There are two reasons why well water gets its own set of recommended whole house water filters.
First, the best filtration system for well water (or from any other natural sources) will need unique filters to remove harmful natural and environmental contaminants, including:
- Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, cysts, and parasites
- Iron
- Lead
- Phosphates
- Manganese
- Sulfur and sulfides
- Nitrates and other agricultural pollution
- Arsenic
- Tannin
- Sediment and turbidity
- Rust
Second, the majority of Americans get their water from a city or municipal source and care more about filtering out things like the chlorine, disinfectants, and fluoride that are added to city water. A water filtration system for well water will focus on different water contaminants.
If the water coming into your home is from a city or municipal source, check out our reviews of the Top-Rated Whole House Water Filtration Systems for City Water.
Table of Contents
- The Top Well Water Filtration Systems
- SpringWell Whole House Well Water Filter System Review
- Aquasana Rhino 500,000 Gallon Well Water Filter System with UV Filter Review
- FilterWater Eagle Whole House Water Filter System with UV Sterilizer Review
- Tier1 Eco Series Whole House Water Filtration System with UV Protection Review
- Home Master Whole House Well Water Filtration System Review
- Compare the Top Well Water Filtration Systems
- What is a Well Water Filtration System?
- Whole House Filtration System Buying Guide
- Common Contaminants Removed by Well Water Filters
- Whole House Filtration Systems Installation
- Whole House Water Treatment System Maintenance
- Do I even need a whole house filter?
- Water Filtration Terms and FAQ
- Trusted Brands of Water Filtration Systems
- Ready for Clean, Pure Well Water?
The Top Well Water Filtration Systems
If you want to compare well water filtration systems now, here is an overview of our recommendations with links to reviews below and to the manufacturer’s web sites.
Or keep reading to learn more about whole house filtration system, discover the benefits of well water filtration systems, and why you can trust our recommendations.
| Product | Top Features | Learn More or Buy |
|---|---|---|
 Springwell Whole House Well Filter System |
| 💲 💲 💲 |
 Aquasana Rhino Well Water with UV |
| 💲 💲 💲 |
 FilterWater Eagle Whole House Filter System |
|
SpringWell Whole House Well Water Filter System Review
The SpringWell Whole House Well Water Filter system does a great job of removing natural water contaminants that lead to unpleasant smells, bad water taste, and staining from well water.
This is also top iron filter for well water.
The four stages of whole house water filtration include:
- Stage 1: Well water flows through an air pocket in the top of the tank oxidizing the iron, sulfur and manganese
- Stage 2: The oxidized material or sulfur gas is trapped in the bed of the green sand
- Stage 3: The system backwashes the contaminates out of the bed down a drain and resets the fresh pocket of air
- Stage 4: Clean, fresh, and clear water is then distributed throughout your home
This system, engineered specifically for well water, will remove up to:
- 8 PPM (Parts per Million) of Hydrogen Sulfide
- 7 PPM Iron
- 1 PPM Manganese
Springwell uses the most up-to-date parts and components in their system including:
- A programmable (and Bluetooth connected) head controls the daily backwash that will remove the accumulated well water contaminants and replenish the filtration media bed.
- State of the art tank design increases efficiency by up to 30%
- 10% cross linked resin will last 2x as long as 8% cross linked resin
Select the optional UV Water Purification System Add-On that is proven to control microbiological (bacteria & virus) issues in well water including E. coli, cryptosporidium and giardia lamblia.
This UV light system kills 99.9% of harmful pathogens, viruses, and bacteria to protect your home against contaminated well water.
If you want to filter even more water contaminants, you can combine this with a Springwell water filter that will remove chlorine, chloramine, PFOA, PFAS PFOS, pesticides, herbicides, haloacetic acids and more…
Springwell provides free pre and post sales support and DIY (do it yourself) instructions and videos if you know a little about plumbing and want to save money on installation.
SpringWell Water has been designing, building, and packaging their products in their Central Florida facility for more than 20 years.
Springwell also has the longest money back guarantee at 6 months!
