Whole of House Water Filters

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Whole House Water Filter Systems are designed to filter all of the water coming into your home or business. They are the simplest way to improve the quality of water coming from every tap and water outlet around your property.

Whole house water filters make your water healthier by reducing sediment and chemical content. They can also improve the taste and odour of your water, making it much more enjoyable to consume.

An additional benefit of whole house filtration is that it can protect appliances from sediment-related abrasion damage. There are even options for correcting acidic water and hard water.

Please browse our home water filtration systems below or Click here to read more about Whole House Water Filter Systems.

As always, if you have any questions, please get in touch today via email or by calling our friendly team on 0266468565!

Whole Home Water Filtration Systems

Clarence Water Filters is one of the leading suppliers of water filter systems for homes and businesses in Australia.

Our systems can be used to reduce and mitigate the impact of:

  • Sediment including sand, silt, dirt, algae, and rust
  • Chlorine, chloramines, and Trihalomethanes (as toxic disinfection by-product)
  • Pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, glyphosphate and other chemicals
  • Scale build-up from hard water
  • Corrosion from low pH water
  • Pathogens including Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa, Algal Spores, Cryptosporidium, and Cyclospora.

Need Help? Contact Us Today

Continue reading to learn more about whole house filtration. If you require any advice, please contact us at via email or by calling our friendly team on 02 6646 8565.

Tank/Town Water Systems

You’ve probably noticed the filter systems shown above are classified as “town water” or “tank water”.

Town water is used to describe to describe water that has been treated by a council or water authority in some way. This means it has had chemicals added to reduce turbidity and neutralise pathogens.

This can include chlorine, Aluminum sulfate or alum (Al2(SO4)3), ferric chloride (FeCl3), and ammonia. The primary concern with this type of water is chemical contamination, so sediment filters are finer and media with enhanced chemical reduction is used. 

Tank water is used to describe untreated water from a natural source, like rain water, dam water, river water, or bore water.

Untreated water is more likely to have pathogens (bacteria, cyst parasites, protozoa, viruses) and higher levels of sediment. However, the water may also contain chemical contaminants from pesticide/herbicide overspray or contaminated aquifers.

The primary concern with this type of water is sediment and pathogens, however chemicals can also be present. Silver carbon is used in these tank water systems as it reduces the risk of bacterial growth in the carbon. A UV sterilisation component is also recommended for neutralisation of pathogens.

Disposable Filters/Reusable Filters

The systems listed above are also classified as having disposable or reusable filters.

Disposable filter sets are installed and used until they reach full capacity. At that point they are discarded.

Reusable filter sets have a pleated washable sediment and a refillable carbon filter.

The pleated washable sediment filter can be washed 4-5 times to remove the top layer of sediment before it needs to be discarded.

The refillable filter contains filter media like carbon, KDF and polyphosphate. When the media is depleted the contents of the cartridge are disposed of and it is refilled. It is a useful way to save money and gives you more flexibility in terms of filter media options.

Whole Of House Water Filter Systems For Town Water

Although Australian town water is generally of reasonable quality, it can still contain a variety of natural and manmade contaminants. This might include:

  • Chlorine and Chloramines
    Water authorities will introduce chlorine and/or chloramines to kill or incapacitate pathogens in the water, including bacteria, protozoa, cyst parasites (crypto, giardia, cyclospora), and viruses.
  • Bad Tastes/Odours
    Town water that has been disinfected using chlorine or chloramines can take on a very unpleasant smell and odour. Whole house water filters containing carbon can neutralise this effect, making your water much more enjoyable to consume.
  • Sediment
    Particulates including sand, silt, dirt, rust, and metal particles
  • Disinfection by-products (DBHs)
    When chemicals like chlorine and chloramines are added to water, they can interact with other substances and create new types of chemicals and compounds. This can include trihalomethanes, a type of chemical dangerous to humans in high levels.
  • Pesticides and Herbicides
    Water reservoirs in rural areas may become contaminated by pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals. Some of these chemicals are dangerous for human consumption in high levels.
  • Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
    Volatile organic compounds are organic chemicals that have a high vapor pressure and low boiling point. They are found in many chemical substances including adhesives, paints, and solvents.

Our whole house water filter systems for town water can dramatically reduce these contaminants, helping you enjoy water that is much safer and more enjoyable to consume.

The most common type of town water system is a Twin Big Blue Filter System. It features two 20″ x 4.5″ sumps which contain filter cartridges. The sumps are screwed into filter heads.

