Water treatment checklists

Pre-project. Pull your utility's Consumer Confidence Report — required annually by July 1 — or, on a well, book a state-certified lab test covering total coliform bacteria, nitrates, total dissolved solids and pH. Note your hardness in mg/L; USGS calls 121–180 hard and over 180 very hard. Photograph where the main enters the house, whether a drain and an outlet are nearby, and how much floor space exists. Those three photos change the quote.

Hiring. Ask for the model number and the certified standards and claims in writing. Ask whether replacement filters are a standard size. Ask for the cash price, separately from any monthly payment. Ask who pulls the permit if one is required — plumbing permit rules are set locally, so call your building department rather than trusting the salesperson's answer.

Maintenance. Keep the brine tank topped up; salt or potassium runs $50–$150 per year. Replace cartridges on schedule: carbon, sediment and iron cartridges are $15–$65, RO filters $30–$150 every 6–12 months, RO membranes $40–$250 every 2–3 years, UV lamps $20–$100. Budget $100–$300+ annually for service if you're not doing it yourself. Retest annually if you're on a well.

Safety. Salt bags are heavy and brine tanks are awkward in tight utility rooms — that's a genuine back-injury risk, not a formality. UV systems use lamps that should never be viewed while energized. And if a well test comes back positive for total coliform bacteria, contact your local health department; that is a public health matter, not a purchasing decision.

How to choose

Do the test before the first appointment

Walking into a sales visit already holding lab results changes the conversation more than any negotiating tactic.

Get three bids on one written specification

Same grain capacity, same certified claims, same scope. Otherwise you're comparing three different products.

Keep the cancellation window in your pocket

Under the FTC Cooling-Off Rule, in-home sales over $25 generally carry a three-business-day right to cancel and the seller must disclose it.

Log every filter change

A dated log on the tank is what makes a warranty claim survivable and tells the next owner the system was cared for.

Retest after any major change

New taste, new color, new smell, flooding, or nearby construction near a well — EPA advises testing immediately rather than waiting for the annual.