Click below to buy or learn more and be sure to use coupon code “5off” to save an extra 5%…
| Springwell Whole House Water Filter Systems for City Water | |
|---|---|
SpringWell Whole House Well Filter System |  Springwell Ultra Filter Combo System with Salt-Free Conditioner |
Aquasana Rhino 500,000 Gallon Well Water Filter System with UV Filter Review
Aquasana offers superior filtration with this filter combination designed to remove almost everything from impure well water.
In this package, you get:
- A sediment filter that catches rust, sediment, and silt
- A water filter containing:
- Copper-zinc and mineral stone to reduce limescale buildup, water soluble heavy-metals including lead and mercury, PLUS inhibit bacteria and algae growth
- Activated carbon block filter to reduce herbicides, pesticides, and other harmful chemical compounds
- A post-filter that reduces any remaining sediment and organic particles
- A powerful UV (ultraviolet) filter that destroys 99.99% of bacteria, viruses, and cysts like cryptosporidium and giardia
- Pro Grade Install kit for professional setup
Aquasana believes that water is essential for life. They are committed to staying at the forefront of water filtration engineering and innovation at their headquarters and operations facility in Texas, USA.
Get noticeably cleaner well water with a whole home water filter system from the trusted name of Aquasana Rhino.
Click below to buy or learn more and be sure to use coupon code “AQRO50” to save an extra 50%…
| Aquasana Whole House Water Filter Systems for Well Water | |
|---|---|
Aquasana Rhino Whole House Well with UV |  Aquasana Rhino Whole House Well System with UV |
FilterWater Eagle Whole House Water Filter System with UV Sterilizer Review
FilterWater takes a different approach to other home water filter systems in our recommendations and packs 14 stages of filtration into its flagship product with the addition of two sediment pre filters and one post-filtration cartridges.
Described in both our city and well water supply recommendations, the Eagle Whole House filtration system is available in two filter capacities depending on the number of bathrooms in your house and the number of gallons you will need to process annually.
Either way, you get the following stages of modern water filtering technology:
- Stage 1: Well water travels through a 20″ sediment pre filter cartridge that removes sediment, silt, sand and dirt. This also extends the life of the water softener, water filters, and prevents damage to control valves and pumps.
- Stages 2 – 12: Water travels through a multi stage filter unit that removes hundreds of water contaminants (if present). Filtration includes KDF-85 and KDF-55 and GAC (Granular Activated Carbon), infra-red and mineral balls, ion exchange resin and a powerful magnet (12,000 gauss) for magnetic resonance activation of the water.
- Stage 13: Water travels through a 20″ solid carbon filter cartridge for a final conditioning and removal of any remaining contaminates and VOC’s which may remain.
- Stage 14: Water passes through a 0.2 micron Ultrafiltration membrane (UF), which is highly effective for removal of bacteria, colloids, proteins, viruses, parasites and other organic molecules larger than 0.1 micron in size.
- Stage 15: For the ultimate protection, add the optional Ultraviolet Water Sterilizer System, which comes in three sizes to match your desired GPM flow rate
The FilterWater Ultraviolet Water Sterilizer Systems are an economical way of treating water requiring a 99.99% reduction of microorganisms. This UV purifier process is accomplished without adding any harmful chemicals to your drinking water.
FilterWater has the goal to provide clean drinking water, the excellent customer experience, and promote healthy lifestyle and clean water supply. Their commercial systems are very popular and installed in an impressive list of government offices, schools, and businesses.
This whole house system is a great choice if you want a complete solution for your well water filtration.
| FilterWater Whole House Water Filter Systems for Well Water | ||
|---|---|---|
FilterWater Whole House Water Filter System |  FilterWater Eagle Whole House Water Filter System |  FilterWater UV Sterilizer System |
Tier1 Eco Series Whole House Water Filtration System with UV Protection Review
This excellent Tier1 Eco Series filtering system combines the most important well water filters in one convenient bundle.