The main benefit of this type of system is that you can choose from dozens of different 20″ x 4.5″ filter types. They include sediment filters (various micron ratings), carbon block filters, refillable carbon filters, scale reduction filters, heavy metal reduction filters, and much more.

Our most popular combination uses a 5 micron pleated washable filter and a refillable filter cartridge with carbon for chemical removal. Ideal for treating town water.

Triple systems are also available. They can be configured with any combination of filters. Get in touch with us and we can recommend a few options to suit your water supply and usage.

Click here to view our whole house water filter systems for town water.

Whole Of House Water Filters For Tank and Untreated Water

If you are using untreated water from a water tank, bore, river, dam, or creek, you will be facing a different set of challenges compared to people on town water.

Although you won’t need to worry about chlorine, chloramines, and disinfection by-products, you may need to filter for:

  • High Levels of Sediment
    Untreated water can contain a large amount of sediment compared to treated town water. This can include dirt, rust, leaf particles, metal particles and more. These particulates can cause staining, making your water unpalatable, and damage water-consuming appliances.
  • Pathogens
    If your water source is potentially exposed to animal activity or decaying organic matter, it may begin to harbour bacteria, cyst parasties, viruses and other pathogens. The best approach to dealing with this type of water is usually an ultraviolet steriliser. The steriliser uses powerful beams of UV light to kill or incapacitate 100% of pathogens.
  • Taste/odour Issues
    Untreated water can sometimes have an unusual aroma or flavour. Whole house water filters can help by adsorbing unpleasant aromas/flavours, making your water much more enjoyable.

It’s also advisable to use silver carbon in whole house systems for tank water, as it is bacteriostatic (kills bacteria).

Click here to view our whole house water filter systems for tank and untreated water.

Whole Of House Water Filters For Treating Acidic Water

Rain water is naturally acidic due to the way the hydrological cycle works.

When water is evaporated from the ground and enters the atmosphere, it is stripped of sediment, mineral, and metal content. This creates water that is extremely pure and has a low pH (acidic).

When households capture rain water from the roof and store it in their water tanks, it can remain acidic.

If the water is too acidic, it can lead to a range of problems including corrosion of copper pipework, damage to appliances, and the addition of metals to your drinking water.

Fortunately, there are whole house systems for acidic water, which can buffer the pH back up to a safe level. The most popular option is our Low pH Water Neutralising Calcite System. It is a large 52″ media vessel which is filled with a combination of gravel and calcite or gravel and calcite/corosex. It can buffer water as low as 5.3 pH.

What is Calcite?

Calcite is a form of calcium carbonate made from crushed marble. When it is enveloped by acidic water, it begins to breakdown, adding calcium minerals which buffer the pH back up. It reaches a self balancing

Whole House Water Filter Systems – Common Styles

We offer several styles of whole house water filters including:

Big Blue Whole House Water Filter Systems

Called “Big Blue” systems because of the bright blue colour of the filter housing sumps.

They are available in several sizes, including 20″ x 4.5″, 20″ x 2.5″ and 10″ x 4.5″ housings.

Systems can be configured to your requirements, with single, twin, and triple systems available.

Our Big Blue systems take standard double open ended filters, which makes it simple to obtain replacement filters as needed. They are a much more affordable option than proprietary filter systems, which have higher cartridge replacement costs.

High Performance Whole House Filtration Systems

High Performance Filtration have released a series of Big Blue water filter systems with high-quality stainless steel housings.

The housing protects the filtration system from damaging UV light and harsh weather, extending its lifespan.

They are an attractive option ideal for front-of-house installations. Available in Twin, Twin + UV, and Triple filter configurations.

Ultraviolet Sterilizers

UV sterilizers use powerful beams of ultraviolet light to kill pathogens including bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and cyst parasites.

Ideal for making untreated rain, dam, or river water safe to consume. View our UV Sterilisers.

Calcite pH Neutralising Systems

Acidic water can be an issue for properties using rain water. Fortunately, acidic water can usually be corrected using a large vessel with calcite or Calcite with Corosex.

Bag Filter Housings

Bag filters are one of the most economical options for removing sediment from your water. Often used on untreated water high in sediment, like tank, dam, bore, river, or creek water. Capable of handling very high flow rates. View our Bag Filter Systems.

We have system configurations available for both treated town water and untreated water. There are also filtration units which deal with other common problems like:

  • Acidic tank water
  • Hard water
  • Sediment-heavy water
  • Water Containing Pathogens (Bacteria, Viruses, Protozoa, Giardia, Cryptosporidium)

3M™ Aqua-Pure™ AP900 Whole House Water Filter Systems

The AP900 Whole House Water Filter Series from 3M™ uses their innovative Sanitary Quick Change System, which makes changing filters as simple as changing a light bulb.

