Solutions
Water treatment solutions for Treasure Valley homes
Spots on the shower glass, a chlorine smell at the tap, a well nobody has tested in years. Each one has a different fix, and some homes need two systems working together. Start with what you notice, then let a water test confirm it. It's free on city water, and wells get a certified lab test.
- Covers
- City water and private wells
- First step
- Free in-home water test
- Installed by
- Licensed journeyman plumbers
- Warranty
- Limited lifetime
Match what you notice to a likely fix
Here is where we usually start. Your test results can change the answer.
| What you notice | Likely cause | Where we usually start |
|---|---|---|
| White crust on faucets, spots on dishes and shower glass | Hard water (calcium and magnesium) | Water softener |
| You want scale protection, but salt or a drain line is a problem | Hard water in a home with limits | Salt-free scale control |
| Pool smell or chlorine taste in city water | Chlorine or chloramine disinfectant | Whole-home filtration |
| You want better water for drinking, cooking and ice | Dissolved solids, nitrates, arsenic, lead and more | Reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink |
| Orange or black stains, rotten-egg smell | Iron, manganese or hydrogen sulfide in a well | Well water treatment |
| A private well that hasn't been tested | Unknown until tested. Could include arsenic, nitrates or bacteria | Well water treatment, after a full test |
| An ice machine, coffee setup or whole building to protect | Hardness, chlorine or both | Commercial systems |
Our systems
Water treatment options we install
Each one is sized to your test results and installed by a licensed journeyman plumber.
Water softeners
Ion exchange pulls hardness minerals out of every gallon that enters the house. The most complete fix for scale and spotting.
How softeners workSalt-free scale control
Slows scale in pipes and the water heater with no salt, drain or electricity. The minerals stay in the water, so spots still happen.
Compare salt-freeDrinking water
A reverse osmosis system under the kitchen sink for drinking, cooking, coffee and ice. Reduces a long list of dissolved contaminants.
About reverse osmosisWhole-home filtration
Carbon filtration that takes chlorine taste and smell out of every faucet and shower in the house.
About filtrationWell water treatment
Iron, sulfur smell, arsenic, nitrates and bacteria each call for their own approach. We design around your well's results.
Well water optionsCommercial systems
Softening and filtration for restaurants, offices and shops, sized to your equipment and daily water use.
For businessesTest first
Why a water test decides it
Two houses on the same street can need different systems. Water use, plumbing layout and what actually comes out of the tap all change the answer.
Our free in-home test for city water checks hardness, pH, TDS, nitrates and chlorine, so we work from real numbers. On a private well, we set up a certified lab test instead and design around the report.
Then we explain the results in plain language and give you a written quote before anything gets scheduled. A licensed journeyman plumber does the install, usually in about 2 hours, with a whole-home plumbing check, and we look after the system for years. No pressure, and no equipment you don't need.
| Hardness | 14 gpg | Very hard |
| Chlorine | 1.1 ppm | Taste & smell |
| pH | 7.6 | OK |
| Nitrates | 2 mg/L | OK |
| Total dissolved solids | 290 ppm | Moderate |
When two systems make sense
Plenty of homes have more than one thing going on. City water here is often hard and chlorinated. A well can carry iron and hardness together. These pairings come up often.
- Water softener for the whole house, plus reverse osmosis at the kitchen sink
- Whole-home carbon filtration ahead of a softener on chlorinated city water
- Iron or sulfur treatment on a well, followed by a softener
- UV disinfection on a well that has shown bacteria, with filtration in front of it
A note for well owners
Nobody tests a private well unless the owner does. Idaho DEQ has found nitrate levels rising in groundwater in parts of Ada and Canyon counties, and some Canyon County wells have tested above the arsenic standard. If your well hasn't been tested in a while, that's the place to start. See well water treatment.
Common questions
Do I need a water softener or a filter?
They solve different problems. A softener removes the hardness minerals that cause scale and spots. A filter reduces things like chlorine, sediment or odor. Some homes need one, many need both. Your water test shows which.
Is the water test really free?
Yes, for city water. The in-home test is free and there's no obligation to buy anything. A private well needs a certified lab test, which has a lab fee. Results take about a week, and we explain the options first.
Can you use the softener loop in my garage?
Usually, yes. Many newer Treasure Valley homes have a softener loop already plumbed in, which keeps the install simple. If yours doesn't, our plumbers can add one.
How much does a system cost?
It depends on your water, your home and which system fits. We price in person after testing, and you get a written quote at your water test. Our pricing page explains what moves the price.
Find out what's in your water
Book a free in-home water test. We'll explain the results in plain language and give you a written quote, with no pressure.