By Jenn Ryan | Updated May 24, 2022 12:40 PM
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Choosing the best well water filtration system for clean drinking water doesn’t have to be difficult. It’s easier when you know which contaminants are in your water, as there are different filtration systems that filter out different contaminants. When looking for a well water filtration system, determining whether or not you have hard water and which water flow rate is best for your particular needs is also important.
While the right well water filtration system won’t be the same for every home, there are options that can be the most efficient system for your needs. Keep reading to learn about well water filtration system features, and check out the list below of some of the best well water filtration systems for your entire home.
Before purchasing a well water filtration system, it’s a good idea to test the water so you know what contaminants, if any, are present. It also lets you know the amounts of those contaminants and if the levels are high enough to warrant filtering them out.
Water testing kits can be purchased online and can be done at home. Some are mailed to a lab for testing, while other test kits can be completed at home. These at-home kits contain strips that change color depending on which contaminants are present. A local water company also can be hired to test the water. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends testing well water annually.
When looking for the best well water filtration system, it’s important to take into account a few factors, including what contaminants the system will filter out, filter size, flow rate, and filter type. Evaluating these factors will help you choose the right water filtration system for a home.
Different filtration systems filter out different contaminants for clean drinking water. Some filtration systems are designed to filter out heavy metals, while others are better for filtering out bacteria. This is why it’s so important to find out what contaminants you’re dealing with before investing in a well water filtration system for your home.
Common contaminants in well water include the following:
There are different types of water filters that whole-house filtration systems use for well water. These include activated carbon, resin, reverse osmosis, water ionizer, UV filters, and infrared filters.
Some systems also allow the use of multiple filters to filter out contaminants. For example, if there is bacteria in the water, a UV filter can help. If there also are other contaminants, such as organic chemicals or lead, an added activated carbon filter would work. Filters also can use a series of stages to filter out contaminants for clean drinking water. For example, stage one will filter out sediment, while stage four will filter out organic chemicals. Many systems can add a UV light to the system to kill bacteria.
Different water filtration systems have different filter sizes. The size affects where the system can fit in a home, such as under the sink, as well as how much water it can filter at a time.
Some systems are more than 50 inches tall, while others are less than 30 inches tall. The filter size also determines how many gallons of water it can purify before the filter needs to be changed. Some manufacturers also specify a time limit for changing the filter.
As a general rule, water filters will need to be changed every few months. Some will need to be changed every 3 months, while others are fine to be changed every 9 months or a year. It depends on the type of filter as well as how much water it filters and the amount of contaminants that need to be removed.
A water filtration system also will have a certain flow rate, meaning the amount of water the system can filter that is ready to be used at any given time. This measurement is typically given in gallons per minute (GPM).
Some whole-house filtration systems have 7 GPM, while others go up to 15 or 20 GPM. A home may require a certain flow rate, so this is worth checking into when looking for the best well water filtration system. The home’s flow rate can be checked by collecting and measuring water that comes out of a given faucet in a home. Collect full-pressure water from a fixture for 10 seconds in a bucket, and then multiply the number of gallons collected by six to find the fixture’s gallons per minute.
The average home requires a flow rate of 6 to 12 GPM, depending on the size of the home and how many people live there. However, it also can depend on personal preference, based on how fast water needs to be available from the filtration system.
Some whole-house water filtration systems have a built-in water softener. This is ideal for homes that have hard water. Hard water is water that has a high mineral content, especially calcium and magnesium, which can damage appliances and water pipes over time.
Filtration systems can use either a salt-based or salt-free mechanism to soften water. Well water filtration systems that have a built-in water softener typically use salt-free methods of conditioning the water. They don’t actually demineralize the water, but they do “soften” it to prevent mineral buildup.
The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certification on a water filtration product means that the product’s claims have been verified to do what the company claims they do. For example, if a NSF-certified water filtration system says it removes iron down to three parts per million (ppm), there is trust that the product will do that.
Not every filtration system will be NSF certified. NSF-certified products also are made from components that will not leach more contaminants into the water, such as plastic made with bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that’s been linked to hormone disruption in humans.
Some whole-house filtration systems are easier to install than others. While some systems are easy enough to install yourself, others will require professional assistance. Some filtration systems have an installation kit to make installation easier. Other systems will recommend that a professional install the filtration system, if you’re not familiar with plumbing.
Although ease of installation is certainly a factor to consider when looking for the best well water filtration system, it may not be the sole deciding factor. After all, ensuring the system can filter out the water’s specific contaminants is more important than the installation process.
Our top picks for the best well water filtration system are based on the contaminants the systems remove, the cost, certification, efficiency, ease of installation, and maintenance. The following options are some of the best picks for whole-house filtration systems that provide clean drinking water.
This whole-house water filtration system uses three stages to remove more than 80 common contaminants from well water, including heavy metals, chlorine, pesticides, sediment, bacteria, iron, and organic chemicals. Stage one uses a microfiber sediment filter. Stage two uses a carbon filter to filter out lead, sulfur, iron, bacteria, and more. And stage three uses an additional carbon filter to remove pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and other organic chemicals.
