The Complete Guide to Residential Water Systems & Equipment

Access to clean, safe water is one of the most essential elements of a functional home. Delivering high-quality water relies on complex residential water systems and equipment that require proper installation, maintenance, and occasional repairs or upgrades.

This guide explores the key components of home water systems, the issues that impact water quality, and the different types of water treatment solutions available. Read on to learn the basics of water wells, piping, storage tanks, heaters, softeners, filters, and more.

Boiler Replacement

Generally, you can expect to pay $5,300–$9,500 to replace your home's boiler. Price will vary for electric, gas, and wood models.

GET ESTIMATES

Emergency Plumbing

You can typically expect to pay $68–$450 for emergency plumbing, depending on the severity of the problem at hand.

GET ESTIMATES

Ejector Pump

Generally, you can expect to pay between $850–$5,500 for a new ejector pump, depending on the type of pump you need.

GET ESTIMATES

Types of Water Supply Systems

Your home's water source determines what kind of supply system you need. The two main options are private well systems or connecting to public municipal water systems.

Private Well Systems

Homes outside municipal water supply areas must get water from a private well drilled on their property. Well systems pump groundwater to the surface from underground aquifers using submersible pumps. Wells provides autonomous water supply for homes not connected to city plumbing.

Key private well system components include:

Well pump

A submersible pump in the well shaft that pushes water to the surface. Well pumps require electricity and occasional maintenance or replacement when they fail.

Pressure tank

A storage tank that maintains system water pressure between pump cycles. These use bladders or diaphragms to separate air and water. Tank sizes range from 2 to over 100 gallons.

Pipes

PVC, polyethylene, and metal pipes connect well components and transport water. Piping runs underground and through the home's plumbing. Proper sizing depends on peak usage.

Storage tank

Larger tanks hold hundreds or thousands of gallons in reserve for periods of high demand, preventing pump overuse. Consider adding storage for homes with higher daily usage.

Well owners must monitor water quality, perform equipment maintenance, and make repairs. Annual costs average $300 - $500, but major repairs like replacing a well or pump can cost thousands.

Municipal Water Systems

Homes in cities and towns receive treated surface or groundwater from public supply systems. Water flows through underground service lines maintained by the utility, then into your home's plumbing.

Municipal water requires no special on-site equipment besides household plumbing and fixtures. You pay monthly bills based on metered usage rather than equipment maintenance and operation costs.

Water Quality Issues

While municipal water is rigorously treated and tested, private well water quality varies. Hardness, bacteria, metals, pesticides, and other issues may necessitate treatment.

Testing and treating private well water quality issues is important to protect your household's health and home systems. Contaminants or high hardness can damage plumbing and appliances if left untreated.

Water Softeners

Softeners remove hardness minerals and prevent scale by exchanging calcium and magnesium ions for sodium or potassium through ion exchange.

Salt-Based Softeners Salt-Free Conditioners

Traditional softeners use sodium chloride salt for ion exchange regeneration. Hardness minerals attach to the salt during the process. Sodium models increase the water sodium content. Potassium costs more but avoids this.

Salt-based softeners need periodic salt refills and resin bed cleaning to control bacteria and resin fouling. Salt costs run $5-$10 monthly.

Salt-free conditioners use catalytic carbon-coated resin media. Hardness forms harmless crystals upon contact that do not bind and cause scale. The media must be replaced when sites become saturated.

Salt-free conditioners avoid added sodium and delivered salt but have higher up-front costs. They effectively soften water but do not remove other contaminants.

Typical installation costs range from $2,000 - $4,000 for full home salt-based units and $500 - $2,500 for salt-free conditioning

Water Filtration Systems

Filters remove particles and contaminants through different physical, chemical, and biological treatment methods. Point-of-use and whole-house options are available.

Filtration examples include reverse osmosis systems that push water through membranes to remove contaminants and activated carbon filters that chemically absorb impurities.

Common residential filtration methods include:

Reverse osmosis

Forces water through a membrane to remove ions and particles, including >90% of contaminants.

Activated carbon

Adsorbs chemicals and traps particles. Also improves odor and taste.

UV disinfection

UV light kills bacteria and microorganisms by neutralizing DNA. Requires frequent bulb replacement.

Mechanical filtration

Strains out particulate matter through porous media. Less effective on chemicals.

Reverse osmosis and activated carbon remove contaminants in multi-stage under-sink and whole home systems.

Installing new filtration systems ranges from $30 for basic faucet filters to over $3,500 for extensive whole-house units with multiple stages.

Water Heaters

Heating water represents about 18% of home energy costs. Choosing an efficient heater helps save on bills. The two main options are tank and tankless.

Tank Water Heaters

Tanks store 30-50 gallons of heated water for on-demand use. Conventional tanks cost $400-$1,500. Gas-fueled are less expensive to operate than electric. Well-maintained tanks last 6-12 years.

Drain and flush sediment 1-2 times per year to maintain a tank water heater. Check heating elements and anodes for wear. Replacement may be needed over time.

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless heaters provide unlimited hot water on demand without storage. They cost more up-front at $1,000-$4,000 but last over 20 years. Natural gas tankless models have the lowest operating costs.

Proper installation is key for tank water heaters. Maintenance keeps them running efficiently. Heating elements or thermocouples may eventually need replacement as well.

Fixing & Replacing Water Pipes

Fresh household water comes through interior pipes from the main inlet. Pipe materials include copper, CPVC plastic, PEX, and galvanized steel.

Over time, leaks, corrosion, freezing, and wear can damage pipes. Repairing specific leaks may be preferable to full replacement. However, re-piping the entire plumbing system may be necessary if there are multiple leaks or extensive corrosion.

Copper pipes resist corrosion but may develop pinhole leaks over decades of use. Plastic pipes are cheaper but get more brittle and prone to cracking with age. Steel pipes corrode. PEX tubing is flexible but cannot be used for steam lines.

For DIY repairs, clamps and sealants can temporarily fix small leaks. Re-piping a whole house costs $4,000-$10,000 and often requires plumbers. Evaluate options upon detecting leaks.

Learn More About Water Systems

So, What's the Best Water System for Your Home?

There is no universally "best" whole home water system. The ideal equipment and treatment depends on your water source, contamination issues, usage, and other factors.

Work with professionals to test your water and profile usage. Use the results to customize robust filtration, softening, safety, efficiency, and convenience into an integrated system that meets your household's needs.

Private well owners must monitor water quality closely and plan for more involved treatment and maintenance. Public water hookups transfer those duties to utilities, requiring only supplemental filtration and conditioning.

Investing in adequate purification ensures your home's water system delivers premium quality, protects appliances, and prevents potential health hazards from contaminants.

Top Pick

4.6

GET QUOTE

Limited Time:

Save Up to $300 On a New Water Heater!

Best Service Selection

4.9

GET QUOTE

Limited Time:

$100 Off Drain Cleaning Services

Best Discounts/Financing

4.6

GET QUOTE

Limited Time:

$75 Off Plumbing or Drain Cleaning

The Bottom Line

Reliable water systems provide the foundation for everyday home functionality and convenience. Investing in appropriate treatment safeguards your household from contaminants, appliance damage, and plumbing corrosion. Work with experts to create a customized whole-home water system that meets your family's needs.