The system includes:
- A sediment filter to remove rust, sediment, and silt
- A combination carbon filter and KDF filter (Certified to NSF/ANSI 42 for the reduction of Chlorine), heavy metal in various forms, chromium, lead, mercury, nickel, microorganisms, herbicides, pesticides, and other chemicals
- A high UV output lamp that destroys 99% of bacteria and viruses with the convenience of an audible lamp replacement filter reminder and digital display
Together, they provide a total solution for clean, great tasting water without electricity, salt, or manual maintenance.
Tier Water is a U.S. based manufacturer of water and air filtration products and services. They pride themselves on the support they offer before, during, and after you purchase a system, make it easy to order online, and can even help with installation, if needed.
Contact the water experts at Tier1 if you have any questions about their whole house well water products or the results of your water quality test.
| Tier1 Whole House Water Filter Systems for Well Water | |
|---|---|
 Tier1 Eco Series Whole House Filtration with UV |  Tier1 Eco Series Whole House Combo with UV and Salt-Free Conditioner |
Home Master Whole House Well Water Filtration System Review
Home Master is a top seller of excellent undersink reverse osmosis water filtration systems and they consistently rank high in our ratings.
Smaller and simpler than our other recommendations, their whole house water filtration system includes three stages:
- A multi-gradient density sediment filter that produces finer filtration and greater holding capacity with filtration from 25 down to 1 micron
- A radial flow iron filter that effectively reduces iron in water up to 3 ppm
- Radial flow granular activated coconut shell carbon media that removes chemicals
With over-sized filter capacity and a high flow rate, the Home Master whole house water filtration system is a simple, economical way to for well owners to filter up to 95,000 gallons (about a year) before the filters will need to be replaced.
Home Master has been making advanced water filters and reverse osmosis systems in Arizona for almost 20 years. Their values guide them to provide customers with great options, reliable information, and excellent support.
Compare the Top Well Water Filtration Systems
Lead & Cyst Filter
Sediment Pre-Filter
Flouride Filter
Iron, Manganese & Sulfide Filter
Lead Filter
Nitrates Filter
Tannin Filter
Iron, Manganese & Sulfur Filter
Limited Lifetime Warranty
6 Year Limited Warranty
1 Year Limited Warranty
Lead & Cyst Filter
Sediment Pre-Filter
Limited Lifetime Warranty
6 Year Limited Warranty
Flouride Filter
Iron, Manganese & Sulfide Filter
Lead Filter
Nitrates Filter
Tannin Filter
1 Year Limited Warranty
Iron, Manganese & Sulfur Filter
What is a Well Water Filtration System?
A whole house water purification system for well water is simply a series of filters that are installed on the main water line at the point of entry into your house.
These filters can range in size, type, and technology depending on the unique contamination in your well water.
By centralizing your well water filtration and purification at the source, contaminants are filtered out before they can reach any point of use, such as your shower, sinks, washing machine, dishwasher, hot water heaters, and other plumbing fixtures.
It doesn’t matter whether you have city water or a well water, you could have damaging materials such as sediment, rust, silt, or lime/scale building minerals flowing through the pipes.
Most Americans have hard water with lime/scale that will reduce flow rate and damage water pipes and appliances over time.
Even worse, your tap water may have contaminants and toxins such as lead, VOCs, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, nitrates and nitrites, chlorine, and microorganisms that can poison plants, pets, and people.
Only a test of your well water will prove exactly what contaminants you should target. Even without a detailed test, any of the issues above could be improved with one of the water purification systems recommended on this page. We suggest some good water quality tests below.
There are a variety of different whole house filters, including general whole house filter, water softener, well water filter, sediment filter, carbon filters, and specialized options such as an iron filter or hydrogen sulfide filter.
Whole House Water Softener
A water softener (sometimes called a water conditioner), is a sub-type of whole-house water filter that works specifically to remove minerals such as calcium and magnesium from water.
These minerals are collectively called “hardness.” They bind together and create scale – a whitish buildup on faucets and inside of water pipes and appliances.
Hard water affects more than 85% of households in the United States.
While water softeners are great at removing the minerals that cause hard water and scale, they generally do not remove anything else. Water softeners are often installed with a standard water filter (like those found on this page) that will filter out other water contaminants.
