Upgrading home water treatment

[Sdsvtdriver]

I'm debating on upgrading my home water treatment. Currently have a water softener and a Centaur Catalytic Carbon for chloramine reduction with 2x 5810s. I am considering a whole home filter as the city water seems to have high iron or other mineral content leaving red stains in the shower and toilets. Would a whole home filter be best installed before or after the water softener? Before may be an easier install but after would protect against softener failure sending resin through the house - although unsure how common that scenario is.

I got a flier in the mail from one of those salt free equipment makers. While not my cup of tea, they offer a UV filter as one of their upgrades. What benefit, if any would there be to adding a UV filter for city water? My municipality is going to be purifying reclaimed water this year and delivering it to the tap. I imagine any treatment they do at their facility is better than I can do at home, but still have reservations about pharmaceutical residue. Unsure if WHF or UV would really help with this, though.

 

[ditttohead]

A softener will easily reduce ferrour iron to trace levels. Your carbon should remove some of the ferric. If you are still getting somered staining you may want to check your plumbing for any galvanized components. If you want to add a filter, there are some high quality whole home carbon block systems that are certified for the reduction of lead, chlorine, chloramine, pfos, pfas and much more. These are reasonably priced.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Taylorjm]

Get your water tested to find out just how much iron you are dealing with. Then you will know if you need a dedicated iron filter or if your softener can handle it. Also it will tell you what your softener should be set at. As for the UV, that is only if you have bacteria in the water. Since your water is being treated, I would guess you won't have bacteria, so I UV light would be useless. UV doesn't affect taste or iron or anything but bacteria. Depends on the filter going before the softener. Sediment filters yes, carbon filters, I'm not sure if it matters since they only affect taste. My carbon filters are after the softener.

 

[Reach4]

It is unusual for chloramine-treated water to have much iron. Could this iron be from your own pipes?

 

[Taylorjm]

It is unusual for chloramine-treated water to have much iron. Could this iron be from your own pipes?

At the city where our lakehouse is located at, most people have city water which is just water from a well that is treated and pumped out to the residents. The area is known for high iron in the water and city residents are getting orange water coming out of their faucets and are upset that they are paying for water, and everything is stained that touches it. The city is now building a multi million dollar iron removal plant. I wish I knew what type of technology they are using, but my home doesn't have city water, so I wasn't involved in any of it. But that is a case where the water is treated with chlorine but has high iron content. But I do agree, most places with city water you don't have issues with iron.

 

[Reach4]

I wonder how much chloromine is still active once the water has reached your house.

I expect they run the hydrants to blow out precipitated iron (rust).

 

[Sdsvtdriver]

Thanks for the replies so far. The house is 10yr old. Plumbing is all PEX aside from a bit of copper at the pressure regulator and softener. I assume it is iron as areas below the showered where it may drip a bit post use have a red tinge to it.