A great choice for anyone of reasonably good quality water, who is looking for a low-maintenance whole house filtration solution.

If you are unsure about the type of whole house filtration system that you require, contact us today for free, no-obligation advice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Installation Questions

Can You Install A Whole House Water Filter System Yourself?

It is recommended that Whole House Water Filter Systems be installed by a licenced plumber or an experienced installer.

Installation may be more challenging on houses that are connected to mains water where copper pipes are commonly used for plumbing.  Properties that use tank water often use poly pipe which may make installing a Whole House Filter System simpler.

Systems that are Watermarked should be installed by a licenced plumber in order to maintain their Watermark status.

How Much Does a Plumber Charge To Install a House Water Filter?

This can vary based on several factors.

  • The difficulty of the installation
    Home water filter systems are connected to the main water line entering your property. If this water line is difficult to access, it may increase the time required for installation, which increases costs. There may be also other factors like pipework that needs to be moved or other impediments.
  • The skill and experience of the plumber
    Any plumber who has installed a filtration system in the past will be more familiar with its requirements. Fortunately, these days most plumbers have worked with home filter systems.
  • The type of system and any additional features
    Some systems require more work to install. For example, any unit with a UV steriliser, will take longer than a filter only unit. Home filter units can also vary in terms of size and the number of stages they contain, which impacts installation time.
    Features like a complete system bypass or gauges can also increase the time required to install a filter system.
  • Your location 
    If you are located in a metropolitan area, you can usually expect tradesmen to charge more. Country plumbers tend to have more reasonable rates.

In general terms, qualified plumbers can take anywhere between 1 hour and 4 hours to install the average home filtration unit.

Plumbers in Australia can charge anywhere between $80 to $200 per hour, so it can vary greatly.

We always recommend that customers get several quotes and ask people they know for plumber recommendations.

Usage Questions

How Long Does A Whole House Water Filter Last?

The lifespan of a Whole House Water Filter will depend on water usage and water quality.

As a general rule we suggest that you replace your Whole House Water Filters every 12 months or if tastes and odours begin to return. Filters are likely to reach capacity sooner in places where water is particularly high in sediment and other contaminants. Significant rain events can also shorten the lifespan of a whole house water filter as chemical run off, debri and other pollutants increase.

Pleated washable sediment filters can potentially last up to 18 months as they can be removed and cleaned with your garden hose to prolong their lifespan and effectiveness.

Washable Vs Refillable Filters

What Are The Advantages Of Refillable Filters

Refillable filters have screw top lids, which let you top it up with bags of media.

This type of filter has a few advantages:

  • Cost effective
    Bags of media are typically much more affordable than complete filter cartridges.
  • Can hold multiple types of media
    You can place several types of media in the cartridge, separated by sediment pads. This can improve filter efficiency and help you achieve multiple goals, like scale, lead, and chemical reduction from a single filter.
  • High flow rates 
    Because refillable filters contain loose granular media, there is much less risk of blockages, as there can be with carbon block filters.

What Are The Advantages Of Disposable Filters

Disposable filters are designed to be used until they reach full capacity, at which point they are discarded.

The sediment filter is normally a polyspun type, although you could also use a pleated washable as a disposable.

The carbon filter is usually a carbon block, although you could use a refillable filter as if it was a disposable option also. In fact, people who use refillable filters with multiple types of media, often prefer to use them like a disposable as refilling them can be time consuming.

This type of filter has a few advantages:

  • System maintenance is faster as there is less cleaning and no re-refilling involved
  • It can be more hygienic as the these is less handling of the filter media
  • Disposable polyspun filters are usually cheaper than pleated washable filters (although carbon blocks are usually dearer than bags of carbon)

Cost Of A Whole House Water Filter

How Much Does A Whole House Filter System Cost?

Not as much as you think.

The price of whole house water filter systems has dropped dramatically in recent years. The price of a simple whole house sediment filter is as low as $125.00

How Much Does It Cost Each Year To Replace Our Water Filters?

The price of replacement water filters will vary depending on the system and filters that you have installed. 

If you are using disposable filters your replacement sediment filters can start from as low as $52.88 and carbon block filters as low as $90.80.

If you have opted for refillable filters your pleated washable sediment filters start as low as $59.80 whilst your carbon media starts at $33.50 for your basic Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

Additions such as ORC carbon, KDF media and Polyphosphate are going to increase this yearly expense but with added filtration benefits.