartridge rated 1,320 gallons at 0.42 gpm. Delta’s page and data sheet also name NSF/ANSI 42, 401 (including microplastics), 372 and 244 (bacteria, virus and cyst reduction for water already disinfected) and ASSE 1086; we opened the 58 and 53 files. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

• Paid certification EPA WaterSense, through IAPMO R&T May 2025

  Lists the model as a labeled point-of-use reverse osmosis system, tankless, with an efficiency rating of 78%, or 0.28 gallon sent to the drain per gallon made, against a limit of 2.3 for the label (EPA’s page). The file (W-17520, dated 14 May 2025) repeats lead 99.3%, arsenic (V) 99.3%, total PFAS 99.5%, nitrate 97.5% and hexavalent chromium 98.7%. The maker pays the certifier; EPA runs the label. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Is it as loud as people say?

Noise is the most common complaint. On Amazon, 12 customers mention it and 8 are negative; one compares it to a jackhammer and another says it is loud and also leaks into the cabinet (Amazon (opens in a new tab)). Delta’s own page averages 4.2 of 5 from 37 reviews, with some owners calling it noticeable and others hating the groan (Delta (opens in a new tab)). Amazon rates it 3.7 of 5 from 66 ratings.

Does it waste a lot of water?

Less than most RO. The WaterSense record gives 0.28 gallon of waste per gallon made. EPA says a typical point-of-use RO system sends five gallons or more down the drain per gallon made, and a labeled one must send 2.3 or less (EPA (opens in a new tab)). Delta also flushes the system on a timer to prevent stagnation, and some reviewers say it cycles every 15 minutes to an hour. We found no measure of the water those cycles use.

Will Delta honor the 5-year warranty?

The machine has five years and the filters 30 days. One Amazon reviewer says Delta refused a claim; that is a single account and we could not check it. We found no recall.

Can you buy replacement cartridges?

On 23 October 2026 DeltaFaucet.com listed the system and all three replacement cartridges as out of stock. Amazon had them, at $239.90 for the RO cartridge, $74.90 for the carbon cartridge and $87.90 for the pre-filter.

What is the Prop 65 warning about?

Delta’s page warns that metallic nickel can cause cancer and says to wash your hands after installing or removing the product. It does not say which part, and the warning is about handling a metal part, not the water.

Has anyone with no stake tested it?

Not that we found. Consumer Reports’ reverse osmosis ratings cover four other systems (CR (opens in a new tab)), and Duke’s home study of PFAS filters did not name this model. EPA’s WaterSense listing is a label, not an independent test.

• It costs about $800 on Amazon for the system alone. A faucet is separate (Delta’s matching beverage faucet is about $160), as is the optional remineralizer cartridge ($69.90).
• It runs on a pump and needs a 120 V outlet under the sink (222 W). Noise is the most common complaint, and some reviewers report frequent pump cycles.
• Delta’s page quotes a 2:1 filtered-to-waste ratio. The WaterSense record is a better 0.28:1. Both are far below the five gallons or more per gallon that EPA calls typical for point-of-use RO.
• Reverse osmosis removes minerals. The arsenic claim covers pentavalent arsenic only, up to 300 ppb in the feed water. Delta says it is for water that is already treated to public standards or well water verified as microbiologically safe.

Third-party tested

Yes

Tested by

IAPMO R&T, paid for by the maker

1. Delta Clarifi DWQ1001012 product page. Maker’s page. Claims, reviews, the Prop 65 warning and the out-of-stock notice, as seen 2026-10-23. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
2. Delta DWQ1001012 specification and performance data sheet, rev. D. Maker’s page. Published by Delta. Gives filter lives, the 78% efficiency rating, the warranty and each test result against its limit. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
3. IAPMO R&T certificate W-12342: NSF/ANSI 58 (reverse osmosis). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
4. IAPMO R&T certificate W-16658: NSF/ANSI 53 (health effects). Certifier or regulator listing. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
5. IAPMO R&T certificate W-17520: EPA WaterSense reverse osmosis specification. Certifier or regulator listing. Efficiency rating and reduction percentages as filed for the WaterSense label. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
6. EPA WaterSense product search: point-of-use reverse osmosis systems. Certifier or regulator listing. On 2026-10-23 the list held three models: Delta DWQ1001012 (78%), Brizo BWQ1001012 (74%) and Kinetico Hydro Eco 600 GPD (65%). Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
7. EPA WaterSense: point-of-use reverse osmosis systems. Certifier or regulator listing. Says a typical point-of-use RO system sends five gallons or more of reject water per gallon made, and a labeled one 2.3 or less. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
8. Delta Clarifi on Amazon: price, customer reviews and cartridge prices. Independent source. 3.7 of 5 from 66 ratings; Amazon’s summary lists noise, cycling and value as the common complaints. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
9. Consumer Reports: reverse osmosis water filter ratings. Independent source. Lists the four systems CR has tested. The Delta Clarifi is not among them. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

• Waterdrop G3P600 tankless reverse osmosis system Also tankless, about $430. IAPMO lists lead, fluoride and PFOA/PFOS for it, but Waterdrop’s own data sheet is older than the listing and efficiency data is thin.
• APEC RO-90 A tank system at about $265 with lead, fluoride and arsenic (V) on its WQA listing. No PFAS claim and no published waste ratio.

• Choosing a Filter Article Comparing activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and gravity filters by what they actually remove
• How to Reduce Your PFAS Exposure Article Practical steps to minimize PFAS exposure from cookware, food packaging, water, and consumer products
• Is Reverse-Osmosis Water Too Pure? Article RO and distilled water are low in minerals, but food supplies most of them. What the evidence says, who should pay attention, and the wastewater trade-off.
• The neurotoxin in tap water Article How lead enters drinking water through aging pipes and fixtures, why there is no safe level for children, and practical steps to reduce exposure