Water Filtration

The water you drink, cook with and shower in should be clean and taste good. Depending on your home, it may carry chlorine taste and odour, sediment, lead from older plumbing, or naturally occurring metals from a well.

The Water Mate installs whole-home, under-sink, reverse osmosis and UV systems across Halifax and the surrounding areas. We test your water first, then recommend the filtration that targets what’s actually in it.

Below you’ll find the main system types, how filtration works, and how we help you choose.

Why Filter Your Water?

City water is treated to be safe, but it can still pick up chlorine taste, sediment and metals on the way to your tap. Well water brings its own challenges, from iron and sediment to contaminants you can’t see or taste.

Common concerns in Nova Scotia water

Chlorine taste & odour: from municipal disinfection
Lead: can enter water from older service lines, solder and fixtures, especially in older Halifax and Dartmouth homes
Sediment: sand, rust and grit that cloud water and wear out appliances
Arsenic, uranium & manganese: naturally occurring in many Nova Scotia wells
Bacteria: a risk for private wells, especially after flooding or heavy rain

Benefits of filtered water

Better-tasting water for drinking, coffee and cooking
Less reliance on bottled water
Reduced exposure to the contaminants your test identifies
Protection for plumbing and appliances from sediment and buildup

Types of Water Filtration Systems

The right system depends on what’s in your water and where you need it treated.

Whole-Home Filtration

Also called point-of-entry systems, these treat all the water coming into your home. Sediment and carbon stages reduce chlorine, taste, odour and particles at every tap and shower.

Under-Sink Filtration

Point-of-use systems under the kitchen sink give you cleaner, better-tasting water where you drink and cook. Compact and easy to maintain.

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

RO pushes water through an ultra-fine membrane that removes dissolved solids, lead and many contaminants other filters miss. Ideal for the cleanest drinking water at the kitchen tap.

UV & Specialty Treatment

UV disinfection targets bacteria and viruses, a common need for wells. Specialty media can target specific contaminants your test flags, and these options are often combined with other stages.

How Filtration Works

Most systems combine stages, each targeting different contaminants.

Filtration stages explained

Sediment filtration: captures sand, rust and particles
Activated carbon: reduces chlorine, taste and odour
Reverse osmosis membrane: removes dissolved solids and many metals and chemicals
UV disinfection: inactivates bacteria and viruses

What different technologies remove

Sediment: dirt, rust, sand
Carbon: chlorine, taste, odour
Reverse osmosis: dissolved solids, lead, many metals and chemicals
UV: bacteria and viruses

Combined properly, these deliver clean, great-tasting water throughout your home.

How to Choose the Right Water Filtration System

Choosing filtration doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s how we help.

Test your water

We start with a free test of your tap water. For well owners, we also recommend a certified lab test for health-related contaminants.

Decide where you need it

Whole-home treatment protects every tap and appliance. Point-of-use systems focus on drinking and cooking water. Many homes benefit from both.

Compare systems

Look at what each stage removes, filter life and certifications such as NSF/ANSI. More stages isn’t automatically better — each should address something in your water.

Plan for maintenance

Every system needs filter changes. We set you up with a simple schedule and can handle replacements for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I really need a water softener?Gary2026-10-10T14:08:41+00:00

Do I really need a water softener?

Not always. Signs of hard water include white scale, spotty dishes, soap that won’t lather, and dry skin or hair. Halifax’s lake-fed city water is often softer than well water, while many Nova Scotia wells are hard. A free water test tells you for sure.

How do I choose the right size?Gary2026-10-10T14:08:42+00:00

How do I choose the right size?

Size depends on your water’s hardness, your number of bathrooms and how many people live in the home. We work it out from your free water test, so you don’t have to guess.

Is installation included?Gary2026-10-10T14:08:43+00:00

Is installation included?

Yes. Every system is installed by our own local team, and your quote includes standard installation. If your home needs extra plumbing work, we’ll explain it and include it in the quote before we start.

Salt-based or salt-free — what’s the difference?Gary2026-10-10T14:08:44+00:00

Salt-based or salt-free — what’s the difference?

Salt-based softeners remove hardness minerals for true soft water. Salt-free conditioners change minerals so they’re less likely to form scale, but don’t remove them. Salt-free needs less upkeep, but the water won’t feel soft. We’ll help you decide which suits you.