Water Softener & Filtration Installation in Alexandria, VA
Alexandria homes get moderately hard to hard water from Virginia American Water, disinfected with chloramine. We soften it, remove the disinfectant and polish your drinking water for $2,499 installed.
What is in Alexandria's water
Alexandria gets Fairfax Water quality through a different bill, so expect 5 to 10 grains of hardness and a chloramine residual. In the historic districts we always talk about lead: pre-1986 solder and old brass are common, and an NSF 53 lead-certified reverse osmosis unit is a sensible add for any pre-war kitchen.
Seasonal changes
Follows the Fairfax Water spring free-chlorine flush, so expect a stronger chlorine smell for a few weeks each spring.
Lead and older plumbing
Alexandria has a large stock of pre-1960 homes in Old Town, Del Ray and Rosemont, so older solder and fixtures are common. Lead does not come from the treatment plant.
PFAS: Utilities that draw from the Potomac have reported low-level PFAS detections in routine monitoring. EPA finalized limits for PFOA and PFOS in 2024. An under-sink reverse osmosis system certified to NSF/ANSI 58 is the practical fix at the tap you drink from.
Water utility
Virginia American Water (Alexandria)
Alexandria is billed by Virginia American Water, which buys its treated water from Fairfax Water. Addresses with an Alexandria mailing address but inside Fairfax County (Kingstowne, Mount Vernon, Franconia) are on Fairfax Water directly.
- Hardness
- about 5 to 10 grains per gallon
- Moderately hard to hard (approximate, confirm with latest report)
- Disinfectant
- Chloramine
- Needs catalytic carbon
- Source
- Treated water purchased from Fairfax Water (Potomac and Occoquan sources)
Alexandria homeowners get Fairfax Water quality through a different utility. The practical treatment answer is the same as in Fairfax County: soften, remove chloramine, and polish drinking water.
Checked September 2026. Source: Virginia American Water quality reports.
Homes in Alexandria
Old Town and Del Ray are full of 18th, 19th and early 20th century rowhouses and bungalows with cramped mechanical spaces and older plumbing. Cameron Station and Potomac Yard are 2000s townhomes with garages. We size cabinet-style softeners for the historic houses and standard two-tank systems for the newer ones.
What we usually install here
Whole-home softener with catalytic carbon and an under-sink reverse osmosis unit. Old Town rowhouses often need a compact cabinet-style softener because of tight utility spaces.
Alexandria pricing, published
Prices include equipment, a licensed plumber's installation and startup for a standard install. If anything about your home changes the price, you hear it before we book the plumber, not after.
Whole-Home + Drinking Water
The complete package for a municipal-water home.
$2,499installed
- Metered whole-home softener
- Catalytic carbon for chloramine and chlorine
- Sediment pre-filter and bypass
- 5-stage under-sink reverse osmosis with faucet
- Licensed installation, startup and salt
Whole-Home Only
Soft, chlorine-free water at every tap and shower.
$1,899installed
- Metered whole-home softener
- Catalytic carbon media
- Sediment pre-filter and bypass
- Licensed installation, startup and salt
- Add reverse osmosis any time
Reverse Osmosis Only
Clean drinking water for condos and kitchens.
$799installed
- 5-stage NSF/ANSI 58 system
- Removes lead, PFAS and dissolved solids
- Dedicated lead-free faucet
- Optional fridge and ice line
- Licensed installation and first filters
Standard install covers
- Main water line, a drain and an outlet within reach in a basement, garage or utility room
- Kitchen sink with cabinet space for the reverse osmosis unit
- Copper or PEX supply lines in serviceable condition
- Permit where your jurisdiction requires one
Quoted before we book
- Long plumbing runs to reach the main line, or adding a drain or outlet
- Crawlspace or exterior installs, and galvanized pipe that needs replacing
- Private wells: lab test first, then a system designed to the results
- Fridge and ice maker line for the reverse osmosis unit
Water problems we fix in Alexandria
How it works in Alexandria
Request a consultation
Send your address and the service you want. We check your utility's published hardness and disinfectant and ask a few questions about your home.
Get one firm price
Within a business day you get the exact equipment we recommend, with model numbers, and an installed price that does not change on install day.
Licensed plumber installs it
A licensed, insured plumber installs the system in two to four hours, tests it, and walks you through salt and filter changes. Then you forget about it.
Alexandria neighborhoods we serve
- Old Town
- Del Ray
- Rosemont
- Seminary Hill
- Cameron Station
- Potomac Yard
- Landmark
- Carlyle
- Beverley Hills
ZIP codes: 22301, 22302, 22304, 22305, 22311, 22314
Alexandria water questions
How hard is the water in Alexandria?
Alexandria is served by Virginia American Water (Alexandria). We expect about 5 to 10 grains per gallon, which is moderately hard to hard. Alexandria receives finished water from Fairfax Water, which reports 5 to 10 grains per gallon. Confirm the current figure in the Virginia American Water report.
Does Alexandria tap water contain chloramine?
Yes. Because the water is produced by Fairfax Water, it carries a chloramine residual. Catalytic carbon is the correct filtration media. That is why we use catalytic carbon in every Alexandria whole-home system instead of standard carbon.
How much does a water softener cost in Alexandria?
$1,899 installed for a metered softener with catalytic carbon, or $2,499 with an under-sink reverse osmosis system. That covers equipment, a licensed plumber's installation and startup for a standard install; we quote any extras before booking.
Do you install in Alexandria townhomes and condos?
Townhomes, yes, usually with a compact single-tank softener in the utility closet. Condos where the building supply cannot be modified get an under-sink reverse osmosis system, which handles drinking water taste, lead and PFAS without touching shared plumbing.
Is Alexandria water safe to drink?
Yes. Virginia American Water meets federal and state standards, and we will never claim otherwise. A home system addresses comfort (hardness, disinfectant taste and smell) and, at the kitchen tap, contaminants that enter from home plumbing such as lead.