Water Softener & Filtration Installation in McLean, VA
McLean homes get moderately hard to hard water from Fairfax Water, disinfected with chloramine. We soften it, remove the disinfectant and polish your drinking water for $2,499 installed.
What is in McLean's water
McLean is on Fairfax Water with 5 to 10 grains of hardness and chloramine. Homeowners here usually want two things: protect a lot of expensive plumbing and get restaurant-quality drinking water from the kitchen tap.
Seasonal changes
Each spring the system switches to free chlorine for several weeks to flush the distribution pipes. Many homeowners notice a stronger pool smell during that window.
Lead and older plumbing
Lead does not come from the treatment plant. It comes from older home plumbing: pre-1986 solder, older brass fixtures and, in some neighborhoods, lead service lines.
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
Fairfax Water
A few McLean properties near Great Falls are on private wells; the rest are Fairfax Water.
- Hardness
- 5 to 10 grains per gallon
- Moderately hard to hard
- Disinfectant
- Chloramine
- Needs catalytic carbon
- Source
- Potomac River (Corbalis plant) and the Occoquan Reservoir (Griffith plant)
Fairfax Water meets or exceeds state and federal standards. The everyday complaints in its territory are scale on fixtures and glassware, dry skin after showering, and a chlorine taste that gets stronger in spring.
Checked September 2026. Source: Fairfax Water annual water quality report.
Homes in McLean
McLean homes are large, often with multiple water heaters, recirculation loops and whole-house humidifiers, all of which scale up in hard water. We size softeners by flow rate here, not just by household size, so pressure stays strong across several bathrooms.
What we usually install here
A whole-home softener sized for 5 to 10 grains, catalytic carbon for chloramine, and an under-sink reverse osmosis unit for drinking and cooking water.
McLean 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 McLean
How it works in McLean
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.
McLean neighborhoods we serve
- Langley
- Chesterbrook
- Salona Village
- West McLean
- Kent Gardens
- Tysons
- El Nido
- Franklin Park
ZIP codes: 22101, 22102
McLean water questions
How hard is the water in McLean?
McLean is served by Fairfax Water. The utility reports 5 to 10 grains per gallon, which is moderately hard to hard. Fairfax Water reports 5 to 10 grains per gallon (84 to 170 mg/L), varying with location, season and rainfall.
Does McLean tap water contain chloramine?
Yes. Fairfax Water disinfects with chloramine (chlorine bonded to ammonia). Standard carbon cartridges remove chloramine poorly; catalytic carbon is the right media. That is why we use catalytic carbon in every McLean whole-home system instead of standard carbon.
How much does a water softener cost in McLean?
$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 McLean 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 McLean water safe to drink?
Yes. Fairfax 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.