Whole House Reverse Osmosis
When you want the cleanest possible well water everywhere in your house, there is no better way than with a whole house reverse osmosis water filtration system.
A reverse osmosis house filter will remove more contaminants (up to 99%) than any other method and will ensure that every sink, shower, and appliance in your house gets the purest, clean water.
The downsides of whole-house reverse osmosis are the higher price to purchase and maintain as well as some wasted water.
Whole House Filtration System Buying Guide
When researching something new, it’s helpful to know the terms used and important points to consider.
Read on to learn enough to make an informed decision and select the well water filtration system that will work for your well water and your home.
How to pick a well water filtration system
Nearly everyone would be surprised by what is in their well water, including you!
If the health of your family and the efficiency of your plumbing and appliances are important to you, then finding a good home water filter solution is very important.
Reading reviews about water filters is just one piece of the puzzle. You also have to consider what needs to be filtered out based on your tap water and your home.
Water Testing
The right place to start when considering water quality is with a professional water test.
By having your water professionally tested, you will get the exact list of what contaminants are in your water, the contamination levels, and where you should be concerned. With this information, you can select the whole house filter options that will provide the ideal water treatment.
You can either find a local company that does professional water testing or order a kit online that instructs you on how to take a sample and then send to a lab. These DIY kits are quick, easy, and less effort.
If you recently purchased your house, you may already have the results of a water test that was completed with your inspection.
If your tap water comes from a local city or municipal source, they should be able to provide necessary reports.
If you are looking for an easy and cheap way to get your water tested, check out these options from the top water treatment manufacturers.
Basic Water Quality Tests
These tests will check for the most general water quality issues and guide you to the filters you need for clean water.
Tier1 Water Testing and Analysis Service
Tier1 will provide a prepaid return envelope with a test sample tube. Once the sample is collected and sent back, they will diagnose the sample and return the test results to you in approximately 7 days.
The 11 well water tests include: hardness, copper, lead, nitrates, nitrites, and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), pH, iron, sulfides, bacteria, pesticides
With the results, they will include your suggested personalized water treatment product solution and their team of water experts is available every step of the process to assist and answer and questions you have.
| Tier1 Water Testing Services | |
|---|---|
 Tier1 City Water Testing Service |  Tier1 Well Water Testing Service |
Advanced Water Quality Tests
SpringWell WaterCheck with Optional Pesticides
SpringWell has partnered with National Testing Laboratories to offer this 75 item water test with the option of adding an additional check for 20 common pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs.
The 75 tests include:
- Bacteria (presence/absence of coliform and E. coli)
- (15) Heavy metals and minerals (including lead, arsenic, uranium, and mercury)
- (5) Other inorganic chemicals
- (5) Physical characteristics (including pH, Total Dissolved Solids and Hardness)
- (4) Trihalomethanes (THMs)
- (44) Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
- Optional: (20) Pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs
FilterWater WaterCheck with Optional Pesticides
FilterWater has partnered with National Testing Laboratories to offer this 83 item water test with the option of adding an additional check for 20 common pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs.
The 83 tests include:
- Bacteria (presence/absence of coliform and E. coli)
- (19) Heavy metals and minerals (including lead, arsenic, uranium, and mercury)
- (6) Other inorganic chemicals
- (5) Physical characteristics (including pH, Total Dissolved Solids and Hardness)
- (4) Trihalomethanes (THMs)
- (47) Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
You can add an additional 20 tests for pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs if you want an even more complete result.
| FilterWater Water Testing Services | |
|---|---|
 FilterWater WaterCheck Test Kit | FilterWater WaterCheck with Pesticides Test Kit |
Common Contaminants Removed by Well Water Filters
Here are some of the most common contaminants found in U.S. drinking water that can (and should) be removed with water filtration systems:
Microorganisms, bacteria, giardia, viruses, cysts
Most common in well water and contaminated internal hot water systems, any form of microorganisms in drinking water can lead to health problems.
Because of this, most water filter manufacturers offer UV (ultraviolet) light filters as an add-on. Microorganisms are killed when they pass through UV filters and most consider this to be essential to clean/pure filtered well water.
