What is the best home water purification system? People often ask me which is the best home water purification system. There isn’t one. The system you need depends on what’s in your water? This discussion focuses on those of you who have a public water source with some form of chlorination, but the same idea holds true for those with private well water.
If you want to spend $8,000 to $12,000 then you could buy all of the components of a whole house reverse osmosis system (RO), but I rarely recommend that…only when your water provides you with no alternative. Even reverse osmosis systems do not remove all contaminants. Some contaminants have to be removed before the water enters your reverse osmosis system and with a whole house RO you’ll have to raise the pH of the water after the system so that it does not dissolve your pipes and fixtures.
The current state of water purification system technology is to remove chemicals such as chlorine or chloramine, their carcinogenic byproducts, pesticides, and to reduce some metals from water entering your entire home. Other treatments can also be done at the whole house, such as softening the water. And individual contaminants like fluoride can be reduced and perhaps removed but removal of fluoride is tricky and depends on local water chemistry. Then, depending on your water source, you may also need a kitchen water purifier or filter.
A whole house water filter may not remove 100% of the chlorine. Removal depends to a great extent on flow rates. In the case of chloramine it is my experience that a whole house water filter rarely removes 100%. Therefore a kitchen water filter which offers additional filtration is advisable. This can give you great tasting drinking water free of these chemicals.
What’s in Your Water?
When your water contains a high level of minerals, measured as total dissolved solids (or tds), nitrates, radioactive metals, a few other metals, or treated sewage from cities upstream of you then I recommend reverse osmosis for your drinking water…even if you have a whole house water filter because they remove different contaminants.
For most people this combination of a whole house water filter and a kitchen water filter or kitchen reverse osmosis system will provide you with state of the art protection from the full array of contaminants in public water.
I am almost tempted to suggest the combination of whole house water filter and reverse osmosis as the best available option anywhere…in response to those who ask that question, but it remains my preference to drink water that has been filtered through my Kitchen Defender water filter over reverse osmosis when the local water quality allows me that choice. To learn more about that decision, read my article about Minerals in Water.
I am looking for a system that will service my whole house and supply soft water. I had a system years ago and it was wonderful. I like the way my laundry, skin and hair
feel with the soft water. I live in Brookpark Ohio if that helps you any. Thanks
Hi Phyllis – it does indeed help to know where you live. It is my belief that we cannot know which water purification system will be appropriate without first looking at your water report and learning what contaminants are present. But, even that is not enough information. I ask people to call me so we can discuss their specific goals and many other factors that enter into this important decision. You can have healthy water if you do your research before making your purchase. Thanks for asking!