This page sells whole house water filters for city (municipal) water. On city water the two whole-house jobs are the chlorine or chloramine the utility adds and hard-water scale. Every Mid Atlantic Water carbon tank holds Centaur catalytic carbon, which removes chlorine, chloramine, disinfection byproducts, taste and odor: non-backwashing 1.5 cu ft $1,495 and 2.5 cu ft $1,695 (no drain, no electricity); backwashing 1.5 cu ft $1,895 and 2.5 cu ft $2,495 for water that also carries sediment or a sulfur smell. Fleck 5600SXT 48,000 grain water softener $1,995; carbon and softener packages $3,195 (1.5 cu ft carbon with a 48,000 grain softener) and $3,795 (2.5 cu ft carbon with a 64,000 grain softener); all-in-one carbon and softener tank $2,195; salt-free conditioner $2,895 (prevents scale up to about 25 grains, does not remove hardness). 20 inch Big Blue carbon cartridge kit $259 (chlorine taste and odor, not chloramine). Under-sink reverse osmosis from $275 for drinking water (fluoride, lead and dissolved solids at one tap). City water test kits $199 and $279. Every tank ships empty with the media in separate bags, loaded at install; drain tubing is not included; we recommend a licensed plumber. Private wells (iron, sulfur, low pH, bacteria) are served by the well water filtration systems collection. Free shipping to the lower 48 states and free sizing by phone with Aidan.
Enter your ZIP to see how your water system grades on its federal record, what’s actually been found in it, and which filters address it.
The lookup returns the federal water-quality record for 41344 US ZIP codes served by public water systems: EPA violations on record (total, health-based, and unresolved), named contaminant findings such as disinfection byproducts, coliform bacteria, lead, arsenic, and nitrate, the system’s lead 90th-percentile result against the 15 ppb EPA action level, boil-water advisories, and an overall A–F record grade. Records are built from EPA SDWIS federal reporting, last updated 2026-06-09.
The same data is available free as JSON: https://city-water-report-worker.cold-star-ab18.workers.dev/report?zip=YOUR_ZIP. These are system-wide reporting numbers, not a measurement at any individual tap; a tap water test is the only way to know what reaches your faucet.
Major systems we’ve reviewed in depth:
Data & grade: ZipCheckup (CC BY 4.0), built from EPA SDWIS federal reporting.
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Every carbon tank here removes chlorine and chloramine. We recommend the 2.5 cu ft non-backwashing tank for most homes; it needs no drain or power. The backwashing tanks are only for water that also has sediment or a sulfur smell. Hard water too? Add a softener, or buy both as a package. The salt-free conditioner stops scale up to about 25 grains, but it does not soften the water. Tanks ship empty; the filter media comes in separate bags.
Your city's yearly water report is free. The lookup above shows your utility's federal record. A city lab kit adds what that report misses, such as lead from fittings inside your home. An independent certified lab runs every kit, and Aidan reads the results with you free. On a private well, the well water test kits are on our well water systems page.
Two lower-cost options. The 20 inch Big Blue carbon kit ($259) reduces the chlorine taste and smell for the whole house, but it does not handle chloramine; change the cartridge every 3 to 6 months. An under-sink reverse osmosis system treats the one tap you drink and cook from. It takes out fluoride, which carbon cannot, and reduces lead at that tap. It needs a small drain connection under the sink.
On city water, look at these only after a test shows PFAS or lead. Our carbon tanks already reduce PFAS at every tap. Iron, low pH, sulfur, sediment, bacteria and nitrate are almost always well problems; those filters are on our well water systems page.
I read every water report myself and text back the filter, the size and the price. Same day during business hours, and free.
Photo, PDF, or just type the numbers, whatever’s easiest. Don’t have a test yet? Describe what you’re seeing.
He is the co-owner and the one in our videos. If your water does not need a filter, he says so.
Aidan texts you the exact product page that fits your water. Buy it, bookmark it, or take the answer elsewhere. No pressure either way.
We never send spam. We never sell your number. Aidan answers personally, 7 days a week, 8a–5p ET.
| Mid Atlantic Water | Imported box (iSpring / Express) | Local installer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sized to your water & home | Yes, from your water report, by phone | One size for every home | Usually, at a home visit |
| Filter media quality | Named brands: Centaur carbon, 10% crosslink softener resin | Often not named | Varies by dealer |
| Serviceable & supported | Standard parts; Aidan helps after the sale | Replaceable cartridges | Through the dealer |
| Who installs it | Your licensed plumber, with Aidan on the phone | You | Their crew |
| Typical cost | $259 cartridge; $1,495 to $3,795 tank systems | $200 to $600 box | By quote, installed |
An imported cartridge box costs less up front. It is one size for every home, and it runs on replaceable cartridges. A local installer's quote includes a visit to your home and their labor. We sit in between: sized to your water report by phone, installed by your plumber, and shipped to your door.
That is the disinfectant your city adds: chlorine or chloramine. One carbon tank removes either one at every tap. You do not need to know which one your city uses.
Hard water (calcium and magnesium). A water softener removes it; a salt-free conditioner prevents the scale without salt. Common on both city and well supplies.