If you ever deal with “Boil Water Alerts” in your area, then UV light filters are a must!
Iron
Like rust, iron in water leaves reddish stains and can lead to problems. Iron in water often carries iron-feeding bacteria.
Too much iron can lead to liver, heart, and pancreatic damage, as well as diabetes. Signs of excessive iron digestion include stomach problems, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weight loss, and joint pain.
A iron filter for well water is often an add-on for standard water filtration system but may be included as a stage in some water softeners.
We have a separate page dedicated to the top iron filters for well water.
Sediment
Sediment is any suspended debris in water such as sand, silt, and clay. This is more of a problem in well water when it is pumped up from the ground.
A whole house sediment filter will remove these larger particles, usually in a pre-filter before the water moves on to other filters. This can be beneficial with any water source since sediment will shorten the service life of the more precise filters in a system.
Turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness in water caused by a large number of small particles that are not visible to the naked eye individually that will either settle out slowly or not at all. These particles can be made up of many different things, depending on the source of the water.
A whole-house turbidity filter will remove these fine particles.
Rust
Brown, red, or yellow colored water can be a sign of rust. This is most often caused by iron and manganese. Rusty water can also have an unpleasant smell. Your water source can be the culprit or if you only notice it with hot water, your water heater tank could be rusty inside.
An iron filter can be added to your water filtration system to prevent rust and remove iron from well water.
Sulfur
In water, sulfur will smell like rotten eggs as hydrogen sulfide gas escapes into the air. Sulfur is often caused by bacteria in water and too much can lead to diarrhea or dehydration. Your own hot water system could contain breeding bacteria and any signs of sulfur smell or bad water taste should be investigated.
A whole-house sulfur filter for well water will remove sulfur from the incoming water source but will not help if there is bacteria in your hot water system. A reverse osmosis filter installed at the point of use (such as the kitchen sink) will remove sulfur right where you need it.
Whole House Filtration Systems Installation
When you decide it’s time to improve the water quality in your home and protect your family from harmful contaminants, you have several choices:
- You can call a plumber and have them provide the system and install it. This requires the least effort but does not provide you with any choice about what hardware is installed, if the system is well-rated, or if it will be easy to manage yourself.
- You could also go and pick out a system at Home Depot, Lowes, or Costco for delivery and either have it installed or install it yourself. Again, you are very limited to the brands and features they offer and may not get great options for your home or a system that other customers are happy with.
- The ideal option is to use the information on this page and the knowledge you gain to pick the most appropriate system from those we have already researched and recommend here. Why? Read on…
By picking something yourself that is popular, well-rated, and already researched and recommended, you can be sure you are selecting an option you can count on.
As a bonus, you are often getting a better system at a better price since there is much more competition online.
Once you have selected the system from the options here and placed an order, you still have to install it. You can either find a plumber and have them set it up or if you are comfortable with some simple plumbing, most of these home systems can be installed by someone with DIY plumbing skills. Many of the systems recommended here even come with DIY installation instructions!
Whole House Water Treatment System Maintenance
Most whole house water filtration systems, regardless of the type, have simple maintenance to follow.
Anything with filter cartridges will need to be periodically cleaned or replaced. The manufacturer’s instructions will make recommendations about how often to check and perform filter changes.
While it may seem like a waste of money to buy replacement filters or add salt (to water softeners), remember that filter replacement is critical to the proper functioning of any water filtration system in your home.
If you refuse to put oil in your car, eventually it will stop working.
The same is true for water filter systems… If you don’t make filter changes when needed, they will stop cleaning the water and your family will be back to drinking the unfiltered contaminants you set out to remove.
While the manufacturer’s filter service life recommendations are a good baseline, their instructions for maintenance are based on averages and ideal conditions. If your water pressure, water temperature, or contaminant load are much different than the average levels, then your system may need maintenance earlier or later than the standard recommendations.
To be sure your system is working as advertised, water testing is the most effective way to check your water quality. Periodically test both the water entering and exiting the system to be sure the contaminants you care about are filtered down to a safe level. This can be done either with periodic lab testing or with more frequent tests at home, assuming a DIY test for each contaminant is available.
