Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Installation Sydney - Under-Sink Systems Fitted

It depends on the unit (how many filter stages, and whether it has a storage tank or a remineraliser), whether we supply it or you have bought one, how far the cold water line and sink waste are from where it will sit, and whether the drinking tap needs a new hole or the pressure needs a limiting valve. You get one fixed price before any work starts, and there is nothing to pay just for us to come and look during business hours. For published market prices, see our guide to what a whole house water filter costs in Sydney.

Yes, in independent testing. A 2020 peer-reviewed study of home filters found every under-sink reverse osmosis and dual-stage filter tested removed the PFAS almost completely, while whole house carbon systems gave mixed results. If PFAS is your reason, choose a unit certified to NSF/ANSI 58 with a PFAS reduction claim on its certificate. Sydney Water reports PFAS below the national guideline values at every plant, and our guide to PFAS in Sydney water and which filters remove it has the numbers.

They do different jobs. A whole house carbon filter takes the chlorine taste and smell out of every tap and shower, while an under-sink reverse osmosis unit treats the water you drink and cook with, and it is the stronger choice if PFAS is your reason. Some homes have both. Our guide to choosing a whole house or under-sink water filter compares them, and our whole house water filter page covers that option.

Yes. We fit filters and units customers have bought, as long as the product is WaterMark certified: reverse osmosis systems are on the WaterMark Schedule of Products, and a licensed plumber is not allowed to install an uncertified one, even though it can be sold online. Send us a photo of the box and the space under your sink and we will tell you if it suits before we come out. Our guide to WaterMark certification for water filters explains the rule.

Yes. Reverse osmosis sends a steady stream of waste water to the drain while it is making water, so we connect the unit to your sink waste. Many under-sink units also store filtered water in a small tank (one common model comes with a 7 litre tank), so the cupboard needs room for both. Our guide comparing a filter tap and an under-sink water filter sets out what each option needs.

Yes. NHMRC says reverse osmosis membranes remove most of the fluoride from water. Sydney Water adds fluoride to protect teeth and both NHMRC and NSW Health support it, so weigh that up before you choose. Our guide on whether a water filter removes fluoride has the Sydney numbers.

Reverse osmosis takes out most of what is dissolved in the water, minerals included. A remineraliser is an extra cartridge after the membrane that puts some back: one Australian maker says its mineraliser adds calcium carbonate, improving the taste and lifting the pH to neutral. Sydney's water is soft to start with, at about 57 mg/L as calcium carbonate, so there is not much to take out. Units come with or without one, so it is worth deciding before you buy.

As a guide, one major Australian maker says standard cartridges every 6 to 12 months and the membrane every 1 to 3 years, but your unit's manual sets the real dates. Change sooner if the flow drops or the taste comes back, because a filter left too long can trap sludge and slime that let bacteria grow. Changing cartridges is usually a job you can do yourself, and we change them when you would rather not or a housing has cracked. Our guide on how often to change water filter cartridges has the makers' schedules.