Water filtration in Las Vegas, sorted by what it fixes

Match the system to the problem

You want to fix	System	Where it goes
Scale on fixtures, water heater and glass	Water softener	Main line, whole house
Chlorine taste or smell everywhere	Whole-house carbon filter	Main line, usually before the softener
Fewer dissolved minerals in drinking water	Reverse osmosis	Under the kitchen sink
Sediment or grit	Sediment pre-filter	Main line, first in line

Whole house water filtration systems

A whole-house filter is usually a large carbon tank or cartridge on the main line. It reduces the taste and smell of the disinfectant that utilities add to the water. Media needs replacing on a schedule, which is the main running cost. It leaves hardness alone.

Reverse osmosis at the kitchen tap

Reverse osmosis pushes water through a fine membrane that holds back most dissolved minerals. With valley water at 591 ppm of dissolved solids, the change in taste is noticeable. Units are small, fit under a sink and feed their own faucet; they are slow and send some water to the drain, so they aren’t used for the whole house. A softener in front of an RO unit helps its membrane last.

Combinations that make sense

• Softener only: if scale is the problem and you like the taste of the water.
• Softener plus RO: the most common pairing; soft water everywhere, low-mineral drinking water at one tap.
• Filter plus softener: if chlorine taste bothers you throughout the house.

What to ask a water treatment company

Ask what each part of a package does, what it removes, and what it costs to maintain each year (salt, filter cartridges, RO membranes). A system you don’t need is money spent every year, not once.