Do I even need a whole house filter?
Wait… what if you got this far and realize you don’t need a whole house water filtration system?
Why would that happen?
Maybe the contaminant load in your water is higher than you like, but not concerning, so you don’t care about the laundry or shower water quality.
If you don’t have hard water minerals, you don’t need a water softener.
What if you just want to have pure, clean water in the kitchen for drinking, cooking, or even the ice maker?
Then you should check out our reviews of the under sink reverse osmosis water filters. These systems are less expensive than a whole house filter and provide the cleanest possible water, just where you use it the most.
Undersink reverse osmosis systems are the most common option but you can also get a countertop water filter that needs only minimal or even zero installation.
You can also combine a specific whole house filter like a water softener or an iron filter (if those are problems for you) with a reverse osmosis system just in the kitchen. Together, they will ensure you have the water purity you need at each point of use in your home.
Water Filtration Terms and FAQ
What is GPD?
GPD stands for “gallons per day.” Water filters are often rated based on how many gallons they can filter per day in ideal conditions (GPM flow rate). While not perfect, it is a good way to compare the throughput of competing systems.
GPM stands for “gallons per minute” and is a measure of filtration capacity and water pressure.
Filtration stages
The “stages” of a water filtration system refer to the number of different filters water passes through before it is considered clean. No one filter type removes everything well, so separate stages work together to remove multiple contaminants. Every recommendation on this page is a multi stage system.
What is TDS?
TDS stands for “total dissolved solids.” It is a measure of the combined total of organic and inorganic substances contained in water. This can include anything present other than the pure H20 (water) molecules and is usually made of minerals, salts, and organic matter. The measured TDS number is a general indicator of water quality and you would expect to see a large decrease in TDS between unfiltered and filtered water.
What is hard water?
Hard water refers to water that has a high concentration of the minerals calcium and magnesium. These minerals are not dangerous to drink but they will build up over time in faucets, pipes, and appliances in the form of white “scale” deposits. Hard water will also prevent soap from foaming properly and will dry out skin and hair.
What is soft water?
Soft water is water that has low concentrations of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. While most water in the U.S. is hard, soft water is most often achieved by installing a water softener or water conditioner that neutralizes or removes these minerals.
What is KDF Media?
Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF or KDF Media) is a high-purity copper-zinc formulation that uses a basic chemical filtration process known as redox (oxidation/reduction) to remove chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, and hydrogen sulfide from water. The process also has mild anti-bacterial, anti-algae, and anti-fungal effects and may help to reduce the accumulation of lime scale.
It is also used along with activated carbon filters to more effectively filter water.
KDF Media vs. Activated Carbon
KDF Media | Activated Carbon | |
|---|---|---|
| Life | 6+ Years | Only 6 to 12 months |
| Bacteria and Algae | Controls Both | Permits Growth |
| Disposal | Recyclable | Hazardous Waste |
| Mechanism | Oxidation/Reduction | Adsorption |
| Contaminants Eliminated | Inorganic | Organic |
Trusted Brands of Water Filtration Systems
We have done the research, written these water filter reviews, and provided recommendations of the most trusted whole-house water filtration options.
These recommended brands provide great products that are popular, proven, and well-rated.
In addition to the information here, check out these manufacturers for even more information and specific help with selecting the right whole house filtration system for your home.
Most of these filtration system companies have free pre-purchase support agents to help guide you through the process of finding water filter options that will protect your family from the contaminants in your water.
Ready for Clean, Pure Well Water?
You and your family can make a big improvement in your health and well-being by installing a whole house water filtration system. You can be sure that the water you drink, cook with, and bathe in does not contain harmful chemicals or damaging contaminants.
While installing a whole well water filtration system is not a small expense, the long-term benefits to your health and the longevity of your home and appliances make it a cheap insurance policy.
In most cases, they require little to no maintenance, are easy to order and install, and will raise the value of your home.
Use the links in this article to learn more and find out which of the well water filtration systems will work your household.
