Water Softener & Filtration Installation in Washington, DC
Washington, DC has moderately hard water and a lot of very old plumbing. For most DC homeowners the priorities are chloramine taste, lead protection in pre-1960 rowhouses, and drinking water that tastes clean.
Work in the District is performed by DC-licensed plumbers, and permits are pulled where the District requires them.
Your utility
- Hardness
- Disinfectant
- Source
What we would install:
Data from the utility's published reports as of . See EWG's tap water database for this ZIP.
DC cities and neighborhoods we serve
Each page has the local utility's reported numbers, the kind of homes there and what we usually install.
Water utilities in Washington, DC
DC Water publishes a hardness range of 70 to 120 ppm (roughly 4 to 7 grains) and uses chloramine year-round. Its Lead Free DC program is still replacing lead service lines in older neighborhoods.
Water utility
DC Water
- Hardness
- 4 to 7 grains per gallon
- Moderately hard
- Disinfectant
- Chloramine
- Needs catalytic carbon
- Source
- Potomac River, treated by the Washington Aqueduct (Dalecarlia and McMillan plants)
DC water is only moderately hard, so the softener conversation is about comfort and appliance life rather than heavy scale. The bigger issues for DC homeowners are chloramine taste and the age of home plumbing.
Checked September 2026. Source: DC Water drinking water quality FAQ.
Published prices. No in-home sales pitch.
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