Common Water Problems, Solved

Not sure which system you need? Start with the problem you're actually seeing at the tap. Below are the most common water problems in US homes and wells — from hard-water scale and orange iron stains to rotten-egg odor, chlorine taste, acidic water, and health-risk contaminants like lead, PFAS and nitrate. Every problem links to a focused page that explains what causes it, exactly how the right treatment media fixes it, and the complete system we'd recommend, sized free to your water before you buy.

If you'd rather be guided, take the 60-second water quiz and we'll match you to the right solution in three questions. Prefer to talk it through? A US-based water expert can help you read your water test and pick the right system — no pressure, no upsell.

Hard Water & Scale

Spots, scale, stiff laundry and appliance wear from hard water.

Limescale & white crust on faucets and fixturesChalky white scale on taps, glass and the water heater →Spotty dishes and cloudy glasswareWhite spots and film on dishes even after the dishwasher →Hard water in a big 4+ bathroom homeScale, spots and high flow demand across a large household →Scale shortening your water heater's lifeMineral scale baking onto the heating element and cutting efficiency →Dingy laundry and stiff towelsHard water leaving laundry gray, dull and scratchy →Soap and shampoo that won't latherHard water killing the lather and wasting product →Softer water without salt or wasteScale control with no salt, no drain and no backwash water →

Iron, Rust & Manganese

Orange/black staining and metallic taste from iron and manganese.

Orange and rust stains in sinks and toiletsReddish-brown iron staining on porcelain and laundry →Iron plus hard water on a private wellRust stains and scale together from well water →Rust stains and scale on a wellChemical-free removal of iron and hardness from well water →Iron staining without chemicalsChemical-free iron removal using injected air →Heavy iron and manganese loadingHigh iron/manganese that overwhelms ordinary filters →Black stains and bitter metallic tasteManganese leaving black specks and a bitter taste →Metallic-tasting waterA metallic tang from iron and manganese in the water →

Sulfur & Rotten-Egg Odor

That hydrogen-sulfide smell at the tap.

Rotten-egg (sulfur) smell in the waterThat unmistakable hydrogen-sulfide rotten-egg odor at the tap →Sulfur odor without chemicalsChemical-free rotten-egg-odor removal using injected air →

Well Water — Combos, Bacteria & Sediment

Whole-well treatment, disinfection and clarity.

Iron, sulfur AND bacteria in one wellThe worst-case well: staining, odor and biological contamination →Complete whole-well water treatmentOne system for staining, odor, hardness and safety on well water →Well water needing full chlorinationIron, sulfur and bacteria on a demanding well →Bacteria or coliform in well waterA positive coliform test or unsafe well water →Iron bacteria and slimy buildupReddish slime and clogging from iron bacteria in the well →Sand and grit clogging fixturesWell sediment wearing out valves and clogging aerators →Cloudy, sandy or gritty waterSediment and turbidity clouding every tap →Yellow, tea-colored water (tannins)Tannin-stained water that looks like weak tea →

Acidic / Corrosive Water

Low-pH water attacking pipes and leaving blue-green stains.

Acidic, low-pH water eating your pipesCorrosive water below ph 7 attacking copper plumbing →Acidic water plus hardness on a wellLow ph and scale together from well water →Blue-green stains and pinhole leaksTurquoise staining and copper corrosion from aggressive water →Corrosive water damaging plumbingAggressive water slowly destroying pipes and fixtures →

City Water — Chlorine, Chloramine, PFAS & Fluoride

Municipal disinfectants and contaminants.

Chlorine 'pool water' taste and smellThat chemical chlorine taste and odor from city water →Chloramine in municipal waterHarder-to-remove chloramine disinfectant in city water →PFAS 'forever chemicals' in city waterPfoa/pfos forever chemicals in the municipal supply →Fluoride you want out of your waterAdded fluoride you'd rather not drink →Hard water and iron on city waterScale plus rust staining on a municipal supply →Complete city-water whole-home protectionChlorine, hard water and clean drinking water in one setup →Whole-home filtration plus drinking waterClean water at every tap and bottled-quality drinking water →

Drinking-Water Safety & Contaminants

Certified reduction of health-risk contaminants.

Lead risk from old service linesLead leaching from aging pipes and solder →Safe, great-tasting drinking waterPeace-of-mind drinking water free of lead, pfas and taste issues →Nitrates and nitrites in well waterAgricultural nitrate contamination in the well →Chromium-6 in the water supplyHexavalent chromium flagged in your water report →VOCs and industrial chemicalsTce, pce, benzene or mtbe in the groundwater →Microplastics and emerging contaminantsMicroplastic particles and emerging contaminants in tap water →Radon gas dissolved in well waterRadon entering the home through well water →Perchlorate contaminationPerchlorate detected in the water supply →Algal toxins from lake or reservoir waterCyanotoxins from harmful algal blooms in surface water →1,4-dioxane and hard-to-treat contaminants1,4-dioxane that ordinary carbon can't catch →1,2,3-TCP in groundwaterThe industrial contaminant 1,2,3-trichloropropane in your well →

Skin, Hair & Whole-Home

Gentler water and premium whole-home systems.

Dry, itchy skin and dull hairHard water leaving skin tight and itchy and hair flat →Sensitive or eczema-prone skinHarsh water aggravating sensitive, reactive skin →Premium Fleck whole-home treatmentA proven fleck-valve system for the whole house →Premium Autotrol whole-home treatmentAn autotrol-valve system covering softening and filtration →

Still not sure?

Take the quick water quiz or talk to a US-based expert who will read your water report and size the right system for your home.

Take the 60-second quiz →

The equipment for this job

WSP 48,000 Grain Whole House Water Softener - Complete

Hardness is behind more of the problems on this page than anything else — scale, spotting, soap that will not lather, water heaters that die early. Free shipping inside the United States.

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