Water quality
Straightforward guides from our water scientists — no jargon, no scare tactics.
About 85% of US homes have hard water — high levels of calcium and magnesium. It's especially common in the Southwest, Texas, Florida and the Midwest.
Signs include white scale on faucets, spotty dishes, dry skin and shorter appliance life. Water above 120 ppm (7 grains per gallon) is considered hard.
A reverse osmosis system reduces hardness at the tap, while a whole-house system protects every pipe and appliance.
TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) measures everything dissolved in water — minerals, salts, metals — in parts per million (ppm).
The EPA recommends under 500 ppm. Most RO systems bring tap water down to 10–50 ppm. Our mineral stage then adds back a healthy balance of calcium and magnesium.
A low TDS reading is a good sign, but it doesn't tell you about specific contaminants like lead or PFAS — that's why certified filtration matters.
Many US cities have switched from chlorine to chloramine (chlorine + ammonia) because it lasts longer in pipes.
Chloramine is harder to remove — it doesn't evaporate and basic pitcher filters struggle with it. It can affect taste, skin and aquarium fish.
Catalytic carbon combined with RO removes both chlorine and chloramine effectively. Check your city's annual Consumer Confidence Report to see which is used.