On sinks, tubs, and laundry, with a metallic taste. That is iron, almost always a well problem. A whole-house iron filter removes it; size it at the well water hub.
Turquoise staining and copper corrosion mean acidic, low-pH water, a well problem. An acid neutralizer raises the pH; size it at the well water hub.
Only worried about drinking water? An under-sink reverse osmosis system at the kitchen tap is the smaller fix. It also removes fluoride, which carbon cannot.
Coliform or E. coli in a private well means the water needs disinfecting, usually with a UV light. UV only works on clear water, so iron and sediment come out first. Size it on the well water page.
Grit and clogged faucet screens are a well problem, and a sediment filter fixes them. On city water the carbon tank catches the little grit there is.
| Big Blue Carbon (cartridge) | 1.5 cu ft Carbon Tank |
2.5 cu ft Carbon Tank
MOST POPULAR | |
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| Household | Rentals and small homes | 2-4 people | 3-6 people |
| Bathrooms | 1-2 | 2-3 | 2-4 |
| Treats | Chlorine taste & smell (not chloramine) | Chlorine & chloramine, taste, odor | Chlorine & chloramine, taste, odor (more flow) |
| Max flow before pressure drop | 4 gallons a minute | 10 gallons a minute | 17 gallons a minute |
| Backwash required | No | No | No |
| Price | $259 | $1,495 | $1,695 |
| Shop now | Shop now | Shop now |
Typical time for a licensed plumber to install a carbon tank and softener. One carbon tank alone is often quicker.
Inlet and outlet size on every tank. Your plumber ties in copper, PEX or CPVC.
Phone help for you and your plumber, before and after the install.
| Filter | Best for | Treats | Salt / drain / power | Upkeep | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20" Big Blue Carbon Kit | Renters, small homes | Chlorine taste and smell. Not chloramine. | No salt, drain or power | New cartridge every 3 to 6 months | $259 |
| Under-Sink RO (MAW-50) | Drinking water at one tap | Fluoride, lead and dissolved solids at that tap. | Small drain under the sink | Filters every 6 to 12 months; membrane every 2 to 3 years | From $275 |
| 1.5 cu ft Carbon Tank | 2 to 4 people, up to 3 baths | Chlorine, chloramine and their byproducts; taste and smell. | No salt, drain or power | New carbon about every 4 to 5 years | $1,495 |
| 2.5 cu ft Carbon Tank | 3 to 6 people, or two showers at once | Same as the 1.5, with more flow. | No salt, drain or power | New carbon about every 5 to 6 years | $1,695 |
| 1.5 cu ft Carbon Tank (backwashing) | Water with sediment or a sulfur smell | Chlorine, chloramine, sulfur smell, taste. | Needs a drain and power | New carbon about every 4 to 6 years | $1,895 |
| Water Softener (48,000 grain) | Hard water, 2 to 4 baths | Hardness from 5 to 30 grains. | Needs salt, a drain and power | Salt about $8 a month; resin lasts over a decade | $1,995 |
| 2.5 cu ft Carbon Tank (backwashing) | Bigger homes with sediment or a sulfur smell | Chlorine, chloramine, sulfur smell, taste. | Needs a drain and power | New carbon about every 4 to 6 years | $2,495 |
| Salt-Free Conditioner (2.5 cu ft) | Scale without salt, up to about 25 grains | Stops scale. Does not soften. | No salt, drain or power | New media about every 3 years | $2,895 |
| 1.5 Carbon + 48,000 Grain Softener | Carbon and softener, smaller homes | Chlorine, chloramine and hard water. | Softener needs salt, a drain and power | Same as each tank above | $3,195 |
| 2.5 Carbon + 64,000 Grain Softener | Carbon and softener, larger homes | Chlorine, chloramine and hard water. | Softener needs salt, a drain and power | Same as each tank above | $3,795 |
Prices checked September 26, 2026. Tank systems carry a 10 year tank and 5 year control valve warranty. On a private well? Iron, sulfur, low pH, sediment and UV systems are on the well water filtration systems page. Not sure which row fits? Text Aidan your water report.
Reviews are collected by Stamped.io, a third-party review service that emails customers after their order. Stamped does not let us edit a review’s words or star rating.
Mid Atlantic was helpful in.identifying the right system for my home. The products came well packaged, the price was right and service fantastic. I will use them again on our next nome.
Great support, easy to install
Installed with a iron and acid neutralizer, easy to install and everything together works great. Irony Well water was staining everything and had a bitter metallic taste, dogs would not drink it and I had to buy bottled water, witch usually has a plastic taste. Now with these filters Aidan recommended, I have excellent well water, taste great. I couldn't believe how good my first glass of water was, compared to about four hours before without the filters. One more thing, I called a couple other filter companies and the salespeople are what I didn't like, I could tell they didn't have very good knowledge of the products, Aidan has the confidence and the answers.
How to choose the right whole house filter for your water.
Read the guide →What city water carries and how to filter it for the whole home.
Read the guide →
How carbon removes chlorine, chloramine, taste, and odor.
Read the guide →
Removing hardness, scale, and spotting.
Read the guide →
What each system does, what it costs, and which one your water needs.
Read the guide →
What to install for well water, in what order, and what it costs.
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