This system allows for a flow capacity of 0.25 gallons per second, which means 15 GPM. The filter needs to be changed every 100,000 gallons, which can be every 6 to 12 months, depending on water use. For its water flow, the amount of contaminants it filters out, and the price, this is the best overall pick.
Get the Express water filtration system at Amazon, The Home Depot, and Express Water.
Designed to filter out heavy metals, chlorine, pesticides, iron, and sediment with a three-stage filtration process this whole-house water filtration system also uses an activated carbon filter. The filter needs to be changed every 100,000 gallons, which is approximately annually for a family of four.
This system is designed for easy DIY installation and provides up to 15 GPM of water flow. It is smaller than some other whole-house systems, which makes it easier to fit into out-of-the-way spaces in the house. While it’s not designed to filter out bacteria and doesn’t have a built-in water softener, this system is an affordable option for filtering out organic contaminants, iron, and sediment for clean drinking well water.
Get the iSpring water filtration system at Amazon, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, Overstock, and Supply House.
Aquasana’s whole-house filtration system removes pesticides, chlorine, and heavy metals. It has a built-in salt-free water conditioner, which is ideal for hard water. The system is designed to last for 1,000,000 gallons, or up to 10 years, whichever comes first. The filtration system uses an activated carbon filter to remove contaminants, so it is ideal for heavy metals, sediment, and organic contaminants, but not suitable for well water that’s contaminated with bacteria.
It’s recommended that the filter be changed every 3 months for optimal performance, which is more frequent than some other water filters recommend. It also provides 7 GPM of water flow, which may be suitable for some homes, but insufficient for others.
Get the Aquasana water filtration system at Amazon, Walmart, and The Home Depot.
PENTAIR’s UV Water Treatment and Disinfection System offers between 14 to 34 GPM and kills viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens in well water. It destroys 99.9 percent of contaminants, including E. Coli, and doesn’t produce any contamination byproducts, meaning the decontamination process won’t affect the taste or smell of water.
The UV lamp needs to be cleaned every so often and will need to be replaced periodically. The system has a notification display which provides alerts for when the lamp needs to be changed.
This system is not recommended for water that’s contaminated with iron or sulfur, as both of these contaminants prevent the UV light from properly destroying bacteria. However, the system is NSF certified.
Get the PENTAIR water filtration system at The Home Depot and Factory Pure.
This combination of water softener and iron filter works for the whole house and removes iron up to 8 parts per million (ppm). It removes manganese, sediment (including sand), and rust, and can take the sulfur smell out of drinking water.
The built-in water softener feature can be ideal for homes with both hard water and high amounts of iron in their well water. It uses a resin filter that lasts longer than carbon filters and provides better water flow. It also has a digital interface that indicates when it’s time to refill the salt. This system is designed for easy DIY installation.
Get the AFWFilters water filtration system on Amazon.
This system removes up to 95 percent of iron, manganese, sediment, and other contaminants from well water with a three-stage filtration system. With 15 GPM, this system uses a carbon filter to keep contaminants out of water. Featuring a multi-gradient density sediment filter, which physically blocks particles of sediment from entering water, this system can filter out finer particles of sediment. It’s conveniently sized and can be installed as a DIY project or with professional assistance.
The filter needs to be replaced every 95,000 gallons, which is about every year for a family of four. However, it isn’t designed to remove bacteria or chlorine from water, and it doesn’t have a built-in water softener.
Get the Home Master water filtration system at Amazon, The Home Depot, and Lowe’s.
For an effective 3-stage filtration system for your entire home, consider our option from Express Water, which is relatively inexpensive and uses three pressurized filters that are easy to replace when needed. If shoppers are looking to eliminate hard water and limescale build up, this whole house filter from Aquasana is an excellent choice.
When gathering our list of recommendations, we considered the most common issues with well water that homeowners deal with, then researched our top picks for a variety of categories. Our list contains the best options for shoppers looking to eliminate bacteria, iron, sediment, and hardness from their water, as well as comprehensive three-stage filtration systems capable of tackling all issues in a single unit.
One vital aspect of a good filtration system is flow rate, so we made sure that all our recommendations provided adequate flow rates of a minimum 7 gallons per minute to prevent slow-running water. Equally as important was filter longevity, since no one wants to be replacing filters every month. As such, our top picks all use high-quality filters that last anywhere from 3 months, up to an entire year. Some picks even have components that should last an impressive 10 years.
Now that you know more about water filtration systems for well water, there may be new or lingering questions. Below are answers to some popular questions about how well water filtration systems work and how to choose the best whole house water filter.
No, not all water filters remove hard water. Some water filters come with a built-in water softening system that will condition hard water.
If you get a system that fits your GPM needs, it should not reduce water pressure.
Begin by testing the water to see what contaminants need to be filtered out. Then, determine the home’s GPM needs and if a water softener is needed to counter the effects of hard water.
Each system will have specific maintenance needs, but generally, it will require changing the filter or UV light at regular intervals.
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