What does the Water Quality Association do?
The Coway Aquamega 100’s filters bear the gold seal of the Water Quality Association (WQA), but what does this mean exactly? What does the WQA do?
In their own words, the WQA is “a not-for-profit international trade association representing the residential, commercial and industrial water treatment industry.” It was founded in 1974, and today it has over 2,500 members.
One of the organization’s activities is a six-step certification process for products “in the drinking water pathway,” which includes water filters, containers, softeners, treatment equipment, and more. The WQA is the guardian of product integrity in the water world.
WQA-certification is no guarantee. Companies that apply to be certified must go through a series of strict qualifying steps:
1. Initial inquiry: From the first step of the certification process, companies are required to share their contaminant-reduction claims, flow rates and more.
2. Application: Businesses submit data sheets for all products to be certified, plus the administrative processing fee.
3. Performance testing: The WQA owns its own lab for testing and says that most companies choose to test within their own facility. However, if a company wishes to test with a different technical lab, the WQA has an approved list of testers.
4. Literature review: Interestingly, the WQA certification process isn’t just about the equipment and products. It also vets all labels, manuals and promotional materials related to the item up for certification.
5. Facility audit: Certification stands for five years, so long as the products pass annual audits during this time period. The WQA requires these yearly audits “to ensure that the systems being marketed are the same systems that were tested and certified.”
6. Certification: Once a product passes the above five steps, it earns the WQA seal.
In addition to its certification program, the WQA also ensures quality products through an initiative to stop counterfeit water filters. The organization even has a button on its homepage for people to report counterfeit water filters to the Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
We’re pleased that the Coway Aquamega 100’s filters carry the gold seal of WQA-certification. As you can see from the steps outlined here, the WQA seal isn’t just a marketing device, it’s an expert verification.
Disclaimers
1Coway air purifiers have been proven to trap dust, pollen, dander, viruses and bacteria in the air based on KCL (Korea Conformity Laboratories) testing.They have been tested in a 30㎥ size chamber according to the Korea Air Cleaning Association standard (SPS-KACA 002-132:2022 Modified) to measure the 0.01㎛ size of particle removal rate. It was tested on maximum airflow speed in normal room temperature and humidity conditions. The performance may vary in the actual living environment of customers.
→ Tested with Airmega Aim, 100, 150, 160, AP-1216L, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 200M, Icon, IconS, 230, 240, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S, ProX
299.97% of viruses, bacteria, fungi and pollen were verified to be removed from the air for Coway air purifiers which have Green True HEPA™ filter applied based on the Japan Food Research Laboratories(JFRL) testing according to JEM 1467 standard.
→ Tested with Coway Airmega AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 250, 250 Art, 250S, 300, 300S, 400, 400S
→ All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
All tested by JFRL and received above result within below time.
- Virus: Tested with Escherichia coli phage ΦX174 NBRC 103405, 60 minutes
- Bacteria: Tested with Staphylococcus epidermidis NBRC 12993, 60 minutes
- Fungi/Mold: Tested with Penicillium citrinum NBRC 6352, 60 minutes
- Pollen: Tested with Cedar Pollen extract, 60 minutes
3Aerosol test conducted in a Biosafety level 3 laboratory with two Coway air purifier models, Coway Airmega 250 and 400 for removal of SARS-CoV-2 Aerosol by US based MRI Global, a not-for-profit laboratory and partner of US Department of Defense. The test was conducted in a 13.1ft3 chamber. Virus was aerosolized for 15 minutes and the product was turned on high for 2 minutes. Result showed each product effectively removed over 99.98% of the SARS-CoV-2 in 2 minutes. This is a result from a laboratory experiment condition and result may vary in different conditions. This result does not imply it kills SARS-CoV-2 or prevents the transmission of Covid-19. Coway Airmega 250S and 400S are identical to the tested models and has equal performance with an additional mobile connectivity function.
4The concentration of ammonia, acetaldehyde and acetic acid were proven to be removed within 30 minutes by FCG Research Institute, Inc. Human Life Science Lab. It is not a demonstration result in the actual use space. Not all odors and gases may be supported. → Tested with Coway Airmega 150, 160, AP-1512HH, AP-1512HHS, 400, 400S
5The coverage area of the air purifier is based on an area where the air cleaner can make two air changes per hour (ACPH). An air change per hour translates to how many times an air purifier can clean an area, assuming the height of a ceiling to be 8 ft, in one hour. Therefore ** means two air changes per hour means that the cleaner can clean the area once every 30 minutes and * means air changes per hour means that the air purifier can clean the area once every 60 minutes.
10Terms and conditions apply. Discounts, including promotions, coupons, bundle discount and subscription discount, cannot be stacked on top of other coupons. During promotional periods, discount codes will not be able to be applied to orders. Promo codes may apply to products only—filters, accessories, and new products within 3 months of the release date are not included.
